It’s been a while since I’ve posted but Misty May made me think about letting everyone know that full recovery happens. My ATR was on the Ides of March while downhill skiing, surgery 9 days later. I have been back on the tennis court since August (doubles) and resumed competitive singles in mid-September. My repaired [...]
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Started jogging on treadmill this Monday in PT. Felt good to be able to propel myself at a pace faster than a brisk walk. The right (repaired) leg is still appreciably weaker than the left, especially when doing toe raises. I can only lift my heel an inch or two using just my right leg. [...]
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Sorry about the radio silence. Have been very busy. Recovery going very well. Been FWB for 3 weeks now, in 2 shoes since last Friday. PT 3X/wk since May 1. No limp early in day, more limp at end of day when fatigued. Swimming a lot, including kicking with training fins, stationary biking and [...]
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On 4/18 I went from the cast into a Velcro cam boot. I thought I would just walk out of the doctor’s office with a slight limp. I guess I must have been smoking something. Sure, I got to walk out with the crutches and instructions to not put more than 25% weight on the [...]
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I finally made it into the pool this evening, cast and all. It turned out to be remarkably easy with my wife’s help and the wonderfully stable Strutter crutches. At my Y you have to go through the shower room to enter the pool. Needless to say, the tile floor was totally wet, as was [...]
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Worked out at my YMCA today for the first time since surgery. Didn’t make it to the pool though because my wife, whose assistance I’ll need, still thinks it’s too soon and has safety concerns about moving around on the wet surfaces with the crutches. Maybe tomorrow. The workout in the fitness center was good. [...]
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Showered without assistance for the first time this morning. No problem. Still used the plastic bag (and Velcro straps to seal it) because I didn’t have time for the cast to dry before work. The doc said that the fiberglass/Goretex cast will dry in about 1/2 to 3/4 hour. He also said that I could [...]
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So far it’s been a good April Fools Day, all things considered. Things finally seem to be moving again, slowly but surely, in the bowel department. Ah, life’s often little noticed and overlooked ordinary activities.
Saw the doc. He removed the bandages and splints, looked at the incision and said of his handiwork, “It looks beautiful”. [...]
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Well, it’s a week since surgery. It mostly seems like a month. This is not easy, especially with the cracked rib from Friday and the way the Percocet has completely stopped my digestive system. No more Percocet, plenty more Colace and MiraLax. My first post-op doctor visit is tomorrow morning. I’m hoping for good [...]
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Time for John Adams after a busy day. Took an excursion to Bed Bath & Beyond to buy a shower chair. Then to the supermarket for groceries. Then to a local park for a sunny but chilly crutch walk, Then a shower (plastic bags and tape for the leg). The chair worked very well and [...]
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Excellent article, I will take note. Many thanks for the story!
Mike,
It seems like I had a similar surgery to yours since my tendon also broke off the heel bone so the surgeon had to reattach it to the bone. Did you find any info about this specific type of injury/surgery on either this or other sites? Please let me know!
Cheers,
Ben
Mike R,
Yeah, now that I’m in two shoes it seems like I’m either a) icing and elevated or b) swollen between the size of an orange and a grapefruit.
Craig
How are you doing with two shoes? I have a lot of swelling at the end of the day, where with the boot, I almost had none.
BUT it is a great trade off, in my mind!
Anyone else have trouble with swelling after going to two shoes?
Mike R
Michael - Good to hear you’re progressing well. I’ve been in a 2 month funk where I haven’t been able to build much strength in the calf. No single calf raises for me yet and I’m at 5 months. That’s awesome that you’re already able to do them. I think you’ll definitely be able to ski this winter. Tennis in August may be a bit ambitious, but only you can be the judge of that.
MIchael - sounds like you are doing awesome…I’m 15 weeks and still can’t get my heel off the ground either. I had my last ortho appt…and he recommends waiting till 6 months to start impact (which he includes running as impact)…probably a little on the safe side, but since I’m not a runner anyway, it’s OK for me to wait. I’m just sticking with low impact for the next few months including cycling and ellipitical. I think you’ll be skiing next winter for sure. Cheers!
