Well here is the other contestant, my 11 month old son. I am just starting to FWB and he does not quite have the courage to walk without holding on to my pinkie finger with one hand. So it is a race to the finish. Who is going to walk first; me or the baby. I will keep you posted.
Hi everyone, I have been two weeks PWB and managed to go FWB yesterday for a couple of hours. I was really excited about being able to move around without the crutches. I just came back from a 5 day trip to Toronto and Niagara Falls with the hubby and kids and was having numbness and tingling in my arms and pain in my hands from being so much on my crutches and was anxious to be off of them. Anyway, today when I got up I had to go through stages again, two crutches for 10 minutes, then one for another 10 minutes and then hobbling around again FWB. Has anyone else had to this everytime they got up when first starting FWB? I have to do this everytime I have sat for awhile. Will it pass quickly?
I am seven and a half weeks post-op and things have been progressing fairly well. Yesterday, I managed to hobble around on one crutch. Today however, my incision has felt like fire so I am taking it easy. Late this afternoon, the middle toe on my bad foot started contracting all on its own like it was having a muscle spasm and then started to flutter. It lasted about one minute and then happended again a half hour later and then again, and again. It looks and feels really weird as the toes on either side are completely relaxed. Is this some kind of nerve damage? Has anyone else had their toes doing strange things?
After hobbling around all day PWB I finally managed to stand with my weight equally on both feet!!! Woohoo!! I am so excited that I treated my 13 year old daughter, who has been helping care for my 11 month old almost exclusively , to a night out at the movies. I haven’t had this much fun in, let’s say, 8 weeks. It’s the little victories that make all the difference. Hopefully by this time next week I will be able to report FWB. It’s going to be a close race to see who starts walking first, me or my 11 month old!!
Hi everyone, hope you are all recoverying well. I have been PWB for 6 days and can apply about 50lbs pressure to my foot. The problem is that it feels like my incision site is being rubbed raw. I am still in a fibreglass short leg cast for another three weeks at which time my surgeon wants me to arrive FWB. Because I am in the cast I cannot check the site or ice it or air it out etc. Has anyone else started PWB in a cast? How did you deal with discomfort? I feel good when I am actually applying pressure to the foot, it is afterward that the incision site is on fire. It is inhibiting me from attempting FWB, am I trying to go too fast?
Hi again! I started PWB two days ago and I am having a little difficulty. My doctor gave me four weeks to get FWB while still in a short leg fibreglass cast. When I first started it felt as though my cast was too tight on my ankle so that the weight was not on the bottom of my foot but on the bones on the side of the ankle. It resulted in significant discomfort so I did not put much weight on it. Yesterday, I managed about 18 pounds according to my scale. When I woke up this morning it felt like my cast had shifted a bit and that more of the weight was being carried on the bottom of my foot. I think maybe the padding was more compacted. So I tried a bit more this morning and lo and behold it said 48 pounds on the scale. Progress I guess. Unfortunately, the problem is that it is very uncomfortable with some stinging pain along the top of my foot, and significant swelling. Has anyone else had these problems?? How long in days/weeks did it take you to go from NWB to FWB. Am I being impatient or should I take it slower? One other problem is that when NWB I was fairly quick on my crutches but now that I am PWB I am extremely slow as I moderate the weight on my bad foot.
Hi Everyone! I will be six weeks post-op in two days and am supposed to start PWB on Friday. I am still in full fibreglass and will be for another 4 weeks when I go to the boot. The last few days I have been putting my foot down while I crutch around with no weight on it. The problem is that the swelling and discomfort have increased dramatically, and my toes turn dark blue within 2 minutes of being upright. This is making it very difficult for me to contemplate my graduation to PWB in two days. I have found that wiggling my toes while my foot is down helps some. Any suggestions?? I have been keeping my foot elevated at all times that I am not up and about (which still isn’t much). Am I elevating my foot too much?? Or is this incredible swelling and discomfort normal when you first start putting your foot on the floor?? P.S. I just got up to go to the washroom, lost my balance and put ALOT of weight on my bad foot. It hurt like hell, and now I am worried that I have caused some damage. I don’t think I reruptured, but my incision hurts like hell. How do I know if it opened up if I am wearing a cast??
Hi everyone!
