DavidUK’s AchillesBlog

Progressing well, i think. Gym every day, alternating between 60 mins on stationery cycle / 30 mins walking on incline and a mix of stationery cycle / treadmill / upper body weights. The advice from my phyiotherapist today is to add in cross-trainer and leg weights (always keeping damaged leg ‘flat footed’). Still very stiff pre-exercise, and that stiffness is less to do with the achilles and more to do with the rest of the ankle having been immobilised for two sets of rupture treatment.

One problem though. I have an internal stitch which is trying to push through the skin. In itself not a big problem (although extremely tender at the point at which it is trying to push through), except that i suspect there is quite a long piece of stitch under the skin and possibly still anchored at one end. Having had this apparently trying to push through the skin for several weeks, talk is turning to surgical removal. I am not eager to have another (although minor) surgery on the ankle.

Has anyone had similar challenges? Any advice?

daviduk

6 months post my initial ATR and i am finally back to 2 shoes again! The issue now, of course, is that every pair of shoes i own looks extremely odd - well-used right shoe, pristine left shoe!

This time round the physio is going well. I have been out of the ROM boot at home for a good couple of weeks, only using the ROM boot for trips out (i should say journeys, ‘trips’ is a dirty word for an ATR patient!). I have also been using the stationery cycle in the gym quite hard - alternating 60 min and 30 minute sessions day by day. Even my wife has noticed some visible re-development of my left calf muscle.

Last week, on the advice of the physiotherapist, i introduced treadmill walking into my workouts. Very gentle at first - 10 mins at 2.5km/h to 3.0km/h. My physiotherapist has now suggested upping this - yesterday was 20 mins at up to 4.0km/h and introducing the incline a little. This latter advice, going to incline, is suggested to be beneficial given i still have an awful lot of stiffness in my ankle due to the long periods of immobilisation. In truth, my achilles is fine it’s the rest of my ankle that’s struggling! The incline is intended to encourage more flexibility in the ankle, along with a whole set of exercises i have for home use.

I find the treadmill a useful exercise insofar as it encourages focus on the quality of walking and not just quantity. To a certain extent i am re-learning how to walk - getting away from gimpy flat footed walking to more normal heel - toe motion.

The next major milestone will be running again. Current outlook is by end-October. Right now i am feeling that must be achievable, but i am really having to rein in my enthusiasm and continue taking care to avoid mishaps.

Onwards and upwards!

daviduk