I think tha’s great Michael. At 17 weeks I can’t get my heel off the ground. Good work. I don’ think it’s too ambitious to ski this winter if you stay with it. My friend Go 11 skied all winter after a March 2007 ATR.
John
I am about a week behind you and sounds pretty similar… PT goes well but cant get up on my bad leg without holding some bars.
I get days I feel real good and do a lot but always get the $%^& swelling. Sometimes if I overdue it… it lasts through the next day.
We had a bad storm the other day and I did some kind of gallop one legged run grabing my daughters stuff blowing away. I was surprise how fast I moved just cant remember how. Keep going!
Michael, great timing on your post. I’m about 3 weeks behind you and just got back from my most strenous PT appointment yet. Focused on balancing on my bad foot, two feet toe presses (on leg press machine) and more theraband. I’m glad to see others on the same path.
Oh, you bet. It’s great to be able to use your hands (instead of having to holding crutches). Independence again!!
I’ve heard different things, including a guy who at day 8 had his cast removed and started PT at 14 days. At 8 weeks, he was able to lift his entire weight onto the toes.
I’m also told by my Chiropractor that I should stay off of it or heavy scar tissue may form.
My surgeon has given me no information or exercises. I asked if I can do further damage and he says no, but don’t over do it. He told me not to use weights but I can use my own body weight. Very vague. The surgeon hasn’t recommended anything to me. My friend told me that I should go see my GP as the surgeon’s job is not to provide info on rehab. (maybe this is a Canadian thing) I’m seeing my GP shortly.
Thanks for your info and I’ll do some more research. Even between doctors, there seems to be a large gap in what PT and rehab we should be doing.
Lyndon,
I’m at 9 wks post-op. I get swelling after excersion, and it goes down quickly once i elevate and ice it. I get the same loss of flexibility as you do.
You should be doing all the exercises your doc has for you. I think just about everyone at 8 wks can do the ROM excercises and writing the alphabet with your big toe stuff for your ankle. Protocol for doing any kind of strength building seems to vary. My doc gave me rubber tubing to do some very light stregth exercises like the ones on the Eric Berkson MD pdf that you can find on the main site’s PT information.
Best advice—sift through this site. Use the new google key-word search that Dennis (our hero!) put in and see what has been said about this. Lots of folks wondering what they can be doing at your (and my) stage.
Chin up! Isn’t it wonderful just to be at the point where you can even DO some exercises! Good luck!
I’m 8 wks PO. Can you tell me what exercises I should be doing? I only wear my air cast at night and limping around during the day. The longer i have my foot below my heart, the more it swells. I can go the whole day without elevation but at the end of the day, it’s swollen enough that there’s very limited flexibility and requires icing. Is this normal?
Michael,
Would you humor us with a pic of your normal sized foot with a swollen big toe? All I can picture is a cartoon thumb after someone smacks it with a hammer!
Seriously, I’ve got the same swelling issues. I blow up pretty good through the course of the day, then shrink back a little with some ice at night. I’m almost back to normal by morning. I’ll have a chance to ask the doc about it in a week or so, but other than being a little unnerving to look at, it doesn’t bother me.
-J
Tom: Thanks for the info. It’s always good to get feedback from those going through the same ordeal. This whole process, that puts a premium on patience, has been difficult for someone who is genetically impatient.
Michael - Glad to hear you were able to enjoy your vacation, despite the Achilles! Sounds like everything is going well and that you’re ready for FWB. Don’t been overly concerned about the swelling. This is normal. I still experience swelling while I’m working out or if I’m on my feet for a long period of time. The swelling subsides once I rest for a bit or kick my leg up for awhile. I’ve read that some amount of swelling can last for up to a year.
Fantastic! Glad to hear the swimming went well.
Glad to hear that it worked out well…Now you have no excuses for being a couch potato. Go slow and enjoy your new found freedom.
Doc Ross
michael - good to hear that you were able to swim with no problems. I tried looking for strutter crutches online, but I don’t know if they sell those any more. Let me know if you know of an online shop that sells them. I’ll put it on the main site.
Michael - I went from 50% PWB with Aircast and crutches to 100% WB no crutches. Adjustment has been okay but decided to bring the crutches on a trip this week to get through airport concourses more quickly. I’m not quick for sure in the Aircast.