Went to the ambulatory clinic today for my second “adjustment” and they got my foot to 90 degrees. Yahoo!!! I was sitting on the stretcher saying to the cast tech that it didn’t hurt as bad as last week when they got me to 65 degrees. He just smiles. Then as the cast starts setting he forces my foot forward. Apparently he didn’t have my foot quite at 90 when he was applying it and LIED to me when I asked if it was. After a few “HOLY CRAPS” sufficient to scare the crap out of everyone else waiting on their stretchers, the pain was over and I was neutral. I now have a lovely walking sole velcroed (is that spelled correctly?) onto the bottom of my fibreglass cast. Then comes the good news (sarcasm) Next appointment in 5 weeks. FIVE WEEKS are you kidding me???? But I am already 5 weeks post-op!! Doc says I can start PWB in my cast in 8 days when I am at 6 weeks post-op and to be off the crutches altogether when I come back at the end of week 10. He told me to go at my own pace and that 4 weeks should be long enough to get off the crutches. At week 10 I go into the boot for another 4 weeks. Wow, this is going to take a really, really, really long time. Sigh!!!
Hi everyone! All of these reruptures are really freaking me out. I will be 5 weeks post-op of Friday and am only a week shy of some of these “accidents”. My doctor plans on having me in a short leg fibreglass cast until 8 weeks and then the boot for another four so I am really glad for the conservative route. He says no pt until I am out of plaster. Anyway. I got a cast change six days ago and had my foot angle changed for the first time. It hurt like hell for the 2 minutes they held it in position while my cast set but then the burning fire on the top of my foot disappeared as soon as they let go of my toes. Thank god. The tech says I got a good 65 degrees out of my first go which he was quite happy with. For the first time I felt like I was making progress. Tomorrow I go back to try for the full 90 degrees. The doc says that if I get there he will apply a walking cast and I can start touching down my foot and working my way to PWB. Has anyone else started PWB in full fibreglass?? I am scared that it is too early but am wondering if it is okay while I am still in a cast for at least another 3 weeks. I plan to just use the foot for balance etc. for the first week. Although I am really anxious to be through all of this, I can’t afford to start over with 3 kids at home, one of them only 10 months old. To PWB or not, that is the question. Oh well, if I can’t get to 90 tomorrow it won’t matter anyway but I am hoping I will. Good luck to all.
Hi everyone, I am almost 3 weeks post-op and had my stitches out and a new cast put on last Thursday (6 days ago). When the cast tech was putting it on she was pulling really hard on it as she wound it around my leg. I thought that was really weird but didn’t say anything because the previous one was so bad that anything had to be better. The first cast was put on while still under general and they somehow managed to rotate my foot in towards my other leg and under so that all of the pressure of the cast was on the surface of my foot. The result was severe burning pain and numbness. Since I have never had a cast before, I thought that maybe there had been nerve damage during surgery, but when I had my stitches out my foot was really twisted and they had to force it into the correct position for the new cast. So back to that one. When I got home the pain became progressively worse again, after having improved for the 20 minutes the cast was off. Friday I toughed it out because I thought that maybe it was just swelling due to the cast change. Monday and Tuesday the clinic was closed for Canada Day, so that brings us to today. I called the hospital and they said to come in if I wanted and they would have a look at the cast. The two techs took of the old one and the top of my foot was covered in bruises. The tech thought that it was from the surgery, but six days earlier when the cast was changed there was extensive bruising only on the back of my ankle and the sides. He then checked the inside of the cast and said “yup, there is a big lump in the cast right where all the bruising is, its a good thing you came in” I have to tell ya I was annoyed because the burning pain has been intolerable and medication didn’t help. I now have a lovely new hot pink cast and am hoping that third time is the charm and I will no longer have pressure issues on the top of my foot. Morale of the story? If you are really uncomfortable, get yourself checked, you might be suffering needlessly.
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Congratulations Jenny, on your baby girl. I guess she isn’t brand new anymore… About 6 months old?
This is the first time I have checked this site and the first time I have read your June 2009 post.
My girls are 4 and 2 now.
It’s been a year & a half now since the ATR. Things are going well. I am running fairly regularly and doing aerobics classes at the Goodlife.
Thinking about playing basketball again, but very afraid. Have you played any sports yet? You had mentioned you were going to wait a bit before attempting slo-pitch.
Your thoughts???
Hope you are well.
Shelley
From my experience the purple toe thing is totally normal. Even after two weeks FWB my foot still goes a lovely red color first thing in the morning. Although it now quickly regains a normal colour. Wiggling the toes definitely helps and so does slowly increasing the amount of time each day that you have your foot in a normal position.
I think once you start PWB/FWB the increased usage of the foot tends to help the blood flow and lots of these issues clear up pretty quickly.
