10 Comments so far

1. CliveC on October 9, 2013 7:16 am

   A little new to this so where is best place to seek advice? Your blog here or the achillesblog home page?

2. Ron on October 11, 2013 6:42 pm

   Hi Clive,

   The achilles home page. That way it goes out to everyone, and people with way more experience than I do. I just put this together to kind of bring things together for newbees.

   I had too much time on my hands. LOL.

   Good luck,
   Ron

3. Ron on October 11, 2013 9:19 pm

   Hi Clive, if you want to ask an individual, Norm has suffered ruptures twice, and has rehabbed both ways - Op and Non Op. Kellygirl and others are also very knowledgeable. Asking the community is a great way to approach it because everyone will see it.
   Ron

4. hopalong on October 16, 2013 4:00 am

   Hi Ron
   Just saw from your reply to Steveos blog that you have moved from PWB to FWB. I have just moved from cast to boot and got exceptionally little from the doc, other than a nice bedside manner and nicer bill! (He is ultra old school, so I am at 9 weeks and he wants to wiait another month before physio. - however conscious that I can be getting ahead of the game
   Any advice on exercises to be doing at PWB would be gratefully received.

   Cheers Hopalong

5. normofthenorth on October 16, 2013 4:05 am

   Clive, if you just want to read a lot, you could start on the Main Page and follow links from there that seem interesting or relevant. If you’ve got specific questions to ask, you could ask them here or as a comment to almost any blog/page/thread. Regulars will probably see your question listed among the new comments (like on the right-hand side of the Main page).
   In the longer run, you should probably follow the steps to start a blog of your own, so everybody can learn your story and follow your progress, and you can ask and answer questions about it.
   For questions about the first step/decision (op or non-op), a lot of the info is either on one of my pages or linked from it. A lot of the links and data and discussions about various rehab protocols and studies are there, too. Most other subjects are visible somewhere on the Main Page. And Ron is assembling a bunch of handy links here, too.

6. Ron on October 17, 2013 12:27 am

   Thanks for chimming in Norm.
   Ron

7. Ron on October 17, 2013 12:50 am

   Hi Hopalong,

   I hope things are going well.

   I strongly suggest putting that question out to the community, because Norm, Kellygirl, Dennis - and many others will give you some great tips. I learned A LOT from them and did a lot of research on my own as well.

   I think I have just the thing for you to get started, but still ask the community – they know way more than I do.

   There will be soreness and maybe some swelling. For some aids in the process of recovery, what to expect at weeks 4 and 5 (It gets SO Much better), check out my last 4.5 week Capsule post, below: Check out the pdf.

   http://achillesblog.com/pgat2013/2013/10/06/a-capsule-of-my-first-4-5-weeks-with-tips-and-linksneeds-tips-and-input-from-the-atr-vets/

   For exercises, viewing different protocols, tips, links and much more, look below or, it is also the SECOND link from the LINK ABOVE.

   Start with moving you toes, spelling out the alphabet, then hinge the ankle up and down and round-n-round, etc. PLEASE go slow, easy and be careful. .

   http://achillesblog.com/pgat2013/2013/09/18/post-op-protocols-weeks-1-6-plus-1-20-week-protocolconcept-4-12-week-exercises-norms-no-op/

   I hope that helps and good luck.
   Ron

8. normofthenorth on October 17, 2013 3:12 am

   And hopalong, when you initially “hinge the ankle up and down and round-n-round, etc”, make sure you don’t hinge it above 90 degrees — i.e., don’t “dorsiflex” your ankle above (more acute than) 90 degrees, AKA “neutral position”.

   The timing of moving from one set of exercises and stretches to the next is crucial. A move that may be a perfect challenge in (say) week 10 might cause a rerupture in week 6, etc. One good protocol (a schedule that’s associated with a study that produced very good outcomes in ~150 patients) is at bit.ly/UWOProtocol .

9. hopalong on October 17, 2013 8:40 am

   Ron, Norm
   Many thanks for getting back to us. Links noted. Im still at 20degrees equinous, so very conscious of the dorsiflexion issues and think at this stage, “hinging” the ankle is probably a week too early! But then I did ask!!
   Cheers Hopalong

10. Ron on October 17, 2013 4:16 pm

    Hi Hopalong,

    I agree with Norm. I was just giving you an outlook. For now, it’s just the toes. The ankle works comes later, but at 6 weeks I am pretty good ROM going, am FWB and my PF is set to 0. I DO NOT dorsiflex at all right now. PLEASE go slow and listen to YOUR body.

    Good luck.
    Ron