Jim - Go 11 (March 07 ATR) swears by the eliptical for ATR recovery but I have not tried it. He also walked a lot initially then was running. Outside…biking I think after I’m out of the boot and cleared by the doc. My sense would be swimming too.
Thanks Ross, I looked there but missed it. Found it now. There is a lot of great stuff on that site. I want the 84lb weight vest.
Another question for all. I have been wondering what outdoor exercises may be good to start with. I know running is a long way off. I have been wondering about biking and rollerblading. Biking would not be any impact, and with rollerblades your foot is encased in a boot. I know you skiers cringe (I snowboard so I always bust up my upper body) at the thought, but without the ski attached, there will be far less leverage on the ankle/tendon. So what exercises do you plan on getting started with?
Jim…check my earlier comment today…fitter1.com has it….
Doc Ross
Tom, Thank you, that’s it. It looks good, both for rehab and general warming up.
Jim - I think this is the device you speak of. I’ve been intrigued with it, but haven’t purchased one yet. I might have to look into it again now that I’m further along with rehab.
https://plus37.safe-order.net/cgi-heelspurs/a/b.cgi?p=pro
You can also search for “ProStretch” on Amazon and find it.
Somewhere on this site I saw a stretching device and now I can’t find it anywhere. It was a blue plastic thing with a rounded bottom that when you put your foot on you can roll it to stretch. It also had the toes pointed a bit up. Thanks. It was probably buried in one of the other blogs. It looked good for rehab and getting a really good stretch after rehab. Has anyone else seen it?
Brendan, That had me rolling. It’s exactly the image I had in mind! And Dennis, yes I agree, other than the fire department.
Michael - I didn’t find the cast to boot transition difficult at all. But, I started PWB while still in the cast and was able to walk with one crutch right before getting the boot. I was PWB for 2 weeks and then when I got the okay for FWB, I was walking in the boot within a day or two. The boot is extremely steady as it has a much larger base than a shoe. It’s a bit awkward as you start to walk, but you adjust pretty quickly.
jim - you gotta have an exit strategy! 
Jim - hopefully there is not another male there with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOATFGBS7G0 
I plan to be in the pool also as soon as I can. My plan is to ditch the crutches away from the pool, butt crab walk to the edge, and (after checking depth) do a sort of scuba roll into the water. I imagine myself somewhat like an elephant seal bounding into the water on my belly. As for getting out, I’m not sure about that one yet.
michael - btw, if there is a wheel chair or a knee walker available, that’s probably a little safer than crutches on wet surfaces..
michael - please be very, very careful with crutches. They are notorious for slipping on wet surfaces. I’ve browsed around a lot, and I’ve read countless stories of people hurting themselves from slipping on wet surfaces.
I slipped once on an icy sidewalk, and ended up stomping the ground with my cast leg to keep from falling. I don’t think I did any major damage to my tendon, but it really hurt.
Brendan -
I left a comment for Ross about swimming this coming weekend on Dennis’ blog. I’ll keep everyone posted.
Michael - I would be interested to hear how you manage the pool with the crutches..I think Ross is wondering the same thing. I would like to go and get in, but I’ve already had my crutch slip out in the bathroom, and I feel like the tile around the pool/lockerroom is going to be kind of treacherous.
I am in a boot, but can’t give you any advice on walking, because I’m NWB for another week or so.
Michael - Glad to hear you were able to negotiate into the Goretex cast. I’m sure your legal background helped with the negotiations!!
I’d wish the Yankee’s good luck, but they probably don’t need it. My day was made yesterday when my Brewers knocked off the Cubs. Not impressed with blowing a 3 run lead, but a win is a win!
I find a prune or too with a meal worked for me. Nothing explosive mind you, not to mention more potassium than a banana, so it helped (in my mind) with twitchings. I’m feeling much better today. Just got back from the gym and starting tomorrow I will be one week from cast off (I really, really hope that is the case). Brendan, you busted the same day and had surgery the same day and you are in the boot. It makes me incredibly jealous. Good for you. I’ll lift a cold frosty one to the idea of a normal steady gait too. I have been looking for a new pair of shoes online. Probably a new set of trail runners, with a nick thick heel (and a new set of Superfeet insoles, I love those things). I’m going to set the shiny new set by my front door and not wear them until I can wear BOTH at the same time.
