2 weeks, 2 days and 1st Doc appt
October 6, 2010
Had my first follow-up visit today which is 2 weeks and 2 days past surgery. Here are the details:
Cut off splint
Removed stitches and put 3 strips on. No problems with the healing and all looked fine. Foot still looks pretty ugly though.
Put me in my Vacoboot at 30*
No weigh bearing for 1st week
One week from today I can go to full weight bearing and 20*
Two weeks go to 10*
Three weeks go to 0*
2nd appointment at 4 weeks
I can sleep without the boot but not sure if I want to take it off for a little while given he wanted me to keep it at 30* and no weight bearing. I guess I should have asked a few more questions.
Also not certain which sole to use with the Vacoboot when I start walking. The big rounded one or the flat one. Does anyone who has used the boot have any advice as to what they did?
Glad to be moving to the next stage - even though a month in this boot with no driving and other assorted inconveniences.
Seems to be progressing well. Doc said the injury was pretty bad with lots of frayed parts of the tendon.
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1. jla2010 | October 6th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Hey drewt, Congratulations on your progress and aggressive early weight bearing protocol. Sounds like you’re doing very well. Once you’re in the boot and FWB, it’s really important to raise your good foot so that you have proper hip alignment. This minimizes the potential for temporary (or long term) back, hip or knee problems caused by incorrect alignment. And you will be able to walk quickly and comfortably in the boot. I had a 3/4″ sole put on the bottom of an old running shoe but if you look around the site, you’ll see other solutions. Check out normofthenorth’s solution and rsn’s solution. It doesn’t matter how you achieve proper hip alignment, just make sure you do it.
2. drewt | October 6th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
@jla2010 - thanks! I didn’t really think about it being early fwb but I guess it must be. I’ll for sure follow your advice and get something for my left shoe. Thanks again.
3. silver | October 6th, 2010 at 8:37 pm
I’m at the same stage and instead of a month in a boot I have my cast split up the sides and I can hold it together with an ace bandage. I’m using the roller foot http://www.rollerfoot.com to get around and it’s as if nothing has happened (without being able to walk of course!) Good luck!
4. normofthenorth | October 7th, 2010 at 2:38 am
I’ve recommended the Vaco, but never used one. But I’d bet that the rounded sole is the one for walking, since virtually all walking boots have rounded soles. You are supposed to walk “heel to toe” — striking the heel, then “rolling” over to the toe — with normal straight-ahead alignment, so a rounded sole works well. The normal job of your AT and calf is done by the shank of the boot pressing against your shin.
The main downside people report from sleeping bootless is that you sleep in equinus (plantarflexed), then it’s a stretch in the morning to get into the boot. But with 30 degrees PF in the boot, I doubt that will be a problem for you.
You (and your AT) may also find it “a stretch” to increase WB at the same time you change the boot toward neutral. Several people here have suggested changing the angle toward neutral just before bed and sleeping in the boot, and THEN upping the WB, in the morning. That sounds clever to me.
When I had my first ATR repaired surgically (late 2001), the surgeon said it was the messiest ATR he’d ever seen, and looked like two horses’ tails! It healed perfectly, so I wouldn’t worry about that at all. By 10 or 11 months post-op, I was playing competitive volleyball again, at least as aggressively and successfully as before. When people asked if I was nervous about that AT, I told them it was the ONE part of my body I had the MOST confidence in — but that my OTHER AT made me nervous. And 8 yrs later, the other AT let go, but the “horses’ tails” are still great — heck, I’ve been calling them “my good leg” since December!