andrew8’s AchillesBlog

Hi andrew8, Sounds like everything is going well. Keep it up. In the next four weeks, you’ll be amazed at how fast you will begin to strengthen regain proprioception. Be diligent in your PT but don’t overdue and definitely watch your step.

wow, jogging…! How is the walking? You said not so long ago that you were using the doorway for balancing exercises…and now you are almost jogging! I want some of what you are having!!

Nice going!

Hi Andy 1000 Wow Bonny is right a few days ago you said you never out of your boot for more than a hour or two a day, and now you thinking jogging.
Please tell me more ! I am also 10 weeks post op also had 3 P T sessions but uncertain about walking without boot( very scary thought ) I am doing lots of exercise stretching etc but my foot is only about neutral now. Where is your foot…well pass neutral ?Tell about your first steps without boot.
Thanks about that tip about massaging Achilles with oil every hour .MY Achilles is very stiff

I have a question for the forum in general. I am three weeks out from surgery and have healed very well - better than expected. Also the surgery itself went GREAT. I feel fantastic and have a pretty decent ROM in my ankle. I am in the big black boot and PWB at this point, on crutches. Usually there is little to no edema around the tendon, though the tendon itself is still swollen and sore of course. My question is this - am I hurting myself if I stand and even walk A LITTLE BIT without the boot or crutches? I mean, I am going very slowly - hobbling really - and not pushing the ankle or doing more than walking across a room - but honestly it feels pretty good. The atrophy in my calf is really distressing me and I want to regain strength as soon as possible. I am still resting the foot a lot, wearing the boot all day at work, elevating my leg for several hours each evening, that sort of thing. Will probably start PT in the next ten days or so. I don’t feel like I am PUSHING myself, but rather listening to my body tell me it’s strength and endurance parameters. Any thoughts?

Hi everyone & many thanks for your replies.

I’m thinking that maybe the OS was a little bit optimistic when he said I could start light jogging in a couple of weeks. It’s now 4 days since my appointment and I still walk with a limp and have to turn my foot out to the side due to the tightness in the ankle and tendon. I’ve just booked an appointment with a private Physio to ask his advice, I can’t get to see him though until next week 17th Nov so I’ll let you know what he says after I’ve been to the appt.

In answer to Southafricans question about coming out of the boot for the first time. With me the bottom half of the leg was very weak, but because I had been FWB from week 2 post op I was able to use my quad muscles to good effect. You still have to take your time and watch every step. The use of a walking stick also gives you a bit more confidence to start using the leg more and more. But I cannot emphasise the words “go with caution” strongly enough, imagine me shouting it through a loud hailer in the same room, now you get the picture.

Melanie, if you are only three weeks post op and have full rom then you are doing extremely well. As I mentioned before I was FWB from two weeks post op in an Aircast Boot and had no problems whatsoever. So long as your ankle is well supported and you take it nice and easy and are experiencing no pain or discomfort then I would say that you will be ok to walk with or without the crutches. I would ask your surgeon about the rom you have as there maybe a chance your tendon will heal long especially if you have as much dorsiflexion in the bad foot as the good one.

Hope this helps and good healing
Andy

Andrew, great news hearing about your progress.. You mentioned that you can return to work in 2 weeks which means you will have been out for 3 months! I have been out of work for 2 months now and feel guilty for staying out as long as I have but think i may need at least another month before I really feel confident to return to work. Does your job require alot of walking?

About half of my work i can do at my desk but the rest involves a lot of walking, also i still cant drive and need crutches to walk

your thoughts?

Hi Lobolen, I drive a truck for a living so I do very little walking at work. Have you had surgery or did you go the non op route. If you had surgery as I did then you have to be careful with the wound. As walking and calf strength improve the more the scar stretches, unfortunately mine has opened up at the bottom and is refusing to heal. I am currently on my 4th treatment of anibiotics and am going for a minor op on Wednesday to have the wound debrided. If you are non op repair then you wont have this worry. What I would say is, find yourself a good Physiotherapist. Mine helped enormously with gaining good calf strength and flexibility. Once I get the wound sorted I’ll be nearly as good as new. If I’m near normal by month 8 I’ll be more than happy. I returned to driving at about three months ( I am now month 6 post ATR ) I can walk almost without a limp despite the wound being open, some days with slight pain other days pain free. Try and keep your leg raised as much as possible, it really does help with the swelling and removes toxins from around the damaged tendon.

Hope this helps & good healing

Andy

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