kimc’s AchillesBlog

Saw my surgeon the end of last week for a nine week check-up (and my last freebie, cuz insurance deductibles kick in again January 1st!). He reassured me that the daily minor swelling is normal as this point and may continue as I increase my activity level.

Thoughts at this point in the journey:

1. The surgeon told me I’m 80% healed, but the remaining 20% is what will take the rest of a year. That 20% is very apparent to me but not at all apparent to those around me. “Are you running again?” Not yet.

2. Listening to the achilles is key, especially once you’re in two shoes. I’ve found it’s important not to change more than one exercise activity on any given day, that way if my achilles reacts, I know the culprit. I’ve been walking, cycling (heel only so far), deep pool running, and lifting weights. None of these activities hurts or strains the achilles while I’m doing them, but sometimes the achilles is sore and swollen after. If the soreness and swelling is still significant the day after, I rest. In week 7 I walked 3 miles on the treadmill because it felt great. Ended up having to take a 5 day break from activity because it was too much, too soon.

3. It’s very easy for something to accidentally affect the achilles. Today a 30+ mph wind caught the door as I was entering church, with one arm full of music. I instinctively braced against the force of the door, afraid I’d lose my music. My achilles still hurts from that. Skipped my workout this afternoon and iced a couple of times. I think it will be okay tomorrow, but if not, I’ll take it easy as far as activity.

Progress:

• Walking without a discernible limp. Everyone comments on how I’m walking so much better than I did before the surgery. Of course, I had been limping for 2 years every time I got up from a seated position….so “better” is relative.
• One-legged heel raise at 9 weeks. At my surgeon’s request, I tried a heel raise at my last check-up. We were both surprised when there was lift-off, and I did three of them. Of course, I was pretty sure my achilles was acting up the rest of the day because of it, so I skipped my scheduled pool run that evening.
• Able to walk up to 3 miles at 3 mph. Cycling up to 60 minutes at a time, still using heel-only on the surgical leg.
• Surgeon gave approval to begin closed-chain PT activities, such as eccentric calf raises “as long as it doesn’t hurt to do it.” I have PT tomorrow, so am anxious to begin strengthening the gastroc and soleus muscles.

Happy New Year everyone!

Would appreciate some info from those of you in the know.
1. How soon is it safe to use a foam roller on the calf? I just began the transition to 2 shoes and certainly feel some soreness in the calf muscles. I think the foam roller would really help, but wonder if it’s too soon?

2. Tendon feels and looks lumpy. Surgeon said the uneven collagen distribution often evens itself out, but PT can work on it, if not. My PT said it wouldn’t hurt to wait on this. Thoughts and experience on this?

3. There is one really hard, small bump at the incision site - feels tender, is a little more red/pink than the rest, and almost feels like there is something really hard in there. Anyone had this?

Thanks everyone!

Today I’m 5 weeks and 5 days from surgery. Saw my surgeon this morning and got the go-ahead to move into shoes (and carry my boot home!) He did say to transition to full shoe-wearing, as tolerated, over the next few days. Also saw my PT who gave me some proprioception work to do. Got an ok to walk as much as tolerated and to begin deep water pool running.

It was a sunny 53 degrees this afternoon, so I took a very slow 1-mile walk, trying to move the foot normally. Far from perfect, but it was still pretty wonderful.