YEEEEESSSSS!!!! I AM IN TWO SHOES NOW!!!!! (AND IT REALLY FEELS GOOD!!!!)
After seven endless weeks finally got the cast removed last thursday. I was very nervous to see how the tendon and leg were at this point (that’s one of the big diferences betwen boots and casts, you can’t see your tendon everyday when you wear the cast), I had not seen it in almost 2 months!
After the nurse battled for five minutes with the cast and almost amputated one of my fingers with the power saw, finally the cast came off and got to see the sight: nice looking scar (about 10 cm), not too much muscle loss, not much swelling, tendon looking strong… I rapidly felt very happy to go into the next phase.
But as the doctor told me to stand on my feet, I quickly realised this isn’t over and recovery is going to be a long, long path. I have lost a lot of ROM in dorsiflexión and I can’t even put my heel in the floor when I stand (the tendón felt as tight as ever has). I have to place the right foot slightly in front of me to be able to stand. And when I try to walk I have a superlimp (I hope it will dissapear slowly trhough the next weeks). The doctor gave me two heel insoles (2 cm each) that i will need to use for the next weeks, along with the crutches.
Did anybody experience difficulties with ROM? How much time did you need to get the tendon back to full dorsiflexion?
KEEP ON RECOVERING!
5 responses so far ↓
Craig // Jul 6th 2008 at 1:01 pm
Pipemaster, I’m at 11.5 weeks and am just barely at neutral dorsiflexion.
walshie // Jul 6th 2008 at 6:05 pm
Pipe,
I had my 1st PT appt on 6/30 and the guy said that my bad foot had better ROM than my good foot. Go figure. Hang in there.
boffo // Jul 6th 2008 at 6:47 pm
I had my cast removed at six weeks and went straight to heal lifts and shoes. I think it is normal to not be able to touch your heel to the ground for a few days. It took me about 4 to be able to do it with crutches still for support but 7 to ditch the crutches and just have a little limp. I Still dont have full ROM but everyday there is improvement. One thing somebody else had said here is really important and has helped me. Dont settle for the limp but slowly concentrate on small steps and go heal to toe. If you cant push off with the bad leg its ok but make those muscles work and get used to walking again. Let your pain and ROM tell you how aggressive to recover. Good Luck and I know you will love the freedom of no cast and soon no crutches.
ghatts // Jul 6th 2008 at 7:05 pm
had my cast off at 6 weeks. lucky enough to be just past 90 degrees then. ROM ok. ankle very sore for next few days due to previous ankle injuries i think. can almost put 1 foot infront of other and i’m at 5 days with cast off. got to tell myself to take it easy. the bad part is everybody heals differently. do a lot a little bit not a little bit a lot.
pipemaster // Jul 8th 2008 at 3:19 am
Thanks for your comments, it’s great to hear the improvement other people are doing.
Walshie, you’re my Hero! Better ROM in your bad one! How lucky you are!
I think my experience so far gets closer to boffo (thank for the good advices), Craig and ghatts’s. Been in the PT three times now, mostly she concentrates in ultrasound to the tendon, massage and stretching. As boffo said, I feel a little improvement everyday (so little I must admitt). She told me in cases like mine I should normally need between 6 to 8 weeks to get full ROM back again. So I will Hang on!
Keep on recovering!
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