“After Europeans, I started jumping a lot with great enthusiasm. I didn’t think about potential problems, but then I overused my right leg. Since then, I’ve felt pain for nine months.” Niina Petrokina on recovery after Achilles tendon surgery
Niina Petrokina Works Toward Recovery After Achilles Tendon Surgery
original source: sport.err.ee dd. October 28th 2025 by Anu Saarits
European champion Niina Petrokina, who underwent surgery on her Achilles tendon in Munich on October 9, has begun the process of restoring her jumping form to compete for a spot in major championships and the Olympics. Petrokina endured prolonged pain in her right heel for months before finally opting for surgery in Germany. Here’s a translation of her comments posted on ERR.
“After the European Championships, I started jumping a lot with great enthusiasm. I didn’t think about potential problems, but then I overused my right leg, especially with lutz jumps. Over time, the issue emerged because I was hitting the ice too hard. Since then, I’ve felt pain for nine months,” Petrokina explained.
Despite the injury, she achieved remarkable results, winning the Olympic test event and securing eighth place at the World Championships, earning her country an Olympic spot. However, subsequent attempts at treatment in Estonia proved ineffective.
“We tried everything. I had plasma injections, and things improved slightly, but the pain returned when I began jumping again,” Petrokina shared. Her coach, Svetlana Varnavskaja, added: “Doctors told us Niina needed to rest after the season, and we thought everything was fine after she returned to the ice. But her leg started hurting again. Doctors tried countless different treatments and procedures, but nothing helped.”
Petrokina recalled trying every non-surgical option: “I went through magnet therapy, laser therapy, shockwave therapy – which was extremely painful – but none of it resolved the issue.”
Eventually, the solution was found in Germany. “The situation led us to seek help in Germany, where doctors immediately made a diagnosis and performed surgery just four days later,” Varnavskaja revealed.
During the surgery, doctors cleaned and released her inflamed Achilles tendon from tissue that had adhered to the surrounding skin and was restricting movement. “There was blood in the area, maybe because I had jumped too much. My Achilles tendon had stuck to the skin,” Petrokina explained.
Petrokina now hopes to compete in at least one major international event before defending her European title and securing an Olympic spot. She is aiming to participate in either the ISU Grand Prix event in Finland, running from November 21–22, or the ISU Challenger Series event in Tallinn, Estonia, from November 27–28.
“We have high hopes of competing here in Tallinn at the end of November – that’s our goal,” said Varnavskaja. “The Helsinki Grand Prix is happening a week earlier, and we will try everything. For now, it’s hard to predict how much training she can handle and what kind of workload her leg can tolerate. Physically and mentally, she’s in a great place, but we must be careful not to rush her recovery.”
Petrokina echoed her optimism: “I’m incredibly happy because, as you see, I can now skate on both feet. Last week, during training, I could only skate on one foot, but now my left leg feels very strong,” she said with a smile. “I’m slowly beginning to try jumps – starting with singles and maybe some doubles. As my doctor said, I can do anything that doesn’t cause pain. I’ll keep going as long as it doesn’t hurt.”
Petrokina is determined to fully recover and avoid reoccurring complications. “My primary goal right now is to recover as quickly and thoroughly as possible so this issue doesn’t happen again. We’re working hard to get my leg ready. If I can do everything, I’ll do it. I’d say that if I’m healthy enough, anything is possible.”
As of Tuesday, Petrokina completed her third training session post-surgery, skating on both legs. While it remains uncertain when she will safely reintroduce triple Lutz and flip jumps into her routines, she remains optimistic and committed to reclaiming her competitive form.
“I want to take everything step by step. For now, I’m focused entirely on recovering and rebuilding so I can continue pursuing my dreams,” Petrokina concluded.
Related topics: Niina Petrokina
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