Posted on April 15th, 2014 by anniel
My last wedge came out Sat night, so I am now at 90 degrees in the boot (and the stretch actually felt easier than when I took out the previous wedge)!
Tried a few steps on it out of the boot today - although ’steps’ is being a bit generous as was very flatfooted with no push off - and felt very unsafe, so have decided to delay and not try ’steps’ again for a few more days. But even just standing still on it feels weird - like my lower leg doesn’t belong to me any more… And it does feel tight at the back of my heel - not just the tendon, but the skin as well. Does that go away?
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Posted on April 10th, 2014 by anniel
Am more positive this week 
Have one wedge left to go (which will be coming out on Sunday) and then will be at neutral in the boot! Have been walking around on it more, totally leaving the crutches at home, and even overtook some people the other day (admittedly they were an elderly couple doing frequent stops, but I still think it counts!).
Saw my physio yesterday, and he did the Thomson test and said there was definite movement in my toes! And since he first saw me a few weeks after the injury when there was barely anything, then that is definite progress Still only doing gentle ROM exercises at home (non-weight bearing moving up and down/side to side) and the real work will start when I am out of the boot (which hopefully will be in a couple of weeks), but he massaged it again and said there is less of a bump…
Plus had my second wheelchair tennis lesson today which was still good fun, even though I kept scraping my fingers on the wheels (so need to tape them up a bit next week!).
And I know it could all still go horribly wrong again so have to continue to be careful (and that there is a long road still ahead, and the scariness of being back in 2 shoes coming up), but am going to enjoy the moment…
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Posted on April 4th, 2014 by anniel
Didn’t mean to post again quite so soon but went to see another physio today (for second opinion) and it is depressing how little my ankle can do… He did the Thompson test and apparently my foot moved a little, but not much 
He did say that everything looked normal for this stage in the process and that “real” work would start when I am back to 2 shoes (which should hopefully be in 3 weeks time when I am scheduled to go back to the hospital).
So he advised moving from side to side exercises, plus pointing foot down and pulling up to where my foot is naturally resting at the moment - so not up to neutral… Oh and I can try a one legged row and to use the hand cycle (which the gym apparently has) so at least that will be something different! But telling me it’ll be 6 months (I think from injury) until I will be back to “normal” activities, and 9 months before I can look to play tennis on 2 feet is disappointing (although he did add that that all depends on how I get on - and that I seem to be on an accelerated protocol with the boot (2 weeks nwb; 2 pwb and 4 fwb).
And I do know its going to be a long time, but day to day you can sort of forget until someone reminds you… I guess I have to keep saying “patience” to myself, and only look ahead a little way, to the small goals/milestones coming up… Which includes another wedge coming out of the boot tonight with just one more to go
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Posted on April 3rd, 2014 by anniel
My tennis coach is great as had a wheelchair tennis lesson with him this morning! Felt so good to be on the court hitting a ball again, even from a seated position Have a great deal of respect for people who play this properly as moving the chair around the court and then being able to hit the ball over the net is tricky (and that was with my coach doing nice easy balls) - and tiring (my upper body strength will be great by the end of all this!).
Have been doing gentle ROM at home - gently moving foot up and down etc and seated non-weight bearing raises - and am seeing a physio tomorrow for a second opinion on what I can do at the moment. (Am trying to do something, whilst not doing too much (and fear is a great thing for holding me back I think - although maybe is holding me back too much! Difficult…))
Am also crutch free most of the time, although I have been taking one crutch out when I’ve been walking longer distances “just in case”, and because I can go a bit faster with it helping my swing. Question: as I have a fixed boot is there a “best way” of walking with it? As I find I come up short when trying to follow my stride through as my bad leg hits the front of the boot. (I have additional wedges in the good shoe so am more or less balanced out.)
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Posted on March 27th, 2014 by anniel
Am in week 5 now and trying to transition from PWB to FWB …and wondering what sort of exercises people were doing around this point… (I did put this as a question on another blog but thought I’d add it to my own…)
My physio is maybe a little conservative, with just massage so far (which was fine and good) but doesn’t want to see me again for another 10 days! But my personal trainer at the gym is maybe a bit too fast as was making me go flat on the floor this week when I still have a couple of wedges (approx 2cm) in my boot (and I was able to do it, but with a certain amount of trepidation)!
