First full time week
Have completed my first full time week at work and been for my first very short jog. Two major mile stones. The AT is making slow but steady prgress, working on the illusive heal raises. Can manage about 4cm but no real strngth of hold, but I know they will come. My calf strength is better but again still a long road ahead. I’m about 1.5 cm smaller on my AT calf. My AT is still stiff in a morning but loosens after a round of stretches. Generally it’s fine during the day and my limp has almost totally gone. Towards the end of a day on my feet it becomes a little tight again but I barely get any swelling these days. So all good news, and as long as you mark even the small milestones, even the weeks of slow progress, can be good weeks. Happy healing to you all.
February 5th, 2011 at 2:35 pm
Sounds pretty good, LL. Try to stamp out the last vestiges of that limp!
I wish I could tell you from my experience that you’re about to experience a sudden breakthrough on the elusive heel raise — but unfortunately I’m still waiting for my own sudden breakthrough at around 14 months(!). It’s sort of there, but it’s still way wimpy.
I’ve started doing variations on heel raises while brushing my teeth! Guys could also do it while shaving, too, as long as they don’t shave with a blade!
February 7th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Hi, When you say a 4cm Heel raise; is this a single raise on the ruptured AT? As you know im a few weeks behind you but seem to be following a similar recovery path, Im 13 weeks post op tomorrow but am no where near a single heel raise yet. Truth is i’m a bit scared to try and risk re-rupture, I know Norm mentioned in a recent response caution in the early stages when we bocome FWB/two shoes but im not sure if i am past that rerupture period yet, any ideas?
Mark.
February 7th, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Moostax, the vast majority of ATR patients who re-rupture, do it in the first 12 weeks, according to many reports and studies. But not all, and we’ve got a few bloggers here who’ve re-ruptured at 13 weeks or later. I forget what kind of path you followed, but people who follow an old-fashioned slow “conservative” treatment (op or non-op, probably especially non-op) with long immobilization in casts then straight to shoes, seem to be at higher risk later. That’s mostly based on observation of anecdotal evidence, no “p-values” or other statistical confidence levels. . .
February 8th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Moostax at 13 weeks I wouldn’t have even considered a single leg heal raise. Yes I do mean on my AT leg, its very quick and untidy but there. I’m currently trying to develop contro and hold of the elusive heal raise but they’re are coming along slowly. Sadly work keeps interrupting my physio. I started doing heal raises on two feet and taking weight on the work surface in the kitchen, have done the same with one leg slowly allowing more weight to go through my AT as my calf strengthens. Also doing some running on a trampet and some two footed hops. It’s still a scary thing but great when you schieve it. Carry on healing it does get better!!!
February 16th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Hi, I’m back on for the first time in 4 weeks (been back at work that long) and it was great to catch up with your progress. Good to hear that you’re doing so well. I was told that the swelling can last for months but hopefully it’ll be better in 4 weeks???
Hope you’re enjoying being back with your class.
You, Theresa, Norm and Bronny kept me going through the “Dark days” so my heartfelt thanks to you x
February 16th, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Hi Aileen,
So good to hear from you. Over the down period of this site I felt quite bereft without the support of my AT buddies. I think the thanks cuts both ways, but to say the least, you are welcome. The wonder of this site is that we all understand what each other is going through, possibly at a time when our families, however supportive, can’t. Hope your return to work has been pain free. I thought my swelling would be much worse but after the first week I found I no longer needed to ice or elevate. Now the swelling is gone, but on very long days (parents evening meant I had 2 ten hour days) it does get sore and I develop a slight limp again but it gets less and less.
The kids and parents in school have been so supportive, and genually pleased to see me back which was a lovely surprise. All back to normal now, only things I still don’t do yet are PE and play time duty - at the suggestion of the ocuupational health man, and as the weathers be awful I wasn’t going to argue. After Easter I’ll be doing them again!
Keep me up to date on how you’re getting along. I don’t come on here as often but I do check in when I can so it’ll be great to hear from you. Carry on healing x
February 25th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
So glad to hear about being back to work and the jog…I am fortunate that I didn’t miss any work at all…..2 days….but I have a job where I mostly sit and a boss who lets me do whatever I need to do to be comfortable….have to say I’m nervous about the physio thing….don’t want to do anything stupid but reading about other people’s progress really really helps
Happy healing