Second post-op appointment, 6 weeks 5 days
I had my second post-op today! It was super quick and easy - OS said my incision looked great, and asked if I’d like to start walking! Woo!
I’m slowly transitioning to FWB - currently walking around with one crutch. Heel is sore but nothing unbearable. I moved from 15 to 10 degrees plantar flexion, and have instructions to move 5 degrees per week until I’m at neutral. After three weeks I can transition to 2-shoes.
Something I didn’t think about before now was shoes - I have backless shoes and heel lifts, but I didn’t think about walking around the house. How did other people do that? Dedicated shoes for in the house with heel lifts? I can’t imagine just walking around barefoot.
Last kind of fun thing - my OS liked the Vacocast and asked me to show it to the clinical director so they could look into carrying it. I felt like a salesperson because I love this boot so much :).
Also got the official okay to do no and low impact workouts - swimming or biking. Yay!
donna Said,
March 4, 2015 @ 7:40 pm
Oh Kait how wonderful! I can sense your excitement…Yippy!
I’m still wearing open backed walking sandals (KEEN). They are of good quality, were new as I’d just purchased them before my rupture, and were made for casual outdoor walking. Even with our Colorado winter I’ve worn them since week 8 (almost week 17 now) with thick diabetic socks. I wear them indoors and out. Previously I never wore shoes in the house.
I do have a pair of Nike free’s I wear to PT and the gym that are like slippers and though sufficient for PT/Gym they are not the best support, I wouldn’t do any high impact stuff in them, but I don’t plan on doing high impact anytime soon anyway.
Otherwise I don’t have any shoes I can wear for any length of time without aggravating my incision, I’ve tried them all…oh well. Today my OS ordered some compounding medicine to rub on my tendon to help with the sensitivity I’m having at the incision and along reducing the tendon’s scar tissue in one area I’m having issues with. Hopefully that will enable me to wear some of my other shoes soon.
It took some time for that fleshy pad on the heel to come back. It’s still not 100% back but not bad. I can now walk in the house in socks or barefoot but prefer not to as it’s just not as comfortable as the sandals.
You’ve got the OK for biking!…and swimming…GREAT! I know you love working out! One of my sports was Triathlon and I was an avid road cyclist for years,and taught some of the first indoor cycling classes when they became popular in the 1990’s…so it was hard going to the gym and using “regular” stationary bikes, so below me…ha ha… however, I’ve tried all the ones we have at my gym and they are quite sufficient for warming up and cardio. I like the recumbent bike in particular for a good quad workout with my cardio. I’m going to my first spinning class this week, can’t wait! PT OK’d me for it since I’m now ready for standing climbs, my favorite!
laetitia Said,
March 5, 2015 @ 11:02 am
Hey Kait,
it seems we are at the same stage. I will be 7 weeks post op tomorrow. I started walking in 2 shoes last week because my doctor saw a little spot of my incision that was a little bit open. He didn’t want the boot to rub on it and I get an infection so he says: let’s start wearing shoes. I was very surprised and not prepared psychologically lol.
I had bought a new pair of Nike Shox because of the support and they seem a little higher on the heel. I figured they would be good on the tendon. They are indeed great. I walk in them at home (for now). The Dr gave me some silicon heel cup to put in my shoes and they are perfect. I have older pair of Nike for PT and to wear in my office. (I still wear my boot outside otherwise it will take me forever to go to one point to another). I feel more comfortable in the Shox than in my older pair.
I haven’t tried any sandals yet.
Good luck on the transition.
nico76 Said,
March 6, 2015 @ 4:25 am
Hi Kait!
I am super happy for you, it seems that the tone of your post is much more positive now and you are really getting out of this early dark phase!
On my side, the heel sore issue resolved itself quite quickly (a week or so). At first I was also thinking about using a specific pair of shoes only for home but both doc and PT said it was better to “wake up the foot” if I was bare foot.
I have been using quite extensively this ball and rolled it on heel and all foot. It has been so useful, it helped to wake up all tiny connections that got asleep during cast.
http://www.boulderrunningcompany.com/accessories/massage-stretching-and-rehabilitation/foot-rubz-massage-ball.html
take care and keep up the good work!
Nicolas
skelonas Said,
March 6, 2015 @ 11:43 am
Great news Kait! Keep up the hard work!