Driving w/ right ATR w/o boot 4 weeks post-op

Posted on July 23rd, 2008 by offthebone

4 weeks after my operation and after the first 3 PT sessions I felt good enough to try to drive with my injured leg. It is totally against the doctor and the therapist but I do not feel the physiological danger of it (let’s not talk about the legal side for now).

I tried driving with my left foot 2 weeks post op but did not find it safe so I skipped it. So now that the cast is off and I am getting somewhat comfortable with the boot, I decided to try driving once again. My doc said that (after ~2 weeks in the boot) most people drive with the boots but I did not find it comfortable or safe enough so I decided to give it a shot without it. First, I tried barefoot but then I could not rest my right heel on the floor so I put on a shoe (I was in two shoe at 4 weeks…:))

To be honest it felt totally safe. It is easier than PT… I had no problem with the gas pedal and I could easily apply enough force to the break. Modern cars have such sensitive breaks (that is why I could not drive with my left foot…). In any case, I did not see any danger of rerupturing my tendon or feel that I could not apply enough force to the break. It was only a little difficult to flex my ankle enough but I moved the seat back and then it felt like a nice PT. Obviously, I will not drive long distances but at least now I don’t need a ‘babysitter’ every time I need to get something done.

Have anyone else tried driving w/o a boot so early?  Could anyone make the case for driving in the boot instead? Anyone heard any stories?

Let me know! First and formost I want to stay safe but I did not feel any significant danger of driving w/o the boot as long as I step right back into it as soon as I park the car…

7 Comments »

Achilles tendon off the heel bone

Posted on July 17th, 2008 by offthebone

I will keep the long story short but I got injured in LA and decided to take a 20-hour flight home to Hungary where my doctor friend hooked me up with an excellent surgeon.  I will try to blog some of the more ‘fun’ details of my pre-op but right now I have a question.

I was to have a percutanous surgery but when my doctory examined my heel, he said that he had to do open surgery and drill holes in my heel bone b/c the tendon broke off the bone. I spent a few hours looking around on this site but I could not find any specific info on this type of (more serious?) injury and the differences in the path to recovery.

Did anyone have the same type of injury/surgery and/or could give me some advice or explain me the differences in the healing process comapred to the ‘typical’ ATRs?

Thanks in advance,

Ben

7 Comments »

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  • Recent Comments

  • Mauricio Alhadeff | July 13th, 2017 | 8:33 pm

    Hi Guys

    I had the same injury and had open surgery where an anchor (non metal screw) placed in heel and spent 6 weeks in a cast and after that started phisioterapy by while seating down placing the foot on a skate and pushing back and forth, and then I noticed an indentation in the same place I had ruptured and discovered it was a rerupture.
    I guess I started phisioteraphy too early.
    I am now in a cast again with the hope of avoiding an operation.

    attt

  • Stuart | November 10th, 2013 | 9:45 pm

    Julia - the reality is that you will not be able to use your right foot for driving regarless of how narrow the boot is. There are devices you can hire and fit to the car to allow your left foot to do the same job (google left foot accellerator). Some have used their left foot crossed over but either way will take some practise and only good if you have an auto. If you drive your car while not able to control it properly then you risk voiding your insurance and other penalties from law enforcement should something go wrong. I was cleared by the Doc to driver around week 7 but that can vary (usually upward) depending on your treatment protocol.

  • Julia Miller | November 10th, 2013 | 8:00 pm

    I am having right AT repair on 12/10/13, and it appears to me that some have room for the boot in order to drive and some do not. Can anyone give me the width of the boot so that I can measure it out in my car prior to my surgery? I don’t have to go back to work until 5 weeks after the surgery, but I will need to drive after that time. Thanks so much!!

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  • channcon | May 9th, 2012 | 9:04 pm

    I was 4 weeks post op yesterday, I had been driving for 3 weeks in my cast (complete rupture right AT). Felt ok using my toes, however I drove to hospital yesterday and had my cast removed and replaced with air cast boot. How big is that boot!!! I couldn’t physically drive as the boot was pressing accelerator and brake at same time, had to get someone come get me and my car!!! I don’t feel confident enough to try drive without the boot just yet but good to know that it’s possible hopefully quite soon. Thanks.

  • ugg boots | August 23rd, 2010 | 8:16 am

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  • Chanel Shoes | August 18th, 2010 | 5:57 am

    This is a good,common sense article.Very helpful to one who is just finding the resouces about this part.It will certainly help educate me.

  • Driving Shoes For Drivers | June 12th, 2009 | 12:33 am

    I have tried both (bare and with shoes). I think barefoot is convenient, but for complete control (as with a clutch) I have to opt for the shoes !

  • gottheboot | August 6th, 2008 | 10:47 pm

    Hi Ben
    I also tore my achilles from the heel bone. At first it was thought to be a small tear so the conservative approach was taken and I was put in a cast for 4 weeks in hopes it would start to heal. When that didn’t happen surgery was scheduled for June 3 and at that time they found that it had pulled from the heel bone . I am now 9 weeks post surgery(5 weeks in a cast & 4 weeks and counting in a boot) Started therapy today and it went well. I have been allowed to drive for the past 3 weeks. Because its my right achilles, I take the boot off, slip on a shoe while driving and them put the boot back on when I get out of the vehicle. I’ve also been allowed walking in the house only without the boot. Ahhhh bare feet on bare floors. I’ll be trying to go back to work on the 18th with the boot at first. For me the pain & swelling has been minimal. At 58 yrs old I thought this was going to be one of those forever healing processes and although it’s been a long haul, it appears from what I read I’m no slower or speedier to heal than anyone else. I think the healing process is a little different for each one of us. Goo

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  • withnail | July 24th, 2008 | 2:04 pm

    I drove after 7 weeks with my boot. After a few days I was in complete control and could drive fine. Made all the difference to my life. I must say though that insurance is null and void unless you get permission from your company.

  • antman | July 23rd, 2008 | 6:01 am

    Hi Ben,

    my achilles came off the bone and the calf muscle and i also had to have a metal anchor screwed into my foot bone. the main difference is that you are generally about 1-2 months behind in the recovery of a standard rupture ie it just takes longer to recover. What happens is that they screw the metal into your bone and then attach the achilles and one of your calf muscles to the metal (at least thats what happened to me). it then takes about 9 weeks to grow and attach. I then spent 6 weeks in a cast and now i am in a walking boot to support my walking for 6 weeks ( i have one week to go)l. This means no physio for 3 months in total and lots of patience. once the 3 months is up you can start physio like everyone else, my surgeon told me that it should repair and heal just as well as everyone else it just takes longer. Hope this help mate.

  • jennstoc0613 | July 20th, 2008 | 11:44 pm

    Hello there!
    I had a heel spur to complicate my surgery. My doctor had to cut out part of the heel and use two screws to reattach the achilles. I’ll be happy to tell you more about it, if you want to contact me!
    Take care!

  • screwdriver | July 19th, 2008 | 12:33 am

    this might fall more into healing bones rather than healing muscles/tendons.

  • sanfrantourguide | July 18th, 2008 | 6:42 am

    I just read today the blog of another who had the rupture right off the heel, so, as I recall, they did not operate but put him/her in a cast, saying that an operation was not possible.