Michael - sorry about the bowel back up…lots of raw leafy greens and plenty of water works for me.
Michael - I did it skiing too. Feb 14 while cat skiing on Vail Pass. I went around a tree (quite wide actually) but the tree well extended pretty far below the tree. The light was pretty flat. So I hit this depression and my weight came forward, and I believe that all my weight transferred to my left foot. Then there was another drop off and I tumbled forward. My left boot didn’t release either…my theory is that since I was in a depressed area that my tips and tails were above my foot and perhaps that lodged my boot in the binding. Don’t know. I do know that it hurt like a &%$#. I don’t think that my top buckle was too loose but that’s certanly a plausible explanation. Anyway…you’re not the only one. I promise it gets better…
I forgot earlier to mention my showering strategy. I used garbage bags and elastic straps w/velcro. The straps were ones I normally use to hold my ipod or radio on my arm while running. But, seeing as how there was no running in my immediate future, the straps served a new purpose sinching the top of the garbage bag around my leg. I actually double bagged the plastic garbage bags, just to be on the safe side. Here is the process I used…
1. Wrapped a small hand towel at the top of my cast (just in case anything leaked in the top).
2. Pulled plastic bag #1 over the cast and towel and placed a strap around the outside of the bag just below my knee, holding the bag and towel in place.
3. Pulled plastic bag #2 over bag #1 and sinched this bag with another strap just above my knee.
I never had any problems with leaks. I used the straps instead of tape because I kept on ripping the bags trying to remove the tape. I hate being wasteful, so I gave the straps a try. Worked perfect!
Michael - Sorry to hear about the fall, although it’s good to hear that the pain meds are helping. 40 pushups with a crack rib is still pretty impressive. Hopefully you were able to enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Other than a rough first day, my bracket turned out rather nice. 3 of 4 final four teams (damn you Texas!) with UCLA beating UNC. I don’t normally pick 3 #1 seeds, but I just wasn’t impressed with many of the 2-4 seeds this year. Should make for a fun final 4!
Mike -
The crutch walking doesn’t seem to be problem. I basically keep the leg bent behind me. I figure it’s good hamstring exercise. I haven’t had much, if any swelling at all. I’m very good about elevating whenever I’m laying down or even sitting. The walking is not causing any problems and is just great exercise - upper body obviously, the good leg and the upper part of the bad leg.
I see my doc on Tuesday. Since I just have a splint and Ace bandage, I guess he’ll be able to look at the incision easily.
I have UNC beating UCLA in the final. So far, so good.
Have fun at the beach. It’s only 28 degrees here this morning so I think I’ll pass on the beach today.
HAve a good day.
Michael
Mike R,
You should shower while sitting down either on the shower chair or the bath tub floor. http://achillesblog.com/things-you-might-need/
You can get a shower chair (or a lawn chair if it fits in your bath tub).
Read Jim’s recent comment regarding showering.. he has some good tips (and warnings).
I think others mentioned what they do about showering as well, so search for their posts/comments also.
Day 3 post op
The only time I have any pain is when I get up to go to the bathroom or see my little one. Speaking of the BR, I have been constipated for three days, and that NEVER happens to me. I am sure it is the Norco.
I live in San Diego, and had USD beating UCONN. I have all four # 1’s going to the FF, the first time in years I have picked that.
Louisville looks to be making a run, though. 54 - 52, wow!
I am going home tomorrow from the ex’s. No more being waited on. The ex has been incredible for this.
I am feeling quite swelled today, and I guess I am just going to have to keep it raised for a while longer.
My Dr. visit is Thursday, although I don’t know what he can see with the cast on.
Michael, how does it feel after a half an hour walk? Do you keep it somewhat elevated on your walk? I found if I keep it curled up while on crutches the swelling is not that bad.
Girlfriend wants to take me to the beach tomorrow, but I don’t know about that.
I bought a cast cover, and will attempt a shower tomorrow. Anyone else have any luck showering? Any tricks?
Mike
