kpeters’ AchillesBlog

Hi Kevin, if you feel it’s safe for you try walking in your flip flops whilst at home. I found it really great in helping to build your calf strength back up. It was so hard walking in bare feet. It stretched the Achilles too much. The one legged stand will eventually be an exercise. The flip flop really helped with this one. Keep at it. Heal fast!

Congrats Kevin on your new freedom and milestone. I’m a week behind you. Went in for my 6 week checkup today. Got the green light to transition to FWB only with the boot on removing one heel wedge per week for 6 weeks.. It’s funny how protocols are so different even for post op situations. You are already transitioning out of the boot and I have 6 more weeks IN the boot and that’s before PT starts. Doc assures me I will regain strength quickly once I start therapy. My main goal is to get back out on the golf course! I feel you’re dilemma on the boot at night situation. It doesn’t really bother me to have it on and I’d hate to do something stupid in the middle of the night getting up without it.

If you’re not fully comfortable without the boot on yet, I wouldn’t worry about sleeping with it on. You don’t want to kick in your dream and dorsiflex too hard, or maybe wake up to go pee and forget that you’re far from capable yet.

At the early stages of the recovery, I think it’s better safe than sorry and it’s all about letting the tendon heal.

Kevin, exciting developments for you! keep the good work going. luxury to have two boots, i had a 30 minute routine every night where i would wash and disinfect the boot, dry it and then have it ready before putting it back on for sleeping.

i rebelled and started sleeping without it by week 6, however i know for a fact that i would never sleep walk and i don’t have to get up to the toilet. as Manny suggests, significant others are dangerous, so sadly, when i was with my better half (we are in two different towns and only spend half the month together) i put the boot on for safety.

There is nothing counterproductive about sleeping with the boot off, so don’t worry about it. i did a few stints barefoot but then realised that having shoes (without lifts at the time) was much safer and comfortable so unless you have decent carpets or smooth surfaces do try it with the added safety of the shoes.

at some point Manny, and others, mentioned the physicality required to aid recovery, so if you are not getting enough do get out and walk about (with boot on), as much as manageable without fatigue or taking risks. beannie has sever

Yes - brushing the (swimming) pool with water in it…

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Good going, Kevin!
Now let me go by parts:
a) I think you can edit out the extra spaces in your block, clicking “edit” on the post. I’m no expert, but I have done that.
b), I, too slept with the boot on, and since I didn’t buy another one, I had to wear a designated pillow case wrapping it. I only stopped using it one week before going 2 shoes, even though the Dr. had OK the “no sleeping in boot” at 2 weeks.
As I see it, it isn’t worth running the risk of injury by sleepwalking or going for a midnight bathroom run, falling out of bed, or even by a spouse accident (sleeping with someone else does have risks) LOL
Meanwhile, the tendon continues healing.
c) Brushing the pool? With water in it? I assume you are talking about a swimming pool….
d) Sounds like you really did your homework with your Physical Therapist! Good luck!
e) Congrats on taking off the boot while in the house. I’d suggest practing with shoes, not just going barefoot. I know I was clumsy when I got out of the boot and would bump into things when I hurried.

Thanks for keeping us informed, and happy healing!…. Manny

I tried editing my post so the sentences didn’t break up this way, and I copied and pasted it from a Word document (I lost my last post so someone suggested that) - but it still posts weird.

I was given a night splint too .So i had to wrap my ankle first with a smaller crepe bandage ( comfortably tight for compression). Then put my splint and wrap again with a larger crepe bandage ( lightly wrapped ,but not loose at all) .The second bandage keeps the splint in place . I find this very comfortable to sleep in . I also use a pillow to keep the foot in splint elevated and can now sleep comfortably sideways too
I totally agree with Manny.
Good luck ..

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I was provided a “dorsiwedge” night splint that I wear to bed. It’s much lighter and more comfortable for sleeping - however it’s not meant for walking in. I’m at 3 weeks post surgery and I”ve been wearing it for about 3 nights since getting the walking boot on. No problems.

Type your posts in a word type document and then you can save it to your hard drive. Copy and paste it into when you are ready so if you have problems you can do it again. Also good for spell check. I could not sleep well in the boot so I stopped sleeping in it after 3 weeks. I am not advising anyone to do this but I needed to sleep. The boot was by the bed and I always put it on when I got out. Being a bit loose in bed should not hurt and I agree with Manny.

Kevin, a loose boot still protects your foot and tendon, though if you forget to tighten it before walking you might over-stretch the tendon or even hurt yourself.
I always loosened it a little when going to bed (what a relief!) and tightened it up when I got up in the morning.
Hope this helps!
Good luck with the ongoing recovery!……. Manny

Beanie, the floor is my worst nightmare, or rather falling to the floor as with knee problems it’s nearly impossible for me to get back up on my own.

