achillies tendonities

I fell down a flight of stairs at work and fell on my leg. Injurying my achillies tendon. I went through two rounds of physical therapy with no noticable improvement. I could do not much because of the pain. I was also in a boot for a month, now the orthopedist said that the only other alternative is to take a month off and to put a cast on. I asked if that is the only alternative and he said that considering what has been done in the past, he said yes.