annababi’s AchillesBlog

Hi buddies, it is great written piece entirely defined, continue the good work constantly. horse

A friend of mine who is a physiotherapist recommends drinking a glass of tonic water before bed. She doesn’t know why, but it sometimes helps with leg cramps

I’ve had these happen to me on occasion before, but very rarely. So, when I’ve had one happen 3-4 times in the past few weeks I wondered if this is coming on because of the muscle was being worked harder. My PT has recently included squat work on the Bosu ball to help with my balance and I definitely feel the injured calf really has to work hard. I am more sore from that than any of my other PT exercised. I do think it happens more often when I am sleeping on my stomach as in that pose my foot would be pointing straight down. ATR2014 and I are basically around the same point in our recovery so I also wonder if this is something that happens more around this point in time. Of course, all of this could just be coincidence.

As for remedies, I have been given advice of everything from water to magnesium to Vit D to Calcium but I think the most unusual bit of advice was to sleep with a bar of soap in the bed! I have not tried this yet, but I did google it and there is a lot of discussion about this out there! I may slip a bar of Dove under the covers tonight, though I’m not sure what my husband will think if I do!

ATR, there are several gizmos on the market (lighter than boots) designed to hold your ankle near neutral while you sleep. Heck, if you still have your boot, you could try sleeping in it for a night and see if you escape without cramps. If so, maybe try investing in one of those braces or splints. Most are plastic in the shape of an L that is held to the leg (front or back) with Velcro straps.
Not a delightful sleep accessory, but maybe better than leg cramps! And the problem will probably pass, with or without. (And try the mineral supplements too.)

Norm - not sure if there is a distinction but I am definitely experiencing the cramping a lot more than I did pre-ATR. They are a little different in that my calf actually freezes in place and my toe is pointed but my good leg has not been affected at all. My PT told me to drink more water and I know that helps but somehow, I feel like the cramp is more a result of me actually stretching and pointing my toe while sleeping than a random spasm. I may be mistaken though.

I don’t understand the distinctions you folks are making. Calf muscles are often prone to spasm, I.e. contracting hard and refusing to relax and extend again. The phenomenon is often called a charleyhorse, at least in NA. And the pain is a cramp, as I understand it. Back muscles do similar things and we call it a backache.
Early in ATR rehab, these spasms can be scary, and are sometimes treated with antispasmodic drugs (similar to “back pills”). Later on, they’re mostly a bloody nuisance. My wife gets a few nasty calf spasms a year, usually at night, never an ATR. I’ve had ATRs in both legs, and I’ve had a handful in 69 years.
The trauma of ATR, and the unique weirdness of immobilization for weeks, all seem to make calf spasms/cramps more frequent, and they sometimes linger.

I had / have the same issues! My goodness, they would wake me up because they were so intense. For some reason, I point my toes while sleeping and this causes the most intense charlie horse in my calf - inured calf only. I was told to drink plenty of water and that helps some but I find that it isn’t a result of cramping, but me stretching out my legs for some reason while sleeping. Can be very painful but this was something I experienced prior to rupturing my AT. I’ve woken up a few times (prior to rupture) with my calf locked! The pain - horrible! Haven’t experienced it to that degree post injury but definitely on a lighter level.

I had to google Charlie Horse to be sure what you meant as it is not a term we use down under. If you are referring to cramps then yes I have them every now and then at night. One of the best remedies for night cramps is magnesium supplements. Take Calcium also as it aids the uptake of the Mg. Mg helps with electrical impluses in the muscle. Your stretch before bed is also wise. Charlie Horse also referrs to muscle spasms according to wiki. If that is happening to you then I have not encounted it but the Mg could help also.

Funny - both my calves are nearly the same size and have been since I switched to two shoes. I think I spent too much time on the couch when recovering and my other calf shrunk too. Not to mention that my injured calf was always slightly larger than my good calf.

Seems that you and I are very close in terms of time and recovery! Glad you are doing well.

That sounds very positive, and 20 minute miles sounds good to me.

Unlike you I don’t like my new puny calf… particularly given that it is currently very hairy!

Congrats! Swelling will become less and less. I still elevate my leg. Not sure why. Out of habit now maybe. Even after a full days work. I don’t have much swelling. It’s coming. Be patient and keep up your exercising and stretching

Nosport45, I still have swelling by my ankle, but now it’s mostly on the side and back of the ankle and not the entire foot. My first day in sneakers I had to tie a knot in the laces as I could not make a bow. Now I can tie them normally. I really think the PT massage has made a great difference in my swelling as after my first PT, I noticed my foot was swelling less daily. I do ice down my foot at least 1-2 times while at work as I keep a pack/wrap there to do this. And I generally ice 1-2 more times when home along with my own massaging. As for the real shoes, I’m only in ones with low heels right now as i won’t attempt higher just yet. My feet were already a bit on the wide side, so the new shoes I bought were a wider width and that may also be helping. I have low boots with a stacked heel that I might try to wear this week when in the office so i can switch things up with my low heel.

