Booooooooo!! 6 week check-up
ok so it isn’t all bad … I had my 6 week post-op checkup with my surgeon. I was really hoping to get out of the boots a bit and start learning to walk again ( fyi, i’m in 2 boots as I tore both achilles 10 minutes apart ).
Bad news is he wants me in the boots for another 2 weeks when I walk. I guess I should have known as according to him it takes 8 weeks for tendon to heal at the break …. not worth rushing for 2 weeks i guess
good news is I am cleared for physio and ( this is the best part ) I can sleep bootless !
The public physio I was referred to ( i am self employed ) will probably take 2 weeks to fit me in … so I think I will pay and find a local physio to start ASAP …. Can anyone point me to some of the initial exercises that are normally done in the first few PT sessions? The doc wrote a bunch of stuff of the PT referal … but I have no clue what they are ( i can barely read em …. ) can anyone ?
My first physio referal exercises ????
hardest thing to do with this injury is slowing yourself down … :o)
July 26th, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Wow! How did you tear both in a manner of 10 minutes apart.. I just tore my right achilles Last Wed. I have a few questions for you, any way you can shoot me an email? ab_inda_mia@hotmail.com
Thanks!
July 27th, 2011 at 1:35 am
Whew … that writing is tough to read. I can only make out “ROM (range of motion) … something.” Yes, if I was you, I would make the appt. for the public PT and then do one session at a private clinic to get your exercises sorted out, so you have something to work on in the meantime. I have also used two PTs so far. My early exercises included “active dorsiflexion exercises” (flexing my foot), including with a theraband, and “passive plantarflexion” - the therapist was allowed to move my foot into a pointed position, but I wasn’t supposed to do it myself. I was also not allowed to bear weight without my air cast on. I have at last moved past the early PT (this week I have the all clear to move to shoes), but you’re right, patience is the hardest part!
July 27th, 2011 at 3:42 am
on the frst line it starts with Rx (I think?) this means treatment, unless it says ax which means assessment, it could also say LL which is lower limbs. In a way that doesn’t matter too much as it is the plan which is the important thing.
then it says ROM (range of movement )
Anything over 52 means weeks, for example, 2/52 would mean 2 weeks.
If you can blow it up any I can give it another go, or print out some of the words on here? It sounds like a general plan for your recovery. Hope this helps.
July 27th, 2011 at 4:41 am
Hi, i tried blowing it up but its still not that clear as it goes a bit fuzzy, sorry.
July 27th, 2011 at 8:07 am
hello,
for the sake of two weeks just don’t rush, I’ve just had a re-rupture scare and it isin’t worth rushing, I’m not out of the woods yet, but early news is pretty good. I didn’t rush and I still had a set back, as my physio said for the sake of two weeks vs. going back a to the start.
Your doing great by the sounds of it, good luck with the healing and look after yourself, doing a double ATR… even Chuck Noris would wince at that
Take care
M
http://meandmyachilles.wordpress.com/
July 27th, 2011 at 9:34 am
i hear you Mark,
what did you do to get the re-rupture scare?
July 27th, 2011 at 10:08 am
Ok, the first line Dx means diagnosis
Second line Tx treatment then its says ROM range of movement active/passive. Active is movements you do yourself, passive is what somebody else does to you (such as a physio) I guess the physio will give you specific active stuff to do.
then it says (which you knew anyway) wean from boots in 2 weeks
Then in 2 weeks start of (?not sure of this word I think it says gradual) strengthening.
Then the last line I can’t make out at all. Somebody else might, it kind of looks like no single leg ?something until 10 weeks from the repair. I am sure the physio will be able to explain this one to you, its not clear.
It all sounds pretty good to me but the message is the same, take it easy. fantastic to hear such progress!!!!
July 27th, 2011 at 10:16 am
great!! thanks for deciphering and your encouragement!! I think that says 10 weeks before “single heel rises” … hell I’m fine waiting for those!
July 27th, 2011 at 10:29 am
lol yes I think you are right!
July 27th, 2011 at 1:02 pm
Hello,
Just walking with out crutches in my Aircast boot on the last heel raise, not walking far, something went POP, but caught up with my Doc today and he just wants me to slow it down a bit. I’m upbeat again.
Look after yourself.
M
July 27th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Sounds like you are coming along Mark! Awesome! Tomorrow will be the 4 week mark for me. I go to see the surgeon next week Friday and also PT (first session) right after. Where were u at during the 4 week time frame? Seems like I should be starting some light ROM, but not sure. Any advice from anyone? AT feels good, but tight of course. Keep recovering!
July 28th, 2011 at 1:33 am
The schedule my OS got from the authors of the very successful “UWO Study” is posted at bit.ly/UWOProtocol . Paste that into your browser and there it’ll be. It’s ~= to the one that’s attached to the actual UWO study (which hadn’t been formally published when I tore my second AT) — check the “ATR Rehab Protocols, Publications, Studies. . .” page, from near the top of the Main Page here, and the whole 2010 study is there, with a link to the protocol they published in 2010.
They got excellent results using that protocol, both WITH surgery and WITHOUT, so I think it’s a protocol worthy of serious consideration — at least to compare to what your OS or PT recommends, or to challenge them with. (There aren’t many OSs or PTs who can show results that good, or half that well proven.)