8 Weeks and PT #2
September 23, 2012 by carissa321
Last Wednesday I had my second PT session. Was told that my ROM is really great and that I was to progress on to the red theraband. Was shown the moves there. I did 15 reps of each .. dorsi, plantar, side to side. I’m supposed to do that 3 times a day as well as ice and elevate 3 times per day. I went home and later in the afternoon did another set of the theraband exercises. By the time dinner time came around, my calf was really sore 
Now, is that because it hasn’t been used in so long or is it because my body isn’t ready to do that yet?
My next PT isn’t until week 10. That’s when my Ortho has cleared me to start strengthening exercises. So my PT has started me two weeks earlier than my Ortho wanted. I haven’t done the theraband since last Wednesday, I’ve just kept up with the ROM exercises that I was given at my first PT session.
I went out to run errands on my own yesterday .. for the first time in two months! I did the pharmacy and the veg/fruit section of the grocery store. I was super sore by the time I got home and really achy last night
I had a scare on my good AT last week. I decided to clean the screens on all the windows and was stretching up to unlatch the top of one when I felt a really bad pain in the back of my heel. I’ve had that problem my whole life .. I never could jump off of a moving swing .. and if I stretch too far up on my tippy toes it always happens. I never knew what the pain really was .. but I’m guessing that that’s the AT? I’ve never mentioned it to the doctor seeing as it’s happened my whole life and I just thought that that was the way I was built and it wasn’t really an issue. Is that what achilles tendonitis feels like?
Anyways, I am looking forward to my next PT appointment. He’s going to start me on a foam roller. All of my muscles in my lower legs are super tight . The PT said that my other AT will eventually go as well if we don’t work on loosening those muscles.
Well, going to try and go shopping a little bit today for new bedding … we’ll see how long I last 
Happy Healing!!!
Sounds like you are progressing great. Good luck with your PT and recovery.
Carissa,
I am about a week in front of you. I’m doing the theraband exercises too, but it’s so easy I almost feel like it’s not contributing to my recovery. I do walk around barefoot inside the house, which I do feel is giving me strength back in my calf. I can already tell the it’s growing a little and at night my calf muscles twitch. I never thought I would be so happy about muscle twitches, but I see it as a sign of things getting re-connected down there.
I’m curious to know how much dorsiflexion you have in your ROM at this point. I’m pretty tight in the mornings, but once I’m loose, I can manage about 5 to 10 degrees of dorsiflexion past neutral. I don’t want to do too much active stretching because I’m afraid of healing long. I’m pretty satisfied with my ROM, but I’m getting impatient. Just wanted to see where you are along, as well.
I also still have a little knot right below the break point. It’s pretty shallow, but it’s still there. I’m guessing it will go down after some time.
Sounds like you’re doing good!
Carisssa:
Regarding the soreness in your calf, it most likely is from lack of use. Expect some soreness there for the next few weeks as you go through PT. In any case, make sure you mention it to your therapist.
As far as the pain in your other heel, be aware that those of us who have ruptured one AT, are more likely to rupture the other than the general population. Unfortunately there is little you can do about it other than take it easy. This is also something you should mention to your doctor. Last thing you want it to have both AT’s ruptured at the same time.