Jonas’ Rupture

Just checking in, because it has been quite a while since my last post. After over six years I am fully recovered and have had no real set-backs. My only issue is that my calf where the repair took place is still a bit smaller than the other and the strength is still less in the repaired leg as well. I have never really just tried to work that leg to get it back, but you would think that after six years, some balance would have returned if it was going to. Anyway, good luck to you all who are in the middle of your “marathon.”

I thought that I would post a celebratory three year anniversary post. My life basically back to normal and has been for sometime. I still play basketball, but am careful not to push my 41 year old body too hard. Anyway, still can notice a slight size difference in my calfs but it seems that with time the smaller one is catching up. Happy recovery to everyone.

Well, it’s been one full year. I can honestly say that I’m around 95%. The 5% variance is for the fact that the repaired achilles is a little weaker still than the good one. Probably my fault for not working it enough. But oh well….it’s a lot better than I though it would be when I was laying there a year ago trying to recover from the anesthesia. Anyway, you do recover. I’m doing all the stuff that I was doing before my injury, so keep your heads up, ATR people!!

Well, it’s been a bit and I thought I would give an update to any one who cares.  I guess I’m almost 9 months post op now and things are advancing still.  I don’t even think about my injury much any more.  I would say that I’m about 85% there.  I run around now.  I can run up stairs skipping a couple steps at a time.  I still notice more strength in my left calf than the repaired one, but I’m expecting that for another three months.  I was contemplating playing in the same basketball tournament that I got injured in last year, but maybe not……yeah, I think not.  I’ll just settle for full duty and back to SWAT.  No more appointments for me.  Going it on my own now.  Keep the faith AT people!  Pretty soon you’ll be in the same boat as me.  Happy New Year!!

Hadn’t posted in a while, so I figured I’d put something out.  I guess I forget a lot about the injury now.  I still notice the weakness when I try to do certain things, but feeling somewhat normal now.  I can run around the house with the kids.  I can trot up stairs with relative ease.  I haven’t really got out and started a good running program yet….since the “overdoing it” setback a little over a month ago.  I use the eliptical machine 20 minutes a day and still do the same weightroom routine.  I have slacked on the heel raises somewhat, but when I think about it, I knock some out and some stretching.  Seems like I’m constantly stretching it…..almost a natural thing to sit there and just stretch it.  It’s good when you don’t even have to think about it.  Still have some time to heel ahead, but I’m getting that much closer every day.  Just some words from an AT veteran.

I started a conservative walk/run regimen two weeks ago today.  This past Saturday I was on my sixth day of this, been doing Mon, Wed, and Sat, and was pushing my two year old in the jogging stroller.   I went two miles, running around 700 yards and walking between 60-80 yards in between for recovery.  Of course, when I started two weeks ago, I was going about 80 walk and 80 run.  Well, I think that I may have pushed too much too soon, because after I got done and stretched for a bit, the swelling came on and I was having horrible charlie horse pains in my ankle.  I was really unable to pin point where the pain was coming from.  I think that it was coming from the actual ankle joint.  Anyway, it hurt on and off that night and on Sunday.  Today the swelling is down and the pain is gone.  Needless to say, I took today off from my routine.

Has anyone else experienced this yet.  It worried me a little and I’m thinking that I just tried to do too much and need to slow my progress a little.  I may cut back down on the running part.  Anyone has anything, I’m all ears.

Thanks

Well, hope everyone is well.  I had my last post op appointment last Friday.  Doc said that everything looked great.  I did a couple single heel raises for her and she was very pleased.  So pleased that she told me that I didn’t have to come back there.  That was very good news.  Before the appointment I took my bike to an area called Shelby Farms and rode trails for about an hour-and-a-half and felt great after.

I went for my first jog yesterday.  Since it was my first time back out on the street, I took it easy covering one and half miles by intervals of 100 yds walk, 100 yds jog.  Seemed to be okay though I felt some fatigue in my right calf towards the end.  I stretched it really good and called it a day.  Today it was a little sore, but should be good to go back out tomrrow.

I am still having some pain in the bottom of my heel when I get up in the morning.  Usually wears off after a few steps.  Has anyone else had this issue?  Anyway, the doc did tell me to be patient, as this injury takes a year to fully resolve.

~ciao

Just kidding.  Thought that it would be a funny post headline.  I am doing well.  The healing is progressing nicely.  Every week seems to bring good progress.  I am walking easily, climbing stairs, doing a lot of heal raises, even under extra weight.  No pain at all, just still can feel the weakness in my leg.  Sometimes I’ll be walking along and forget about me injury and maybe go to hop over a puddle or something and catch myself before I do it…..that’s a little scary.  I actually plan on increasing my load on the bike and walking more.  By October first I will go for my first run on the road.  On September 26th, I have my 6 month post op ( a little early), hopefully the doc will enlighten me with some valuable info for what else lies ahead for me.

Peace

It’s been a little while since I last posted, so I figured it’s time.  Especially with all the bad news of reruptures, I wanted to throw some better news out there…well…..better being not another rerupture story.   Well I’m at 99 days post op.  Number one, it has flown by.  Well, at least for me it has flown by.   I am walking around fine and out of official physical therapy.  Of course I’m still suppose to be doing my own routine, but I miss quite often.  I do a bunch of standing calf raises and stretching throughout the day, but not much dedicated PT.  At the gym lifting, I will do a set of raises in between my other sets.  So I guess I’m not doing too bad.  At the end of the day, the bottom of my heel still hurts to walk around bare foot on, so I usually try and get off of it.  And in the morning, I’ll get those needle sensations in my heel for the first few steps and the achilles is tight.  The shower usually loosens it up.  The scar seems to be toughening up too.  Still have some callousing  going on, but it seems to be improving.  I also noticed that my scar is wider at the bottom.  I think that it is probably from being the part that gets rubbed the most…..hense the callouses.   I will try and post some week 15 scar pics next week.

My protocol says that I can start a jogging program in under two weeks, but I’m still a little leary of that concept.   Think that I’ll make sure I can do some good single leg calf raises before I try.  I will definitely keep on the bike hard in the meantime.  At least I can walk around somewhat “normal”.  That has been the lastest milestone.

Keep up the good work everyone….and the faith.  ATR Sufferers Unite!

I went for a seven mile mountain bike ride Sunday on mostly flat road.  Pushed a little, but didn’t stand at all during the ride.  I’m almost able to climb stairs normally, more on my toes.  Coming down is hard with the dorsiflexion, but I’m working at it.  I have my last physio Thursday and then I’m flying solo.   I’m going to miss the massages and ultrasounds, but not the co-pays.