Week 3 Anchor Pain? Incision pain? Pushing that NWB
Well the end of Week 3 has been interesting. I’ve only worn the splint once and that was for a trip to one of my many doctors (unrelated to this blog issue) Since I’m either in the wheel chair or bed at home, getting out the door has become the hardest part to accomplish. Those 2 steps and twenty some feet of walkway have become the most dangerous part of each journey out. The uneven ice and too narrow for the wheel chair AND walker walkway has caused numerous near falls. Raised flower beds on one side and a narrow, slippery ramp on the other. The ramp was mainly intended as an assisted walkway for my mother on the rare occasions she visited in the summer. Never thought it would cause a winter hazard.
I tried crutches but have absolutely no upper body strength nor enough strength in my good leg to handle my excessive weight. Even with the walker, it’s only very short one footed shuffles which is more of a slide or ankle walk aka toes down, twist ankle, heel down toes up, twist ankle toes down etc etc… Once in the vehicle it’s easy, hubs gets the wheelchair out and I just hop into it, go where we need and back home. Then the perilous trip all over again.
I’ve been doing ankle ROM and stretching on my own per doctor. All she said was raise my foot until it hurt then hold it there a few seconds and keep repeating it to stretch the tendon. I’ve been doing the exercises PT had me doing before my surgery minus any weight bearing ones. But I’m not sure how to describe my pain.
Some times it feels like a sharp needle pain right in the middle of the heel section of the bottom of my foot. Since it’s not there all the time I’m beginning to think it’s from an anchor. I’ve 3. I am also getting incision pain. Sometimes it’s a burning, other times it a sharp pain to light touch. Since the sutures were removed last week, the top layer of skin has died and peeling. like a sunburn peels only much thicker skin. I know I shouldn’t but I’ve been peeling some of the dead stuff off and the scar underneath is actually quite wide, over 1/4 inch but not quite 1/2 inch wide red shiny skin. I do get keloid scarring and I’m wondering if that’s whats happening here.
As for the rest of my recovery I’m wondering if I’m pushing the NWB. I’ve been resting my foot on the floor if I’m sitting on the edge of the bed. It’s extended out slightly and just resting, it’s not bent with the weight of the leg pushing against the floor. Does this still count as NWB?
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I also still have swelling but it actually seems to be on the bottom of my foot and toes.
Dear Metanoia, Sorry to hear about your struggles. I just posted about my two-week follow up appointment. Note what I said about proper elevation. I think you’ll find things feeling better if you elevate more than you are doing now. I also feel the needle pain and burning. I think it’s probably normal, as I’ve seen others saying similar things. As for crutches, I can’t stand them either. I think you need to do what’s comfortable, but, if you work on the crutches a little bit at a time, you will develop strength. At this point, you may be far enough along that you won’t need that type of assistance much longer. Last year, I had an unsuccessful surgery on my Haglund’s, and I fell while on my crutches. The boot came down on my right foot and caused nerved damage. So, I appreciate and understand where you’re coming from. Good luck and take it easy!