Sounds like your making great progress! It is worrying as you start to pick up more day to day activities and return to work. I still can’t get in normal shoes. How’s the swelling?

That’s exciting news, thanks sharing. Closing the gap on being injured and recovered is a wonderful feeling!

I’ve started tracking steps too. I’m trying to do around 5000 a day as well. I was doing about 8000 in a boot so I’m covering about half as much area…but probably taking twice as long!

Has your pt had you do band work or one leg balances? I find those give me a good calf work (and whatever muscle is on my shin). I started those around week 5 or 6 and I think they have helped a ton. I do those with squats and seated calf raises 3 times a day.

Congrats on the progress!

Nice work! I too have the weak toe push on the stride and I’m trying the exaggerated step. My pt recommended that as well. Good luck with pt!

I’m almost 16 weeks and I have very little swelling even after walking a lot during my regular work day. What a little swelling I do get goes away when I elevate my leg. Keep it up.

Congratulations, Anababi! It seems you did indeed go straight from FWB to two shoes!

I’ve been walking quite a bit now in my shoes (about 2 weeks) and I found my heel would hurt after walking or standing around for a long period of time. However, as I get stronger, it takes longer and longer for me to feel the ache and it isn’t as uncomfortable. I still have swelling after being on my feet for a long period of time but it isn’t too bad. It seems most of the swelling is near my ankle.

Today was my first day out of the boot all day! I actually walked about a mile after work. The only pain I had was in the heel pad on the bottom of my foot. It felt like it was bruised. Are either one of you experiencing that?

Thanks Chris. I haven’t started PT yet - I begin next week and it’s just for strength training, absolutely no stretching according to my OS. I’ve only been doing active stretches at home and have most of my ROM back. The reason for holding off is because I stretched the tendon a bit when I fell during PWB.

I applaud you. I may have started walking before you, but I never liked wearing the boot or walking in it. I was way too stubborn. The bump where the tendon is normal that is natural according to my doctor. I didn’t have one, but I said it felt like I did. It still amazes me that we were neck and neck with the surgery. Now Random question, have you attended Physical therapy at all?

Congrats, just know that each day you will get stronger. With me it was like night and day. So each day the weight bearing became more tolerable. So use the crutch if you need to. Two shoes is a very scary place, I started no shoes weight bearing in therapy, before I had two shoes and even then It feels strange with the sneaker on the AT, I don’t know if it helps, but the moment I wake up I put my shoes on and sit down for 30 minutes pressing my foot down doing a full range of motion with the shoes on.

Whoops- bootless not bootlegs and niggles not giggles( although there need to be some of those too

That’s great news! Ive been bootlegs for three days now. It feels totally different again and having to get used to different giggles and walking. I feel that my walk is worse now , more of a limp than in boot, but am sure that it will all come good once I start physio next week.( seems a bit late to start I know) . Good idea to try two shoes a little before boot goes. I found my trainers/ ’sneakers’ rubbed at the back a little so reluctantly bought a pair of crocs yesterday. Support well but no rubbing. I know they definitely don’t look very glamorous but they are most helpful at this point, may help you. Good luck and keep us posted. Take care.

Yay! Congrats. In the next weeks, you’ll have days when you feel like you aren’t making progress. But things will click. At least that’s how it is with me. Keep up the good work and do your stretches and exercises. Good luck.

Thanks vegasjoey and atr2014. Yes, I did get the Evenup for my right foot and have been using it since I went PWB. It does help, but I think i’m still off slightly and might put an additional lift in my shoe. I have taken more steps today but am still struggling with an even gait. I also find the first step the hardest, probably because I’m thinking about it and not just doing it. It’s the roll through that isn’t smooth just yet. I hope to work that out in the next few days as I move away from the one crutch to none. My left does hurt a bit in the heel and I find that I’m getting more of the “nerve pinches” like I had in the beginning. Kind of like a quick pin prick on the tendon. Goal is to work on it this weekend so hope to make this more natural as I really want to move to shoes!

Congrats on taking your first step!!! As I said before, it is more mental more than anything at this point.

vegasjoey mentioned Evenups - do you have them? I highly recommend them to help keep your other leg more even to the boot. I was using high wedged sandals and those were fine until I started walking longer than 15-20 minutes (around the block and to go shopping, etc.) so I just bought mine last week. Much more comfortable! Of course, I am supposed to start two shoes next week and have been practicing in my house so my regret is not buying them sooner since I will only get such a short time with them!

