abuffone’s AchillesBlog

So great that you’re driving! I’m a labor & delivery nurse and it always amazes me when a laboring woman drives herself to the hospital…talk about distracted driving. Hopefully your wife will last another 4 weeks…everyone will be ready then! Good luck

I’m glad that went well for you–and can certainly understand why you want to feel able to drive, with your wife expecting…

I’m a bit farther down the recovery road than you, and today I drove by myself to a PT appointment–about 15 miles round-trip. It went very well–no pain accelerating or braking.

thanks for the advice

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Oh…I forgot to mention, if you have cruise control…it helps a lot with preventing fatigue/pain both when driving left footed & when you go back to right footed. I also put a bunch of blankets on the (right side) floor to cushin & elevate the right foot in the early days.

Hi! Have you tried driving left footed yet? It’s suprisingly easy…just place your right leg on either the right side of the console (if you have one)…or just the other side. Of course this only works if you have an automatic. I started doing this at 5 weeks thank to my friends at this blog :). After a few short trips I felt very confident & safe. I started driving regular again once I could walk with 2 shoes confidently and for me it was about the 9-10 week mark, but you seem to be going the fast route..so good luck & don’t push it. Listen to your foot (&gut)!

It seems you have done your research and thanks for sharing that with me. My next step I am looking forward to is being able to walk with two shoes outdoors and driving my car.

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BTW, you’re about 2 weeks ahead of my schedule from my second ATR, non-op. Keep healing and progressing, and do Watch Your Step!

And I’m with Ryan!

It sounds like you’re making excellent progress.

I believe there are some good benefits to getting into two shoes so early- your calf muscle is re-engaged sooner; reducing atrophy. Also, going to unsupported full weight bearing, you’ll retain more strength in all the stabilizer muscles. You should experience less heel pain; given that you’ve had a shorter time being off of it. etc. In short, by accelerating the 1st part of your recovery, I think you’re going to have a much easier time with the 2nd part (strength rebuilding, etc.). That’s all good.

But now the “bad” news… by doing so, you’ve also taken on a higher risk level. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that the tendon healing has been greatly accelerated too. Everything seems to indicate that the tendon healing time is pretty much fixed at 12-16 weeks. Until that time, you are at increased risk of re-rupture (and maybe healing long too). Without the protection of a boot, it is a lot easier to do damage to that still healing tendon.

So, while I DO think that your path/progress so far has been great, and will really help with the 2nd part of your re