Steady progress
It’s been another week and another PT appointment (number 3)…and it sounds like it was my last. My PT gave me more exercises to do (I can now balance for 1 min) and signed me up for the “Ankle Strength Group” which is a group that meets twice a week in the local physio gym and does one hour of strengthening exercises under the watchful eyes of the PTs. I still walk with a little limp but my gait is slowly improving and will get back to normal once I can roll nicely over my bad foot.
I did about 10 slow (slight) heel raises under the PT’s observation and am supposed to do 2 lots of 8 each day, twice a day. I also still continue with stretching my tendon, and practice rolling over the foot nicely - controlled poised walking - for at least 2min a day. Finally, she showed my boyfriend how to massage my scar (that was actually almost soothing).
Feeling positive, even though still about 2 months away from my first run apparently. Boo! Come on clock and hurry up I need some endorphins!
August 25th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Be careful about wishing time would go by faster — you will probably get your wish!
Enjoy the next 2 months as well as you can — heck, you’re MUCH more capable than you were 2 months ago! — rather than wishing them away.
I’m surprised that you can do any kind of (1-leg) heel raise, but can’t “push off” normally at the end of a stride. I got enough strength to stride normally months ago, but my (1-leg) heel raise is still wimpy. If you haven’t read my cautionary tale from my first ATR rehab, about my 1-month setback from doing too many (1-leg) heel raises too soon, it’s plastered around this site, including on my own blog. Links on request!
Can’t you get enough endorphins on a bike or in the water?
August 26th, 2010 at 5:47 am
Thanks. Yes it’s nice to feel steady progress
Point taken about the time going by too! Oh maybe it’s not what you think re: the heel lifts. This is not proper lifts on one leg, but standing with both legs on the ground shoulder width apart and slowly lifting the heels of both legs off the ground a little bit. I still cheat and have more weight on the good leg than the bad one but I think I am allowed to start off this way and gradually shift to more weight on the bad leg.
I am also allowed to cycle so I might go for it! The PT said something about “gentle” cycle - does not seem like endorphin material to me, but will try.
Meanwhile we are off a week off to Egypt on a cruise - so sun and heat here we come!
August 26th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
OK, those are TWO-legged heel raises. We all started with those, and with most of the weight on our uninjured (”good”) leg, too. That eliminates my surprise that you can’t walk with a perfect stride, too. Doing so at 10-11 weeks would be pretty impressive, too — though I bet Doug53 did it!.
Stationary bicycling in 2 shoes should be pretty comfy. If you want a bigger whole-body workout, you can always slide your left foot so you’re pushing closer to the heel, loading your AT less (or not at all). The only part of you that needs the “gentle” part is your AT and calf. . .
“Real” bicycling is great fun, and liberating, but it does have its hazards. One option is to clamp on the boot again, just for the bike. Your left AT is challenged when you step onto the bike and when you get off, and maybe a LOT during an emergency stop, or if you lose your balance to the left. Moderate challenges are OK, but big ones are a Very Bad Idea.
Being in the water is USUALLY gentle, though we’ve got at least one colleague here who re-ruptured while pushing off hard, from standing to diving-swimming forward. A sailing-club colleague of mine just got an initial ATR at the beach, doing a similar move. But if you’re gentle in the water (preferably NOT the pounding surf!), everybody says it’s a great way to get some whole-body exercise AND some weight-assisted calf-and-AT work, too. E.g., stand in deep enough water, and you’ll find your “bad” leg is strong enough for a ONE-legged heel raise. And as time goes on, you’ll be comfy in shallower and shallower water.
August 27th, 2010 at 3:38 am
Aha, so it was me not being up with the lingo - so doing the two-legged raises for now. I am finding these also quite hard it must be said. I try to improve my stride as much as possible and things are good and well at the beginning of the day, but as the day goes on, the leg gets more and more tired. Yesterday, we were out in town and my leg decided to swell up, turn purple and be very soar - bad enough that I could only manage walking with crutches and I went straight home in fact.
I will try cycling and some swimming (not to worry, I don’t plan any dives, don’t like them even with two good feet for that matter). The PT did suggest doing raises in the water would be much easier and a good way to challenge the calf.
Thanks for all the advice - it all makes a lot of sense!
August 27th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
All your experiences sound pretty normal for 11 wks post-op. I started a blog after TWENTY weeks entitled “Swelling (& elevating) is getting OLD!” — so that part lingers a long time for some of us. Good PT and exercises and a fast modern rehab can help a lot, but some of this recovery is y’r basic healing, probably mostly “on the clock”.
Do, but don’t overdo. This too shall pass. . .