I’m assuming you have even ups. I eased myself in also but once you ditch the crutches, you’ll never look back. I still keep a pair in the car even though I never touch them. Actually, I just forgot to take them out

Can only agree with David, go for it and you won’t look back!! It feels FANTASTIC to be crutch free :-). Take good care though!

Annababi, this (going to FWB) is literally a big step in your recovery, but it sounds like you’re ready. I know it’s hard, but you need to trust that your injured leg will support you and your boot will protect your injured leg. Once you get over that mental hurdle, the physical aspect of walking FWB will likely be easier in comparison. This is an exciting time–good luck! -David

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I am sure this is more mental than anything else. I will definitely try the good advice posted by David and endorsed by many of you as it’s a sensible way to get myself to feel comfortable before taking the leap to FWB. I am eager to move forward because it’s been so hard for me to feel so limited in everything i can do. Returning to work has helped me start to feel somewhat normal but even that is a chore to do.

I am just anxious to get to shoes again and to just be able to go for a real long walk again!

David’s advice at the kitchen counter worked a treat for me! I am no worried as I approach the’ coming out of the boot stage’ in two weeks. You’re doing right thing staying positive n good to read about those further on. Good luck

Most of us had thicker ATs for a while at least. Some could notice the spot of the ATR, often fatter postop, sometimes thinner non-op.The skinny hollows above the heel take a while to return. And post-op folks often have adhesions where the skin gets dragged along by the repair healing, during flexion or extension

atr2014, my repaired Achilles, like yours, is thick and fat, compared to my other one. I call it my “fat tire”. My OS says it will trim-down some over time, but where it is at the 1-year point is probably where it will stay. After what I’ve been through, I’m more concerned about functionality than aesthetics. -David

For me, it was more mental than anything else - I was so sure my repaired tendon would not support me and would rerupture if I put any weight on it. I did what davidk suggested and tried partial weight bearing on a kitchen counter and when I realized there was no pain, I put more weight on my repaired leg and finally full weight. No pain or discomfort (unless you count mental discomfort).

Also, my repaired tendon is much thicker than my non repaired one - complete opposite of yours. Not sure who is normal in this case. I just know I dislike my tendon being so thick.

And when you go to FWB, you will be in a boot, and the boot basically does all the work that a normal AT does, so you will be reminding your foot how to walk without actually stressing the AT. As you strengthen, you will either find your AT and calf “helping” inside a fixed boot, or you will set your hinged boot so it can hinge, and your AT and calf can actually help, or try to. But for quite a while, your leg will be bearing your weight, but your calf and AT will not.
As you roll forward on your boot — you should already be practicing this now, on crutches, PWB — the force of your weight under your toes should be transferred through the boot to the front of your shin. That’s a lot of what the boot does “for a living”!

Annababi, all of your fears are both valid and normal for the stage you’re in now. Your repaired Achilles will remain weaker than your “other” one for some time, but you can and need to start putting it to work well before then–that’s how it will get back to its old strength. Also, the move to FWB is both mental and physical. Your OS and PT can tell you when you’re ready physically, but the mental challenge is yours alone. You need to develop some confidence that your injured leg will support you again–it will, and the boot will protect you. I found a simple exercise of standing at my kitchen counter and shifting my weight side-to-side, back-and-forth, and diagonally (front left-to-rear right, and vice versa) was the transition I needed to get comfortable with even trying-out FWB. There may be some discomfort with your first steps, but as long as it’s not painful, you may need to push-through this to achieve FWB–I know I did. Nobody said this was easy, but you can do it. Good luck and good healing! -David

I know just how you feel - congrats!

Congrats! I can relate to that exhausted feeling. It wasn’t until I started riding the stationary bike that I started not feeling so tired. Keep up the good work!

Congrats! Swelling is the biggest distraction to progress. Mine has been going away pretty fast though. The freedom is a great feeling.

Be patient with the WB. It will all come good given time. It could have been worse. Scar looks neat though. You take care

That bruising near the sole of the foot seems pretty standard after both the ATR and the surgery. There’s inflammation, internal bleeding, and clotting from both, then gravity makes all the visible bruising drop, until it can’t drop any farther, and there it sits until it fades.

Glad it wasn’t the worst, but sorry you got set back a little. Hang in there.

Nice scar, my one looks horrible at the bottom, I kinda had the same scare, when I put too much weight on my bad foot i.e stepping off my good foot to test myself, took the boot off can still move the foot somewhat so good for now. Watch out and be more cautious, having to start the whole process again would suck.

Hope it was good news today, and no further damage found.