niccig13’s AchillesBlog

Comment by Bebe Katz

September 8, 2011 @ 2:25 pm

I also teach dance at a University but luckily it is pedagogy so I can get away with not moving. I am 3 weeks surgery and just got into FWB. How long did it take you to start moving and even try to dance? I am also a choreographer and have to start rehearsing a show in about 5 weeks… just a few days after I get out of this cast. I didn’t rupture my Achilles, I had a large bone spur removed and a graft to replace a very diseased Achilles.

I would love to hear about your PT process and how you got back to being able to teach dance.

Comment by niccig13

September 8, 2011 @ 6:51 pm

Hey Bebe! Good luck to you. I started moving last week and it’s ok. I am reminded of what I can’t do. I can only releve on 2 feet. I told all my classes I was recovering so they are good with it. The main thing I really can’t do is jump. In tap flapping from one foot to the other is still no good. My PT was cut short b/c I had to go therapy for another issue this year so I only had like 7 visits left. They spaced them out good and gave me stuff to do at home. I teach Pilates and have a reformer at home so I do that and we also have a therapy room at school with pilates equipment so I have been working with the trainers there. How much dancing do you have to do in 5 wks? Maybe your healing time will be faster. Don’t jump back in too fast. I think I wrote on here when I tore my other foot I re-reputured it and had to start all over. However I don’t think I did anything. There was major scar tissue and I kept telling the Therapist it felt like it was pulling and it was! This recovery totally different b/c I wasn’t cast. I went straight into the boot. Everything much quicker. I’m still scared. Hope this helps a little. Keep me posted would love to know how it goes.

Nicole

Comment by Bebe Katz

September 9, 2011 @ 9:32 am

Hi Nicole,
I am still spending more time on the sofa with my laptop than on my feet and so getting a comment back from you so quickly made my morning. Yesterday was the first full day of FWB and it was wonderful. I can’t believe how it has made life feel so much closer to normal. I am doing the choreography for “Little Night Music” and those rehearsals are the ones that start in 5 weeks, but it is a very limited amount of dance in that show and all of it is waltzing or other very upright moving. I have been doing this kind of work for 40 years (I am 60) so a lot can be figured out in my head. I also have two advanced students who are excited to be my rehearsal assistants for this show. That should make it doable I think.

I adore my surgeon and am trying to listen to his instructions which are ” take it slow and get plenty of rest” I want to do everything but I don’t have the energy yet, My Achilles and heel problem had been growing worse for the past 3 years and so instead of being strong and getting hurt suddenly, I have been on a downward spiral of pain and increasing loss of function. It took 3 years with different doctors, lots of PT and pain medicine until all the non surgical treatments were tried and I was left with 2 choices: retire, accept the loss of function and use a cane or have surgery.

Well you know what I picked and so here I am and very happy. Please keep me posted on how your recovery goes. I think it helps me a lot to hear other dance people are back to dancing. I long to releve:)
Bebe