8 weeks, 2 shoes but frustrated!
I have just gotten into 2 shoes but instead of being happy about this, I just feel depressed since it’s taking me so long to try & walk anywhere. Compared to zipping about on my knee scooter, this feels like a backward step (although I know it’s one I need to take). Does anyone have any tips for exercises to do to help speed this up a bit. I have another physio appointment in a week (UK NHS). For now, I’ve been told to stretch the tendon gently with the theraband. I’m also swimming (& on a positive note can now at least drive myself to the pool) and doing Pilates. It’s hard to tell if it’s the tightness of the tendon that is obstructing me or the weakness of my calf, but it’s probably both. Any advice gratefully received! I might go to private physio as well if i think it will help …
Happy healing everyone!
December 3rd, 2014 at 10:20 pm
Sometimes this all feels like watching paint dry, but you will have spells where the changes feel fast. Its a combination of strength and balance that are missing and that comes with time- just do lots of relatively small stuff often and you will get there. I am taking the stretching very easy- so far I have chosen not to do any passive stretching and have gotten a really good range of motion. When I had the surgical repair I had to do hours of stretching to get anywhere, this time I have not needed to do more than active stretching and functional movement. How different we all are- and it seems our own experiences. Better days are ahead- keep smiling!
December 4th, 2014 at 3:57 am
Your description sounds like you went straight from “knee scooter” (= NWB) to “2 shoes” (= FWB with no protection). True? Most of us, and most successful studies, spent several weeks FWB in a boot before going to 2 shoes, and those booted weeks (especially the last couple) were walking fast and confidently. Then walking without the boot (FWB) is quite a bit slower and scarier and “limpier”, but it usually improves quite quickly, which is nice.
If you really did go from NWB on a scooter, without practicing walking a lot PWB then FWB, then I’d expect your first days in 2 shoes trying to FWB to be VERY slow and scary and “limpy”. But if you can avoid reinjury, you should improve quickly.
My fave technique in early 2 shoes is to walk as normally as possible, toes forward, and 100% normally on one side (when lifting your injured foot and planting it ahead of the other foot). The other stride — moving your UNinjured foot ahead of your injured one — should be shortened. Very drastically at first (maybe just stepping up to the injured foot, maybe not even), then gradually less and less as you gain strength, ROM, balance, and confidence. But keep it incremental, and Watch Your Step!
December 8th, 2014 at 10:16 am
herewegoagain - thanks for the encouragement! I may not be able to walk very well but i did manage to dance on Friday night, which cheered me up.
normofthenorth - thanks, as ever, for your words of wisdom.
I am in fact ‘walking’ as you describe but it just feels so feeble at the moment. Hobbling is a better description- and the ‘good’ leg gets so tired so easily. I think that you are probably right in that I did go straight from the knee scooter to walking in 2 shoes: although I felt I had ‘walked’ around in the boot for weeks, in truth that was only indoors and anywhere that I only had to cover a small amount of ground. Where there were longer distances involved, I just went on the scooter.