8 weeks

Posted on September 27th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Brad

Well, 8 weeks tommorow

Officially I am FWB, aircast with a single wedge. (next appt in one week)

But I’m spending *some* time with street shoes, single wedge.  Actually I have a single wedge in each shoe for better height alignment.

Tendon feels great and my thinking is

  • Many people are in shoes at 8 weeks
  • I am being extremely careful, slow and cautious in my movements
  • I want to get some resistance and effort to my calf muscle

But I have the boot and will wear it most of the time until my next appt.  But sooo nice to see both shoes on again

brad

45 days

Posted on September 17th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Brad

Weeks dont go fast enough, so I started counting days.  Actually, the recovery (non-operative) is going so well, I’m feeling like I want to be in street shoes, ie tendon feels good and connected.

  • 45 days after injury, full weight bearing with aircast (started that at ~ 4 weeks)
  • aircast with *single* heel wedge for the next two weeks (most likely remove ~ 60 day mark)
  • motion exercises below neutral: inversion, eversion, its all good
  • toes to neutral only:  with knee bent (easier), with leg straight (harder)

Doctor thinks that over time the NON-operative route will become the standard, surgical will be the exception.  Every time I see him I think he is genuinely and pleasantly surprised at the progress.  I also suspect he had not had many non-operative patients (but I keep forgetting to ask)

I wanted to get in street shoes sooner but he wants to be cautious.  My guess is the healing wont be any different but the rehab will start 1-2 weeks later than others, along with the increased loss in calf muscle.

so far so good :)

5 weeks - update

Posted on September 9th, 2010 in Uncategorized by Brad
  • I’m five weeks and two days from my rupture.  I went NON-operative,
  • Aircast with two wedges for 5 days,  crutches, knee scooter (Non weight bearing)
  • fiberlass cast at 20 degrees plantar flexion for two weeks (Non weight bearing)
  • cast cut in two, with velcro for another week (remove for showers) (Non weight bearing)
  • Aircast with two heal wedges, WBAT

So far I have been very fortunate - no pain at all (unless i somehow dorsiflex too far, like stepping in hole)

With the aircast I can get around quite well.  The first day my heel bone felt a bit sore but i suspect that was simply from lack on any pressure over the past month.

I can stand on two feet.  I can lift both feet to approximately the same angle, albeit more effort required on the ATR’d one.  If I slowly and carefully dorsiflex, I feel tension but not pain.  Inversion and eversion below neutral take some focus, but no resistance is felt

Next appointment is a week from tommorow, where i suspect some of the heel wedges will come out.

Did anyone "wean themselves down"?  I have two wedges, but each of those is three layers, so I could step it down in much smaller steps.

Thanks for reading

brad