7.5 months
Hi everybody. Been off for a month or so. I guess its a function of the degree of normality - the less I notice the AT, the less I am inclined to keep up with the site and the new arrivals who need advice as much as I did in February. Its a real tribute to Norm and folks like him who stay with it and, as a result, have accumulated so much wisdom.
I am pretty much recovered and able to do most everything in my preAT life. My one legged lifts are still anemic - maybe a couple inches on a good day - but other than that it responds well to everything I’ve tried, with two exceptions. Swimming has become my principle cardio activity and frequently, after 1500 yards or so, my “bad” leg calf will get a potent charlie horse while swimming. Never the good leg. Not sure what that means. Also, at times when I’ve been on my feet for a long time - walking, gardening, tennis, e.g. - I experience some soreness/pain on the outside of my leg, from below the knee to the ankle. Again, just the bad leg and again,not sure what it means. Will check it out with the PT if it continues. If anyone’s had a similar reaction, please share.
I have not yet tried to go at tennis full bore, so the juries out on whether the AT will be hold up in that instance. As I’ve said before, I’m almost more concerned about the other one popping than the “naturally repaired” AT.
Best wishes to all,
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Thanks for saying such nice things about my addiction, Gunner! Glad you’re feeling so normal after your non-op treatment. Me too — and me too also with the wimpy 1-leg calf raises. (I was hoping that you’d be demonstrating super-strength by now following a UWO-like protocol — though at 7.5 months it’s still reasonable to be doing wimpy raises, with any treatment.)
At ~10 months, my only funny symptom on the “bad” leg is a bit of foot cramping first thing in the morning. I often start the day with extreme plantar-flex stretches, still in bed, and my left foot sometimes cramps up when I do that. It’s new, since the ATR. My wife suggested I start with a dorsiflex stretch, and that seems to eliminate the cramping, when I remember! If not, it goes away in 30 seconds, especially with a little dorsiflex stretching. No big deal. (My OTHER ankle still “cracks” at the first PF stretch of the day, almost 9 years after its ATR surgery!)
As time goes on, it’s rational to stop worrying about the healed AT, and (unfortunately) to start worrying about the other one. Most people escape without tearing the other side, even if they resume the high-risk activities, but there’s definitely an elevated risk — don’t I know!
Continued good progress to you!
Thanks Norm. Haven’t had that particular sensation with the foot. I was having some problems with pain in the top of my feet before the AT tear, especially after walking 18 holes. Orthotics helped a bit. Then down for four months. When I started back to walking, I was so elated about the AT recovery, I forgot about the foot problems, and a few others, as well, that were dormant during my confinement in activity! But now the foot pain doesn’t seem so bad in light of the AT abyss! best to you
At almost 9 months now, I am finding that I have more weird pains on the good leg. My low calf/high achilles tends to get sore on that side quite easily for some reason? But generally I can do everything I need/want to, including tennis. I am finding that I am holding myself back less and less - when I started playing a few months ago, I was definitely dragging the bad leg.
Big test coming up as I am going upland bird hunting next week and that requires a ton walking over uneven and sometimes nasty terrain. I haven’t been on the site for months, so I hope all are doing well.
Gunnar, I’ve enjoyed reading through your blog and it gives me hope for a full recovery from where I’m at–10 days post-injury. I’ve decided on the non-surgical route, thanks to Norm’s considerable knowledge, and I feel more confident seeing the progress you and others have made.
I know you are a big fan of the VacoCast. Can you tell what are the main advantages over a hinged boot, in your opinion?
Thanks, Grace
Hey, good post! Hope you don’t mind, but I sort of put a short summary up on my blog - along with a link to this post for credit
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