Week Four
It’s been two weeks since my last post. Things are looking up!
I have seen my surgeon and all bodes well, my tendon is on the mend! My surgeon was able to reassure me my tendon was still in tact and stitches were removed. I was given some ROM exercises I could do three times a day and told to walk in small distances around the house. Which I cannot do maybe a step or two. The boot is to high and I have massive sharp pin prick feelings in my heel when I try and walk. This morning I removed my first wedge and feel more level yet still stabbing type pain in the heel if I try and walk.
Otherwise all seems good some burning pains come and go in the tendon area but I am use to it and for some reason seem to like it. Guess I have a pain fetish I never knew I had LOL! Sleeping with the boot absolutely sucks any info on how long you have to sleep in the boot would be greatly appreciated. I don’t know how much longer I can take it. If I didn’t hurt my tendon when I fell how could do any damage while sleeping?
I am really looking forward to my 6 week post-op check up so I can begin real PT. I feel ready now but was told not to do anything other than ROM exercises until the next post-op appointment, as the tendon is still not fully ready for the next step. I won’t push the last thing I want is a set back in the long road to recovery.
Till the next post.
Steve.
June 24th, 2012 at 4:46 am
From what I understand, the “you must sleep in your boot” protocol is based on a fear of the damage you can do if you get OUT of the bed rather than what you could do while in it. I guess its possible for people to forget about their condition, hop out of bed in the middle of the night like normal, and have a nasty fall. Either way, unless you are fresh from surgery and still have stitches I think its the dumbest precaution out of them all in this entire process.
June 24th, 2012 at 7:06 am
Steve, I’m with you on the boot sleeping. Doc won’t let me take it off, and I haven’t slept well in 7 weeks. I posted about this several weeks ago and got some good tips. I take the boot off quite a bit while elevating or sitting in bed am/pm but would really like a good night’s sleep without it!
June 24th, 2012 at 9:15 am
Grasslake–
I had to “sleep” in the boot for 8 weeks… I slept badly in the boot. (although Doc was kind enough to give me a smaller, ankle-high boot just for bed) His reasoning wasn’t that I would hurt my foot by getting out of bed, but that it would go back into a pointed toes position during the night. My surgery was debridement and repair with bone removal, so maybe that makes things a bit different than ATR. I also NEVER had a cast! I was in the boot right from surgery.
I am NOT loving the boot now @ 11+ weeks. New England is now in our Hazy-Hot-Humid summer and the smelly ol’ boot is broiling me! It’s also falling apart. (hoping I get to boot the boot in 2 more weeks)
June 26th, 2012 at 8:58 pm
I am 3 1/2 weeks post op and my Doc said I didn’t have to sleep in the boot. Just have to make sure it’s on when I get up. I am full weight bearing without crutches..