Hi, I am 5 weeks post operation, and like you I have tried very hard to keep my foot elevated. When I go to the bathroom, on crutches, as I put my foot down, not on the floor, it feels as if the blood is rushing to my toes. I can only leave my foot down, for say four to five minuets tops. Otherwise my toes go a shade of purple. Also, my AT still hurts, also with pains from my calf occasional. but it is getting better. I am seeing my consultant next week. I can not even think about FWB or physiotherapy, it scares the hell out of me. Keep resting, see if you can get to your doctor or consultant. Good luck.
Congratulations, you must be made of steel to cope with achilles and being pregnant. Hope you have a happy time ahead
Hi
Its very encouraging to hear such news. congratulations on the new arrival. i have just suffered a re-rupture while still in cast and have to go through the whole process again. but your energy and happiness is a great help.
I have 3 children and am really looking forward to getting back in to the groove with them again. take it easy and don’t try to get going too soon. it seems that re-ruptures are all too common and you really have a lot on your plate there. also - tendons after pregnancy are not at their best and still pretty loose with all those hormones. so take care.
anna woodfine
uk
Congratulations on the newest addition to your family and hitting the one year marker! Haven’t been to the site in a while and was glad to see so many posters hitting the “marathon” ticker end.
Hi,
I am in my third fibreglass cast. The second one was causing a sense that the wound was opening. Just as tennisjunkie did, I ended up going in because I was sure it was too tight …
They were happy to open it up and it was also just fine … but a little red.
Hi
That sounds horrible poor you. I hope you’re having better luck with your new cast. I would totally agree if you feel uncomfortable/sore or more pain then usual go and get it checked out. I broke my ankle about 3 weeks ago now and I had a non weight bearing cast after the operation for a week which was fine. My foot was healing ok when they took it off to put the plaster cast on which I was supposed to wear for 10 days. It then it went down hill. After about a week I started getting pain in my foot. It felt like something was stabbing in my toe and I noticed my toes were bigger. I went to the doctor they said the circulation was fine and just to stay off my feet until my 10 day check up which was 3 days away. I stayed in bed with my foot elevated. The pain was just getting worse and worse and I was on really strong pain killers but they were doing nothing for it. In the end 2 days before my 10 day check up I noticed some blood on my toes. I decided enough was enough and went to A&E and they cut off the cast. They found that my toes and the front of my foot had swollen up badly and I had blisters because the cast was too tigh
Jenny,
Congratulations on your pregnancy and continued recovery!
Regards,
Moms “owie”
hi Hobblit, It is supposed to help with circulation and swelling. I have noticed considerable decrease in swelling aroung my ankle since I started it one week ago, but my PT also started the electrical therapy at the same time so I am not sure if the results are from one or both
I get that pain sometimes when I’m carrying my 30lb daughter. I haven’t thought of acupuncture. How does it help?
Jenny,
Glad to hear things are progressing well for you. Sorry can’t answer your question, but I hope it is scar tissue breaking up & feels better for you soon.
Shelley
I’m sorry you are having a hard time I’m now at 13 weeks and pretty much independent again - driving, walking (SLOWLY) and with gimp limp. But I know how you feel. Suddenly it will be three months and you won’t believe how hard it was to do anything. Hang in there…it does get better…BUT you should take your moments of frustration and sadness. This is NOT hero’s work. kkdub
I’m in the same boat as you, minus kids and responsibilities. I too try to remain positive, and in truth a lot of good things have come out of this, but any way I slice it I’m just plain sick and tired of it all. Ok, that was not encouraging. Go team go!
Hey Jenny,
Sorry to hear you’re going through a rough patch. I can understand how it’s frustrating to not be able to do things after such a long period of time. This injury is teaching us patience, that’s for sure. No rushing it. Our body will heal at its own pace, no matter what we want.
Try to give yourself a break and rest a bit. I know it’s hard with the responsibilities of being a mom, among others. But this time will pass…
Shake it off and keep positive!
Shelley
Jenny, let yourself get angry - don’t bottle it up. This injury sucks. That being said, look ahead 6 months and think of how you will be looking back at this relatively short period of your life.
Hang in there - there are good days and bad…
Ed
Hi Ladies, thanks for your support. My PT went a little better today after the rest on the weekend. I guess I will just have to cut myself a little slack and ease up for a while. Patience is a virtue!!
Walking barefoot I still consider a NO-NO unless on the carpet in my bedroom. Outside the room there’s linoleum, etc - so that’s my rule for myself, even though I’m out walking and driving now at 12 weeks. Your husband is what he is, and worn out himself by your handicapp, but still what counts for you both is that YOU recover, and that YOU be the priority for these last few weeks. Take it as EASY as you can, consider it a “call from heaven” to contemplate, think, read, rest and even restore other parts of your health.
