dwolf’s AchillesBlog

It’s almost Turkey day and I couldn’t be more thankful for everything and everyone I have in my life. Sometimes I think about what would have happened if I had done things differently… if I hadn’t pushed my body so hard, and given myself a break, maybe I wouldn’t have torn my Achilles. But then I realize that it’s already happened, and there’s no point in reminiscing on what could have happened. I’ve realized its better to focus that energy on positive thoughts and look toward the future rather than back at the past. I’m thankful that I have support from family and friends who want to see me through this recovery. I finally started physical therapy, stretching and icing for 2 mins and active movement in hot water for 3min. Also, it’s finally becoming more flexible in the mornings, but still takes about 10 min.
Thank you for your support and happy thanksgiving! Hope everyone has a full recovery!

So I’m off the crutches! So happy to be rid of those nasty things… but walking still isn’t too fun either. I’m still in a boot, and am able to walk (very slowly) with it on and without any help. I have been taking the boot off at night (since it’s sort of dirty and gross on the bottom and I don’t want it in my bed) but in the morning when I wake up, my Achilles is very tight again, and I have to let it sit in the boot for a bit before walking on it again. My doctor said the walking would be enough therapy for it for now, and in 2 weeks I will start real physical therapy! Any tips for stretching or on my own PT while in the post op 5 week phase? Thanks the support, and wishing you all full recoveries as well!

Today marks 3 weeks from most operation! (Woo hoo!) I can already feel the tendon starting to stretch. I’m able to put a very small amount of weight on the foot, and balance in an awkward stance, but hey, it still looks like progress to me! Can’t wait to ditch the crutches and hopefully start walking next week, as my doctor said I would be able too. Any tips for walking without crutches? Or for first weight bearing? Thanks for the support, and hope everyone has a full recovery!

I think that I need to begin this blog with a very important piece of advice that you all probably know already: if something hurts, don’t keep going. Unfortunately, I did not follow my own advice. My Achilles was sore this summer when training for track. I didn’t think much of it so I kept running, but also iced it every night, convincing myself that it would be fine. The day that I actually injured my Achilles was a very active one, which might have also been a possibility as to why it happened. But in the end, it came down to an intramural, just for fun, indoor soccer game. As I began to run towards the ball, I suddenly felt like someone had kicked me in the back of the leg. So I turned around, to ask a girl who was about 4 feet away from me “Wait… did you kick me in the back of the leg?” She said no, and that’s when I knew what happened. The MRI confirmed it was a full tear. Anyways, that was about three weeks ago. I had my surgery almost 2 weeks ago exactly and I’m in a walking boot and using crutches! The boot is at a 45 degree angle and I move it 3 degrees every day so that it will eventually be back at 90 degrees… then I can start walking again *yay!* Isn’t it the strangest feeling when you try to dorsi flex your foot and it barely moves? Anyone know how long it takes to get that flexibility again?