retired65’s AchillesBlog

So it has been a long time since my injury and at this point I feel no restrictions on physical activity.  I play pickleball (full tilt) 4 times weekly and never favor my affected side.  That said, I still will feel a little tightness on that side after a 2 or 3 hour play.  Also, my calf never returned to the same size as before the injury, though I can’t notice any difference in strength.  Just wanted to check in and let others know that although the road seems long, the injury and it’s effect on your life will be a distant memory. Hang in there.

I am now just shy of 23 weeks and yesterday had the pleasure of playing Pickleball again… well at least holding a volley on the court.  It felt fantastic and although I did not try to reach for any returns, I was able to move around on the court pretty well.  My tendon is still tight and I cannot get up on my toes very well but I am very encouraged that I will again be able to resume normal activity later this year. I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel :^).

At 18 weeks now and feeling pretty good but still tight and slooowly gaining a little strength in my calf.  Did another Disney trip and feeling a bit cocky did not wear any protection on my affected side.  I won’t do that again. While walking up the ramp to the monorail I got slammed in the back of my ankle by the footrest on a wheelchair.  Thank goodness it was on my good side, had it been the other side, I think I would be back at square one. It was hard enough to cut me and for the rest of the day I was constantly looking over my shoulder. It’s disturbing how vulnerable I feel in crowds without protection.  I almost feel like booting up the next time we go. Hope everyone has a great holiday season and continues healing well.  I know I am counting my blessings.

So it has been almost 16 weeks and I am reminded that although I have a life back, there is still a long long way to go till full recovery. The main issue now is building strength to be able to push off with my toes which I have been unsuccessful at to date. Try as I may, there is just no strength there at all. When walking at a slower than normal pace, it isn’t too noticable but the faster the pace the more pronounced the limp becomes. If I power walk a few miles, I will end up with sore muscles from concentrating to keep my knee slightly bent and trying to push off with my toes. It is also more difficult to balance on the affected side. It’s a little frustrating watching others playing sports from the sidelines and wondering if/when I will recover enough to join in. It would also be great to ride my bike again. I have heard that 5 months is a fairly safe time to resume this activity.  Anyone have different information on that?

Just got back from Disney trip and had a great time. I was a bit nervous about being able to keep up walking in the park but surprisingly had no problems at all. We opened and closed the parks every day and park hopped frequently. We did a ton of walking but the frequent stops at rides and attractions gave my tendon a break. I took periodic doses of ibuprofin and had very little swelling and very minimal heel discomfort. I did wear my Dr Shoalls protector and thankfully did not get stepped on in the crowds. I’m sure that the frequent exercise and walks leading up to the trip were a big contributor in my ability to keep pace.