I was pretty mad back in June but by mid-July I was heavily into reading and DVD’s - also writing critiques on these books and films at http://www.epinions.com, just to “kill the time” but also to get feedback on my ideas. Travel books are great, e.g. “Fried Eggs with Chopsticks”, about travelling alone as a woman through China and having a HARD TIME - yep, these books cheered me up, that I was in lovely USA.
Michael Palin’s DVD series, “Around the World in 80 Days”, is another one; he’s got trials and tribulations of all types, like diarrhea on an 8-day dhow ride near the Suez Canal. I love this kind of stuff!
[...]Jenny,
I cannot believe it has taken so long for you to hit the ‘wall’, but rest assured this awful feeling will right itself. You are tired, exhausted, frustrated etc. etc. You must rest a little more until you gain your positive side again. We have all been there and you will come out of it. I could cry for you!!
Take care
Annie
Jenny,
Even though I just posted positively for a change, I feel your pain…..but you should try to not get down on yourself. This is definitely a “rollercoaster of a ride” type injury. We all have the small rewards and the set-backs as well–emotionally and physically. We are at the same time-frame and I too am thoroughly sick and tired of all of this, am also still experiencing quite a bit of discomfort with the swollen, reddened portion of my incision. I would follow your PT’s advice and give yourself a break…..easier said than done, but try to let the things that can wait, wait. I too am walking very slow and still using crutch/cane. I never walk barefoot, mainly because I still can’t get my heel flat on the floor. Maybe try leaving shoes on so you won’t hurt your feet? Speaking of exhausting PT, I’ve got to go now to mine…..just thought I would let you know, you are not alone…..i expected to be further along by now also….but we are, where we are and we’ll all get through this at our own paces.
Marianne
Jenny,
I’m doing well. It’s nice that there’s no pain.. just more of an inconvenience at this point. My knees are bruised big time from carrying my baby around the house but I am managing. My 2-year old has been amazing and is being so good to her baby sister, which is a big help to me.
I have made a list of “Pro’s” for this ATR happening. One was that I am spending better quality time playing with my girls, instead of driving around to various activities, playgroups, etc.. just trying to keep busy. We play on the floor, colour, read, lots of attention & quality time.
I am very grateful to be getting so much help. My parents are here to help me almost every day while my husband is at work. It will be nice though when I can actually take care of my family on my own again and feel a little more independent. I’m sure that will come as I can start to weight bear.
Seeing the doc tomorrow for 4-week post-op. I will post pictures & update.
How are you doing with your little one?
Hi Shelley, I have an appointment on Oct.2 so I will see what he has to say then. How are you doing?
Hey Jenny,
Have you talked to Dr. R. about your osteopenia? I wonder if he has seen this before. Seems like we go a long time immobilized before getting into the boot compared to some on this site.
Hope the bone density in your foot comes back with time and you don’t have to worry about this, as well as your AT!
Take care,
Shelley
Jenny,
Very normal to have osteopenia following immobilization of weight bearing bones. They should take films of the opposite leg so that it can be determined that in fact it is from the immobilization and not of another cause. If its from the casting than time and weight bearing will increase the calcium in the bones. You should take a calcium supplement. Also with rehab make sure you are careful and not to overdo it so as to avoid stress fractures of those bones. Give it time and everything should be fine.
Good luck
Doc Ross
Hi Marianne, They are called “Wright Sock” Running Lite and come in small, medium, and large. I believe they are listed as “crew” socks. They come up about five inches and end about 2.5 inches above my incision so no rubbing
After I read your post, I immediately went to the Running Room online store to look for the socks you bought. I have yet to find a pair of socks that don’t irritate my incision. Could you tell me the exact name of the type of sock you bought? There are so many double layer socks to choose from online at the store site, but none that say “frictionless”..I would really appreciate it. I am desperate !!!!
Thanks in advance and congrats on all your wonderful progress!!!!!
Marianne
Congrats on the two milestones! That’s so exciting. What a good way to celebrate - with a new pair of shoes. I think i will do the same at that point.
What kind of exercises are you doing for PT now? Are they suggesting doing lots of walking?
Nice that you can drive again. It must be nice to not have to depend on other people to get around now.
I called ACU about my cast, and they are supposed to call me back. Hopefully they can fix it for me.
Take care.
Shelley
I started driving after 1st post op at 1 week. Doc said OK just use the left foot. I had to buy an old car with an automatic because both of our cars are manual. Of course I only drive 3 miles, in town, to work each day. My wife drives everywhere else. You should be fine. Just be cautious.