From all I have read here about the best results I know I need to be doing something to get motion/strength back but I don’t want to overdo it (and am going through a bit of a fearful stage at the moment worrying about re-rupture or atrophy!)…
On a brighter note though, this evening I decided to try FWB with no crutches along my landing, where would have support on both sides (banister and wall) and suddenly I am able to do it!!! Little shuffling steps, but was hands free
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Posted on March 21st, 2014 by anniel
So next Monday will be 4 weeks since ATR and I am supposed to be able to start full weight bearing, but I can’t quite see how that is going to happen… I am partial weight bearing at the moment - probably about 50% although its hard to tell - and have tentatively tried a few steps at FWB, and I don’t know if its lack of confidence or lack of skill on my part, but I just can’t do it
Does anyone have any advice - or any links - on how to make the change??? Thanks…
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Posted on March 17th, 2014 by anniel
3 full weeks now since ATR but it feels like its been forever, and that I’ll never get back on both feet, let alone back on a tennis court
Very very tentatively tried a very little ROM and its so pathetic, could barely point down/pull up even a few millimeters. And I really wasn’t trying very hard as I know its a early days, but was depressing, and can’t believe that it’ll ever get back to full strength…
BUT, am going to go back to positive thoughts and stop looking too far ahead. Took another wedge out today, and have my first gym session tomorrow - just for upper body work - but that will be something good.
And there are other positive things, as friends have rallied round doing shopping and giving me lifts to places, and my tennis people have given me lifts to the club so that can stay involved and be social, so am very grateful to them all
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Posted on March 15th, 2014 by anniel
Also had my first physio session on Thursday (2 weeks 4days after ATR (which was 24th Feb)) . Bit scary at the start as he made me stand so could compare ankles and that was the first time my bad foot has been at 90 degrees since it happened. But it survived… Having seen how much I could move it - which was not much - he said it was too soon for exercises, so gave deep massage. That was also scary as I’ve been treating it with great care whenever its been out of the boot. Was good though. And he did some massage on the good leg… Also said I should be applying heat to increase blood flow and help with heeling (so I have been resting on a hot water bottle since then when have been elevating it).
Am now putting more weight on it and trying to make myself walk normally on the good leg instead of the hop I was doing when no weight bearing, and its weird how quickly you forget! Have to remember to shorten my stride too to cope with the boot.
Thanks Norm for the words of wisdom and patience. Very hard sometimes, but I am keeping my spirits up (most of the time), and have stayed social with my tennis people. It is frustrating to watch sometimes, but its good to keep involved, and I am determined to improve my observational skills whilst I am off court (as have been concentrating too much on foot and racquet work so far in my short tennis career to reading what my opponent is about to do!)…
Would like to do some exercises on it, but am a bit wary of doing anything too soon - but also reading other peoples blogs/comments I don’t want to leave it too long… tricky…
Still can’t believe that it happened - or that its been less than 3 weeks!!!
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Posted on March 13th, 2014 by anniel
So its two and a half weeks since I ruptured my right achilles’ tendon 
Did it playing tennis, in my first league match! Have only been playing tennis since March 2013 and was starting to get the hang of it, so this is a bit of a blow.
Was at the hospital and in an equinus cast (toes pointing down) within about 4 hours, and then sat on sofa feeling sorry for myself, and researching it online. Finding this site was great, even though reading some of it was rather depressing, but was good to read about the non-op vs op route…
Cast came off after 1 week and had ultrasound then. Apparently scar tissue is forming so that is good 
And the rupture is high up where it joins the calf muscle and the NHS doctor said that was a non-op situation anyway. So am now in a boot with 5 wedges - well 4 since I took one out on Saturday. Boot is a lot heavier than the cast so felt exhausted from it during the first few days it was on, but feel like I am making progress - even though I know there is a long long way to go. Am partial weight bearing this week and am being a little tentative but need to start putting a bit more weight on ready for full weight bearing in a week and a bit - so that is the next goal! Such a long way to go….
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