mi5htymike’s AchillesBlog

Hmmmm … I am 6 weeks post op. I have never been casted but have been in boots the whole time. I was scared about doing any ROM and can barely get to plantigrade. At 6 weeks how comfy should I be about doing dorsiflex stretches?

mi5htymike … how is it going ?

Mike, I’m going to concentrate on using my leg, rather than treating it. I’d already finished with normal PT and given up on gym work, nothing to do with the heart. For the summer, I think cardio rehab (probably mostly bicycling, then maybe some running) will take precedence, along with sailing and sailboat racing (and bicycling to and from the lakeshore).

If I get time, I may go for repeat biokinetic ankle/AT/calf tests, both legs, both bent-kneed (which I did before) and straight-kneed (which I didn’t). Just to get a quantitative handle on the strength deficit, both ways. Probably more from idle curiosity than diagnosis or treatment. But if I can scratch that itch for $65. . .

Thanks for the replies everyone, and I agree that I probably need a little more patience. Like you said Norm, the fact that I was in 2 shoes at 4 weeks I think is what gave me such high hopes, and is making the road to the next landmark seem like it’s taking forever.

Norm, are you able to get back to pt for your AT yet? You sure have a lot on your plate with dealing with an ATR and a heart surgery. Hopefully that’s behind you and everything heart related is going well!

Just be patient mate - it will come!!

Mike, I think the only unusual or especially worrisome part of your story is the fact that your healing ankle has more DF ROM than your uninjured one. That does raise the possibility that your mostly-healed AT-and-calf-muscle “system” is longer than the other, and longer than it used to be.

The rest of the “plateau”, and the feeling that you’ll never be able to do a normal 1-leg heel raise, is unfortunately all too often among us ATR folks, with and without surgery. AFAIK, the use of the phrase “frustrating plateau” to describe this phase of recovery was coined (or introduced here) by doug53, who recovered and rehabbed maybe faster than anybody else in the history of AB.com, and has also regained full function and returned (though belatedly) to the “high-risk” sport that tore his AT. But he felt the frustration, and he certainly recognized in his fellow AT bloggers.

There’s at least one whole blog page/thread devoted to “That @#$%& 1-leg heel raise!” with lots of comments. Several post-ers were still waiting for it at 4 months and more, sometimes much more.

Ironically, your transition to 2 shoes at 4 weeks may have made

Mi5htymike,
I went the surgery route so I have no idea what your timeline looks like. However, I will tell you that it took me a LONG time to get to calf raises. Since I was immobile for 6 weeks, it took a while for my brain to literally remember how to activate the muscles in my lower leg. I worked very gradually from partial 2 footed calf raises until I was able to easily do 2 footed calf raises, then partial one legged calf raises, then full one legged calf raises. It took a long time to get there with a lot of slow and gradual work. Don’t get too frustrated, this is a slow process (I know that’s not what you like to hear). Take it easy on yourself. You’ll get there when you get there.

A little background information…

1. ATR on March 28 playing basketball.
2. Spent 2 weeks in a plaster cast.
3. Next 2-3 weeks in a boot with heel lifts.

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