Hi everyone,
This is my first post and I would like to start by saying how helpful this site has already been for me. I have asked for my own blog as there are a couple of questions I can’t seem to find answers to my questions for. Firstly I will give you a brief background on my ATR…
I suffered a full rupture playing football on Saturday 17th October 2015, I’m 27. I chose the non-operative route, mainly because I am petrified of surgery and needles, and have a strong dislike for hospitals generally.
Fortunately I went straight to A&E and was in an equinus cast within 6 hours of rupture, and when I saw the consultant two days later he was content that the gap in the tendon was not too large, the tendon was well aligned, and I would generally be considered good for non-operative treatment (thank god).
I was in equinus cast for 3 three weeks (NWB), I am now in an Ottobock Airwalker boot and am PWB. From the 3 week stage - when put into the boot - I was told to start with very light weight bearing and gradually increase this in order to be FWB over the next 2 weeks (so I’d be FWB at the end of 5 weeks). At the 6 week mark I am going to go back and have one of the wedges taken out, at the 9 week stage I will have the other wedge out or be in two normal shoes (I guess).
My primary concern now is the fact that when reading everyone else’s blogs, they appear to have a boot with numerous wedges (say 4 or 5), and they are incrementally reduced, say one wedge per week.
My boot came with only 2 wedges, both being about 1.5 inches tall, so I currently have a 3 inch wedge in the heel. My concern is that when I return to have the first wedge taken out it will be too much of a step down. I have also been on the Ottobock website and there are two sets of wedges available for my boot: one set is the set I have which is formed of 2 wedges, and the second set is comprised of 4 wedges. I can’t understand why in my situation it would be beneficial to go with 2 big steps down in the heel wedges, as opposed to the more incremental 4 steps. What are people’s thoughts on this? I am tempted to buy the other set of wedges myself and take them to my next appointment and say I want to use them instead.
My second query is to do with what feels like tight skin on the bottom of my heel. As you know I am at the start of my 5th week, attempting to get to FWB. Now I am putting more weight on it, I am getting a strange sensation when walking, as though the skin on the base of my heel is stretching (in the direction of the length of the foot). Would this be considered normal? I am encouraged as it is coming from the base of the heel as opposed to the Achilles area, and whilst walking with increasing weight bearing I am not feeling any pain whatsoever from the Achilles or any of the leg area in fact.
My final query is to do with when you should start ROM exercises. I believe that the NHS are currently planning for this to start at the end of week 9, when I come out of the Airwalker. It would appear people on here are starting these exercises earlier. Do you think I should push for this sooner?
Thanks in advance everyone!
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