Week 2 - at least the worst is over?
I will be at week 2 post-injury tomorrow. (normofthenorth have managed to get NYC Marathon widget working but not ATR timeline - maybe this doesn’t kick in until I put in a date for PWB?). Anyhow, any tips gratefully received (I went back in and updated my achilles profile with dates and that’s how the marathon widget appeared successfully. But somehow, in the meantime, the ATR timeline widget has disappeared from my options ….).
I know I have a long, long, way to go in recovery and will continue to take strength from what I read on here. At 2 weeks, i am already in a boot with 3 wedges, which gives me 6cm under my heel. I’m not weight bearing and am staying this way for at least another week due to what I have read/advice from Richard Wallace and you guys. I have booked a PT appointment myself for week 4, as my referall from the hospital to physio will not come through before this, I don’t think. After seeing the foot and ankle surgeon last week, I now won’t return to ortho until Nov 19th - which will be 6+ weeks after my injury. The ortho told me on the phone to keep 6cm wedges until then and “weight bear as tolerated”! Hopefully starting PT at week 4 will get me a bit more specific advice.
I am going stir crazy at home though - I’ve been out twice this weekend however, to a quiz at my daughter’s school on Friday night (husband dropped me off in the car) and today I did quite a major sweep around our local town with my 9-year old on the knee scooter - so can’t complain really. It was very tiring today, but I’m thinking that at least I’m getting the blood pumping around my body and exercising my heart, lungs and left leg! I also got some funny, bemused looks on the knee scooter - don’t think anyone here in my town (Bromley, southeast London) has ever seen one. Some people are genuinely curious and i tell them what it is and what I’ve done. Others just stare rudely. Although I obviously cannot begin to comprehend what it must be like to be permanently disabled, I find myself massively humbled when thinking about people who are in wheelchairs permamently - how much planning ahead they must have to do for all kinds of things in life…..
October 19th, 2014 at 9:02 pm
I found the first couple of weeks the toughest so I am sure the worst is over for you. Well done on getting in touch with Wallace, what a confidence builder!
October 20th, 2014 at 12:07 am
Knee scooter was an unbelievable blessing for me! They are becoming quite common in the US.
October 20th, 2014 at 12:16 am
Sounds like you’re free to follow the UWO protocol - from Cecilia or bit.ly/UWOProtocol. Like yours, it kept a PF ankle angle from 0 to 6 weeks - though they only used 2cm of heel wedge. 6cm (if it’s really that much, and incompressible hard rubber) is a lot. That’s why I like Wallace’s simple hands-on technique, because it’s probably best to bring the ends just together, but not jam them together…
October 20th, 2014 at 12:19 am
I don’t know why your ATR Timeline isn’t visible. No, it doesn’t wait u til you’re PWB. There are a few visual themes that won’t show it, but this isn’t one of them. Check the directions…
October 20th, 2014 at 2:17 pm
This post represents my exact sentiments about a week ago. I’m at 22 days post injury (non-op) and had the hard cast removed at the end of week 2. I was put into a boot with about a 3 cm wedge and was told to follow PWB protocol and had my first PT during week 3 which comprised of ROM exercises for the ankle as well as hip/knee exercises. The realization that I could actually move my foot in certain directions seemed like a milestone and I could feel the range slight improving as I practiced those exercises at home. I’ve been putting partial weight on the bad ankle without any pain and can walk without crutches but don’t want to push it too much. As I’m sure will be the case for you, I’m feeling a little better about this horrendous injury everyday and trying to stay positive. At least you can wash your leg now. I still feel a bit demoralized when I see the slight void that has yet to fillout on my injured achilles but hope it will start to look better in the coming weeks. I’m also very thankful for this website as it has been tremedously helpful. So cheers to you getting through the worst part and hope you feel better as you go.
October 20th, 2014 at 4:03 pm
You may have all the local kids asking their parents for a knee scooter. Can you do tricks on it yet? Careful it may be a new fad. Getting out and about is good for the head as well.