I have however been doing the leg raises and side leg raises as I lay in bed to try and keep some muscle tone.

Yay Kevin, awesome to hear that your wound is healing well and you have the boot and can put some weight on the foot. The hardest part is behind you now. It still takes a long time, but things get easier and better.

Pull-ups, push-ups (rest your boot on your good leg), sit-ups, dips, toes-to-bar, l-hangs, ring rows … You’ll be surprised how much of a workout you can get. Lots of people (Manny included) stationary cycle with the boot on. If your gym has a rower you can also do single leg rowing with your boot resting on something with wheels - this is brilliant cardio. There are also some leg exercises you can do with the boot where you lie down on your back and sides and raise the leg and kneel with hands on the floor and then extend your leg backwards.

All the best and happy healing!

Kevin, i’m thrilled for you! the boot is, at least for me, a life saving device. being able to get dressed, wash, etc.!

i’ve started a core muscle routine today and it was great to feel the burn. i was told to not do any full planks nor any extensions that will pull on the legs muscles (such as an abs roller motion).

i can’t wait to go back to the gym and do some pull-ups, but i need to be PWB without the boot so i can actually shower without risk…

well done man

suerte

Glad to know it went well, Kevin. As for exercise, I make do with my stationary bike, rubber bands and (now) ankle weights. its a 30-45 min routine every morning… but it certainly helps! I was allowed to cycle from day 1, on the lightest setting, so my muscles wouldn’t freeze up.
Have fun with your boot!
Manny

Alright Friends:

Just got back from my Dr. Appointment. He removed my stitches and he was happy with my progress and put me in a boot! Said I can start light ROM exercises and partial weight bearing. I am pretty happy about that!

J - I’m really sorry to hear about the blood clot. That is one of the things my Dr. was very vigilant about. For the first 10 days I had to give myself a shot and followed that with 325mg Aspirin once a day (and I was told to continue that until further instructed). My Dr. is also pretty good about spending time with me and answering all my questions.. In any event, I will certainly heed your advice. I have also been taking MSM (you can get an good organic supplement from Amazon for pretty cheap) and from all accounts, that seems to help the healing process. Clean diet and lots of water may help speed up your recovery. Positive thoughts your way.

Bryan and Manny - thanks for the words of encouragement - I’m just really happy about being able to shower without worrying about my cast getting wet (I have one of those shower benches so I won’t have to balance the whole time).

I bought

Kevin,

(Had surgery 30DEC15 - had blood clot a week after and now at about 7 week mark- still waiting for insurance to authorize PT [TRICARE is not fast])

Lessons learned from a hard headed guy who used to be bullet proof:
1. Research the rehab/recovery protocols. My doc spends little time with me so I am kinda on my own.
2. Invest in good equipment. VACOCast, the cryo-cooler, leg cushion, bag that hangs on crutches, etc. It’s worth every penny to recover well and not do something dumb.
3. Don’t go back to work if your body says not to. I seem to be recovering slower than many with Haglunds excision + ATR. Despite recognizing my slow progress I still tried to go back to work too soon. After all the crutch assisted hobbling and not being able to elevate my foot, I was out of commission the next day. I know now to ease back into it.

I hope your recovery goes without a hitch.

J

Good luck tomorrow at the doc appointment Kevin.
We can all relate to that first initial reaction to the length of recovery. It truly seems so daunting at the beginning. Plus, time seems to almost stand still for the first couple of weeks, but once you get through it, things start to progress quickly.
Plus, it’s interesting how something so terrible can help you appreciate the things we took for granted. I spent the first several weeks on an iWalk. I tell you, it gave me such a new appreciation for those with a prosthetic limb. The amount of effort to take off the iWalk, put it back on, the planning it took to just get around in it. It was shocking.
Hang in there and keep us updated…!!

Kevin, good luck at the Dr.’s tomorrow.

Thanks Manny!

I go for my 2-week follow up tomorrow and I am praying that I’ll get a boot.. I’m not sure if I’ll still be NWB - but at least I can clean under there

Kevin

Welcome to our group, or “tribe”, Kevin! I’m glad you had friends and family to help you out, and I certainly agree that your wife is marvellous, as mine is (ten weeks later she is still a trooper).
The baby might not remember later, but the coming weeks will certainly give you time to enjoy his world discoveries. And the boot will protect your foot from the baby’s games.
I was very glad to get the boot because I gave me some mobility back, though the two week NWB period did sap my strength remarkably.
Good luck, and Aloha! :-D………… Manny

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