bobfv’s AchillesBlog

So I am at 6.5 weeks post-surgery on an aggressive protocol. I recently added new exercises at PT prefatory to getting back in to two shoes, which should be in about a week and a half. Since yesterday was a holiday Friday and my wife had yoga class at our gym, I hitched a ride with her and did a workout based on my PT, here is what I did (all with boot on):

Exercise bike: 40 minutes level 3 80 RPM
Leg lifts - 20 with each leg in all four planes of motion (boot on)
standing balance with 8# ball - 30 seconds on each leg
Leg presses - 2 sets of 10 with the bar and 2 10 pound weights
Squats “sit to stand” - 2 sets of 10
Step ups - 10 with each leg.

In the evening I took the Metro train into Washington DC for dinner with my boys so I walked about 4 blocks FWB with no crutch or cane.

Well, this morning I am sore, but “good sore” - both glutes and hips really feel the work I put in yesterday, which is great. I am looking forward to continuing with PT and with these workouts on my own! Can’t wait for the boot to come off so I can do even more. OS said strengthening with my legs and feet pushing away from my body is what I need to concentrate on.

Oh - also last week at PT, with the consent of my therapist, I had my wife come in while they were doing “scar tissue mobilization” massage and she learned how to do it, so now I am taking the boot off once a day for her to give me a massage and rub vitamin E on my scar. I also still take the boot off once or twice a day to use the vaso pumps (still a chance of blood clots until I am out of the boot) and I also take it off to shower, and to walk between the bathroom and my bedroom (very carefully!) after I shower and before I dress.