And the journey has begun
Well…I’ve become a member of the group. The list is long and distinguished…those of us that have had to endure the long road to recovery follow an ATR. First and foremost, I want to thank everyone in advance…as I’m sure the rest of you did…I have plenty of questions…and this seems like a great place to start looking for answers. Here’s a little background on me…and what brought me to this point.
I am an active, 38 year old, living outside of Rochester, NY. A couple years ago…I worked my butt off and was in the best shape of my life…and was feeling great. Then I began a new sales job…got into an accident…and my trips to the gym became less frequent, and then non-existent. I had finally gotten the bug to get back into it…and when I go at it…I go full bore. Weights, cardio, basketball, strict diet…the whole nine yards. I had just gotten back into the 6AM trips to the gym…and was starting to feel invigorated and excited about the road ahead. And then it happened. During an over 30 basketball game the morning of January 3, I took an outside shot, went for the rebound, and felt that familiar pop that everyone writes about. I immediately went down, and looked up to the guy defending me to ask if I had stepped on his foot…hoping it was a sprained ankle. After he informed me the only contact was when I grabbed him on my way down…I immediately assumed what I would come to find was true. I hobbled to the sidelines, felt the back of my good foot…and then the other. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind..it was ruptured.
I was able to get into the Orthopedic Surgeon’s office that afternoon, and they confirmed what I had, at this point, self diagnosed thanks to this site and others. We immediately discussed options, and decided on surgery, which would take place the following Thursday…6 days later. I hobbled thru the week, keeping the foot elevated and using crutches as needed. On January 9, I went in for the repair, which…hopefully…went well. I am currently in a hard cast, split up the sides to allow for swelling. I go back next week for my 2 week check, at which time I’m hoping to get into the boot. My goal is to be on the golf course for the beginning of golf season…our league starts the first week of May. It may be unrealistic…but it’s what I’m hanging on to.
Much like most of you…I was tired of crutches by the end of the first day…and the feeling of helplessness, together with the utter boredom of being confined to my chair with my foot elevated, is already getting to me. I’m not one to sit still for long…so this is going to be an interesting journey. I have two young children, ages 8 and 10…who are used to Daddy being the one down on the floor wrestling and playing knee hockey…my reign has ended for the foreseeable future…and it’s tough to bear.
I look forward to interacting with others on the site…I look forward to sharing my experiences with those that are just beginning their journey, and to learning from those that have been through it.
Tom W
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Tom, I’ve seen folks here use two different LoginIDs, but I think you’re the first one with three! I should warn you, I’m easily confused!
Golf in May should be trivial with a cart, and probably OK without. I skied a week in Whistler (for broke) starting 17 weeks post-non-op, no problems. Check bit.ly/UWOProtocol for a good proven modern protocol, and don’t let your Doc go slower, unless he’s published a study with better results!
Hmm…now I’m confused. Thought I only had reelaction as a login ID. Guess I’ll have to dig around and take a look a that.
Good to hear about the prospects of golf. Sounds like it’s a realistic goal to keep me going then.
Appreciate the link and will definitely keep that in mind as I begin to move forward.
Tom, I am an avid golfer as well. I tore my achilles December 9th playing volleyball and had surgery December 13th. I can safely tell you that you will see dramatic improvements in week 4 to Week 6. I got my OS to allow me to begin PT at Week 4 which was a blessing. I am now progressing to PWB this week and the OS told me I should be in two shoes and FWB in two weeks. Be sure to remind your OS of your athletic activities and they can structure your rehab around that. Before I had my surgery in December I asked my physician if I will be able to golf in April and May and he said -no problem. In the mean time, you can always strengthen your core muscles until you are ready to start rehabbing your leg. Good luck and many birdies!
hey tom - sorry to hear you’ve joined the club. and the even more exclusive 38 y.o, ATR via basketball club. I’m not sure how many of us there are on this site but we’re in this together, bro. i’m also in the same boat when it comes to kids. i had promised my 7 y.o. i would coach his basketball team and help with his little league. his disappointment has been a tough pill to swallow. but focus on healing a day at a time. its the only way to not lose your mind and to get back to playing with the kids. hang in there, it gets easier.
for me, tomorrow is my 8 week mark post-op. i was in a cast for 6 weeks and am now slowing progressing on 2 crutches, no boot. my recovery protocol has been different from many here but i feel improvement incrementally every day. admittedly, i am hesitant to push too hard and risk re-rupture (those stories on this site scare the crap out of me). keep us updated.
@skeeter - Great to hear the good news about the improvements between weeks 4 and 6. Looking forward to getting to the doctor tomorrow for the first check in and get a road map moving forward. I don’t want to push it…but the sooner I can get to PT the better! I will certainly take your advice and remind him of my athletic activities…I want to make sure we do anything possible to expedite recovery, but ensure a smooth transition back at the same time…if that’s possible! Core muscles…excellent idea. Working on a workout routine for the NWB portion of recovery as we speak!
@sittinginthestands It’s amazing how many of us rupture at about the same age…and many of us doing the same things. I hear ya about coaching, etc. My son is currently playing travel basketball…and not only can’t I help…but I’ve already missed a few games. He’s also begun off-season training for his travel baseball team…not much help there either…in time I suppose. You’re right…keeping an eye on the prize is the only way to maintain sanity…well…that and Netflix! I’m with ya…the thought of re-rupture is definitely a concern. While I want to push it…the thought of that has me sufficiently scared enough to mind the doctor’s orders!
Good luck to all…and keep me posted!
Tom
Tom, I suspect you didn’t exactly log in using different IDs, you just made posts when you weren’t logged in, and filled in the Name blank with different names — full name once, initials once. I think.
There’s a logical relationship between going for fast rehab and increasing your rerupture risk, but the evidence shows that there’s no ACTUAL relationship — or if it is, the relationship is basically backwards, because faster rehabs often produce fewer reruptures! Of course, doing too much too soon can cause a rerupture (or another setback, later on), but if you follow a good fast proven protocol, that should be Good Fast. Most OSs and PTs have not been keeping up with the newest studies, so they may still be trapped in the old (wrong) logic. UWO and Exeter are my current fave proven protocols, based on the evidence.