Out of cast and into boot
I have termed myself the “outlier” since I seem to be on the slowest recovery path of current posters. I had 8 weeks NWB (2 in a splint and 6 weeks in a cast) and then 6 weeks in a weight bearing fiberglass cast.
Anyway, I had the cast removed, am in a boot, and have an appointment for my first PT appointment. My surgeon is finished with me and does not need to see me anymore. The boot is certainly lighter and easier to walk in than a cast. But, strangely, I experience more heel pain in the boot than the cast.
It was a joyful experience to move my ankle around and take a bath after 3 months. I am stiff - but have a decent range of motion in my ankle. I can walk very well in the boot. But, I am waiting for the physio’s instructions before trying two shoes. I am very excited about PT as I found the organization that does the rehab work for the local professional hockey team. Surely, they have seen a lot of ATRs in their time.
I’ll keep posting and will hopefully be encouraging to others on a long recovery protocol.
Congrats on moving to the boot..I specifically selected my surgeon b.c he is the local physician for a major local college and a local pro team as well…well AHL but semantics….I’m working on evaluating the PT there and around my home as well (I have to drive into the city to see this DR). I’m hoping I’ll get a PT with specific experience in ATR’s…that seems important.
I bow to your patients and I applaud your determination to follow your own path! I bet that bath was wonderful!
If your “heel pain is UNDER your heel, and not BEHIND the heel, then it’s nearly universal and usually harmless. Unless it blossoms into a hero spur aka fasciitis. It usually responds to rest, time, and rolling your foot over a ball or a frozen water bottle. AND slipping a squishy gel footbed into your boot. Make sure your hips are level, with an EvenUp or something else.
I don’t know why underfoot pain gets worse when we change from one piece of FWB footwear to another. Seems weird. Why would our foot care? For most of us (who weren’t FWB in a cast), it’s when we go from FWB booted to FWB in 2 shoes. A mystery to me.
2 things re PT: (1) Ice skates are pretty protective of ATs, IMO, so they may not have seen a lot of ATRs. (2) I was reinjured by a PT in a fancy university sports-medicine clinic. Don’t check all your fear and judgment at the door! A now-defunct website about ATRs polled its reruptured bloggers about how they reruptured, and “PT” came in second, IIRC! Nuff said.
Hero spur –> Heel spur!
Everybody, please turn on AJAX Editing in your page’s options!
Norm - It is pain under the heel and seems to be diminishing as I get the right socks, gels, and my body adjusts. It was certainly a surprise though when I walked to the car from the
hospital.
That’s interesting about hockey. I thought it would have similar injury tendencies as “court” and “field” sports. Either way, this PT practice seems to have a lot of experience with common sports injuries. But, I will keep my fear and judgment on high alert. From reading this blog, it seems like PT practices vary just as widely as surgical practices. After my slow and plodding first three months, a set back would be most unwelcome.
Norms advice is right on…be your own advocate. Don’t assume they know what they are doing. I researched three facilities for sports medicine rehab that my OS and Occupational Medicine Doctors recommended. All three seemed good in terms of having state of the art equipment and ease of scheduling…however, one was very close to home so I chose that one and then I “interviewed” three PT’s who worked there.
Why I chose my PT? She was an athlete who had recovered from injuries herself, not an ATR injury but two knee surgeries with my OS. She’s had over one dozen successful ATR patients. She is highly educated as a DPT, doctorate of Physical Therapy with 12 years experience. I feel like she has my best interest in mind, that I’m not just “another” patient.
Hoorah! It must feel great and I couldn’t think of a better support person for anyone in a cast long term.
Thank you all for the encouragement and advice. Can’t wait to see what my active PT and strengthening will be like after the long immobilization in a cast. I did not do much exercising in the first 3 months because it took all my energy just to get from “A to B”.
Everybody is different so don’t go worrying yourself and try doing what others are! Listen to your body and stay positive! Keep killing it!