Couldn’t walk on toes at 10.5 weeks

Today my PT asked me to try walking on my toes. I simply did not have the strength and push off to do it. I tried three times but couldn’t do it and it caused pain. My PT told me to stop and to try eccentric calf raises. I did a few of these and experienced pain as well.  I felt very disappointed that I was not able to do toe walking. I was down about this for the rest of the physical therapy session and my PT told me that I am progressing quickly, to look at how far I’ve come in a short time, and that I just need to be patient.

Besides that, I’ve been progressing with different exercises at PT. I’ll share what I’ve been working on both at PT and on my own:

  • Elliptical (started today)
  • Eccentric squat
  • Single leg RDL’s for balance
  • DB walking lunges and reverse lunges
  • Balance on wobble board with both feet
  • Eccentric calf raises
  • Assisted bodyweight squats
  • Single leg squat using TRX

This week I will start water therapy on my own at a swimming pool. Here are the exercises I plan to do which were approved by my physical therapist

  • A lot of walking - focusing on heel to toe
  • Calf raises - both legs
  • Single leg calf raises
  • Walking on toes
  • Walking and reverse lunges
  • Single leg squats
  • Single leg balance
  • Single leg RDL
  • Squats

6 Responses to “Couldn’t walk on toes at 10.5 weeks”

  1. Don’t feel bad about not toe walking. Your PT is trying to find your limits, and frankly, I’d be surprised if you could hold a one legged heel raise at this point (I can’t, either, at week 17).

    How much dorsiflexion do you have? Are you doing lunges with just one leg or two? I wonder if I can start doing those…

  2. Wow sounds like you are doing great to me.

  3. As far as I know 10.5 weeks is way early for toe walks…you are not out of the rerupture zone, why push it…there is no reason for toe walks and no reason to do hard core calf building before 12 - 16 weeks…not all PT’s are equal, some are not good and you’ll find several stories here of PT’s directions setting bloggers back in recovery and several that caused reruptures.

  4. @oscillot, thanks for the words of encouragement. I haven’t even tried one legged calf raises and I know I can’t because i have to hold onto a chair when I do eccentric calf raises

    My dorsiflexion on my repaired leg is better than my good leg. I have 12 degrees past neutral

    I am doing walking lunges (both front and back) using both legs. The first day I tried this, it was really hard to lunge on my non-repaired leg because the angle of my repaired leg when performing the lunge was causing me to hesitate, but, I have no issues with it now, no pain.

    Ask your therapists if you can try them. Good exercise for balance, too

  5. @kmay312, thanks, I appreciate that.

    @donna, I’m not sure why he had me do toe walks. Perhaps he wanted to see where I was at. I trust in him as a good PT. He has kept me in check and followed the doc’s protocol to a T. But I do agree that toe walking was probably not the greatest idea. My doc mentioned that he only had 1 guy re-reputure at 4 months post-op when his dog got loose and he tried to run after the dog and that’s how it happened. Because of this, he doesn’t want me jogging until 5 months post-op.

    Thanks for the heads up Donna. I value your thoughts. Seems like you’ve done a lot of research surround this injury, surgery, and rehab

  6. You said: “Thanks for the heads up Donna. I value your thoughts. Seems like you’ve done a lot of research surround this injury, surgery, and rehab”

    You are most welcome.

    I think we all serve in different ways here, some are story tellers, some supporters & cheerleaders, some disseminators of information,some need support some want to give it…etc…that’s what’s so great about this site, something for everyone…YAY for all of it!

    As a Science Educator it’s been interesting and fairly easy for me to read the research and then explain it to others who do not have that skill set or interest. Also I’m semi-retired with the time to do that…& and I’d like to think at my age I’ve gained some tiny bit of wisdom…big smile…at 10 months post op I also have personal experience to input….which BTW I am dong GREAT! It’s true…it does get better…YAY that too!

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