It’s sad when I can’t remember the last time I was this excited!!!
I saw my ortho this morning and upon examining my leg he said I could lose the wedge and start to lose the boot all together. I’m allowed to sleep with it off and I can start trying to walk independent of the boot while at home and I get to tell physio to kick it up a notch!
To everyone out there, just want to say, hang in there. I know there are bad days where you just can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is there.
Good luck with everyone’s healing!!
15 comments ↓
Fantastic, a new milestone reached, you must feel quite delighted right now.
Congtratulations I am really pleased for your progress, I am probably healing a little slower than you but your update gives me continued inspiration
Happy healing all
Hi Eva, (and anyone who may know..)
My doc told me the same thing (over the phone) for today at 10 weeks. PT told me to start trying to walk around in shoes today. No real guidance, however, on the amount of time, etc. My AT is really tight, so I have a little limp as I bring the other foot forward. Do we just yank on it and walk? Are you using the ball of your foot to push off? I’m still walking through the heel as in the boot and afraid to engage the ball of my foot. I’d love to hear what you’re doing. I see the doc tomorrow and will ask as well.
Hey kimjax, to be honest I just took out my 2″ wedge this morning and my achilles and calf were quite stiff so I’m going to let my leg adjust to the new angle for a little while. For right now I’m using crutches with the new neutral angle, but we’ll see how it loosens up later today and I might try and take a few steps. Otherwise I’ll have the physio guy help me out on Thursday. Please let me know what your doctor says.
i was told to start walking around in two shoes as well for about an hour per day. when i walk I try to make a conscious effort to push off the ball of my feet. i can feel the stretch and discomfort in the tendon with each movement. i’d say the pain is about a 2 on a scale of 1-10. its a humbling experience to say the least, but its really the only way to retrain your brain and body to function they way it was meant to.
Thanks, Bunk! I don’t feel much pain either - just inflexibility. I did about 2 hours today and it felt fine but really limped around. My heel got sore as so many have mentioned - surely because all my weight was there. I just need to work on the ball of foot mechanics!
Hey Eva,
I used a crutch at first to get my gait right this morning, but wanted badly to walk without it. I felt almost normal walking around the house - despite the limp and staring at my feet while I walk, lol. I know what you mean about stiffness while changing the angle. I’m comfortable “flat” now - but am really making slow gains on the DF. The walking really loosened it up this morning. Hopefully, that will continue to work!
Lost the boot yesterday and now in a shoe, Like everyone I felt that walking on the heel has now become Natural as opposed to on the ball and I now have to make a consious effort to try and walk normally. Problem is the more i think about it the harder it becomes and found myself stumbling around which is not a good thing
Achilles is tight but it is the calf I am getting the most pain from. Due to the shocking state of the NHS in the UK I am yet to even get a physio appointment so using this site to keep up with what I really should be doing. Its good to see I am experiancing the same symptoms as others on here so assume im doing things right
hello there…
I was also told yesterday that I could walk without my boot… unfortunately communication is not my doctor’s strength and he got annoyed with me when i started asking questions…
I ruptured my achille’s 12 weeks ago, didn’t have an operation, 6 weeks in plaster, 6 weeks with boot (wedges)… my worry is that they never looked at my foot in 12 weeks, and suddenly told me yesterday to start to take my boot off during the day (still without looking at my foot)… is it what happened with you all?
I had my third and final visit to my doctor this past Tuesday. He examined my tendon and nerve with an portable ultrasonic machine. He asked me move my foot and checked whether my tendon was moving along. Everything looks good to him. He prescribed me to start PT and moderate exercises to improve ROM and strength. This is my 6th week after the surgery.
I guess my experience with my doctor is different from yours.
Hey christelle. We have had very different recovery protocols despite both going the non-op route. My doctor was rather agressive with treatment as after 6 weeks from rupture I am either in a boot without the wedge or limping around in 2 shoes. My doc always checks my Achilles and looks for movement, rom, strength…etc. I can’t tell you how lucky I’ve been to have this doctor.
My advice would be to listen to your body. Try putting some weight on it and start moving a bit. You will definitely know if you’re doing too much or not enough. Have you completed any physio?
Thank you ! I feel even more angry now. I have asked for an ultrasound to reassure me a bit, then we will see… I walked a bit without the boot yesterday and will continue progressively. Good luck to you all!
Hi Christelle, perhaps don’t feel too angry. I am 10 weeks non-op, just gone two 2 shoes, and the doctors have hardly looked at my leg really. They had a cursory glance and did try to feel the Achilles once but it was all very casual. I think the treatment nearly always just mends the Achilles and it is the PT stage that needs most attention and examination. Having said that, it would be really reassuring if they took a bit more of an interest wouldn’t it?1
Yes it would Hala!!! Good luck !;0)
Hey Eva, I stopped sleeping in my boot three nights ago and I find that my tendon is tight (hurts enough for me to take notice) in the morning, almost like I’ve been exercising it all night while I was sleeping - just wandered what your experience was.
I’ve still a way to go before I get to two shoes (4weeks perhaps?), but in the interim, I can walk (zombie style) barefoot in the house - definitely not recovering as fast as you, but I am comfortable with the progress thus far.
Happy healing all
Hey Andrew!, I’d say my tendon is tight in the morning but it’s not painful. Once I get in the elastic band exercise in the morning I’m pretty much on my way. How’s your ROM?
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