Jul 14 2010
6 months post-ATR, 2-Shoes!
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
David, this report is a delightful, excellent and close-to-on-schedule story of an ATR patient who’s 13 weeks post-op. I think it’s time to treat the previous 3 months (of old-fashioned “conservative” immobilization and re-rupture) like a bad dream. For you, the journey REALLY started when you had the re-rupture repaired, and that journey seems to be going well. Don’t stop!!
David, After you posted my blog I went back to read yours and it was very enlightening. Great part about first doc wanting to cast you in full dorsiflexion, glad he listened to the nurse. I find our inverse stories interestiong. Tomorrow I’ll be 7 wks post re injuring the tendon. I can stand, walk carefully, up, down stairs but I am very hesitant to do too much yet. Slow and steady this time for me. I can still feel a defect in the tendon, edges feel firm now. As one other put it the finger test, where you feel the gap.
I look forward to following your return to sports. Grat posts.