Week 14. 2 Shoes times 2
On the first day of my 14th week I rode my bike with two bike shoes rather than one bike shoe and one boot. On the last day of this 14th week post op I wore dress shoes rather than running shoes at work. It is the little signs of normalcey that are encouraging.
I rode my bike 170 miles in this inaugural week of freedom from all things boot. My ankle has been more sore this week than it has for awhile, so I think there may be some relation between the extra work the scar tissue is getting and the pain. I am limping more and walking a little slower due to the pain in the tendon due to use. It doesn’t feel like anything to be concerned about, just a consequence of some good two-wheel therapy.
At times, this can be a good thing, to remind me I am not 100%. However, most of the time I just wish it would go away!
I went to my second PT visit and left as uninspired as the first time. My dorsiflexion has improved another 2 degrees and is now at 12 degrees compared to 15 on the right ankle. My therapist was optimistic I will be close to full range by the end of this week. I am also likely to cease the visits; there is just not enough value for the time and money.
Some details about cycling: I didn’t use the SPD pedals as I had planned, but used my normal Speed Play Zeros. My ankle joint is plenty strong, so there are no issues with clipping in and out at all. I think folks who were concerned about this may have been much earlier in their recovery when trying to go clipless.
The first ride or two, I was cautious with how hard I pushed with my left leg. After that, I went at it full strength, although, I found during longer rides that I had to put more emphasis on the “backside” of the pedal stroke to give my tendon area a rest.
Today on my commute I rode really easy both to and from work (17 miles total). It was nice, in a way, to have worked my legs hard enough over the weekend to need a light day to recover.
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great job! keep up the good work