retired65’s AchillesBlog

So far the progress has been very good. I have worked up to walking 3.5 to 4 miles per day at about a 21 - 22 minute / mile pace. I still limp a little and the tightness is still there. I am doing exercises at the gym and started using therabands to stretch out. Heel raises are no problem in the pool but are a bit troublesome on dry land. My calf is still jelly compared to my good side but I can feel a little bit of the muscle returning. I think it will improve more rapidly when I can do more vigorous exercise. I am still a long way from playing any sports but walking, swimming, fishing, beach, etc. is not much of a problem now. We will be at Disney next week for several days and I don’t think that will be too much of a problem. I will be wearing an Achilles level 2 protector which is a velcro brace that has rubber pads protecting the tendon area. I am still paranoid about being kicked or stepped on in the crowds so I will be looking over my shoulder. The Dr Shoals inserts called "heel" are very helpful for heel pain. They are made to relieve heel pain specifically for Achilles tendon issues by padding the arch thereby reducing pressure on the heel.

So things are progressing well and every day seems to get a bit better.  Yesterday I went to the beach and did a 2 mile walk in the evening.  Today we went fishing, swimming, and then ended the day with a 3 mile walk.  I have to concentrate on keeping my stride smooth or else the limp becomes more pronounced.  At the end of the walk there is a little discomfort in the heel but not nearly as bad as it has been in the past.  I also notice less swelling as time goes on though my injured leg still gets red compared to the other leg.

Since my OS didn’t send me to PT, I decided to take the matter into my own hands.  I am doing ROM inversion/eversion, plantar/dorsiflection, and seated heel raises in addition to just walking and gentile stretching that he prescribed. My walking is getting better although I still feel like I don’t have any ability to push off on that side.  I feel very vunerable when I am out without the boot and I am constantly looking over my shoulder to see how close someone is behind me. It is surprising how slow you walk when transitioning to 2-shoes. Even though it is a step forward in recovery, it feels sort of like a step backward in mobility at least from ones ability to get from point a to point b in a reasonable amount of time. I opted to wear my boot out to lunch yesterday and felt so much more relaxed with it on.  I am looking for some other exercises to add to what I am currently doing.

So I had my 6 week + checkup today and my OS said “do you want to get rid of the boot?” Without hesitation I asked him the question about the bear and the woods. He told me that I can walk without the boot but to be careful and that I may need to switch back and forth if my body tells me to.  He gave me a couple of exercises but said that walking is the best form of PT.  He does not recommend any other PT.  Walking feels great without the boot and I blissfully went into the pool and hot tub today.  Ah, the little pleasures in life.

I’ve been in the boot for about 10 days now and things are slowly improving.  I still get heel pain but it takes longer to begin than it did when I first started FWB.  Also I don’t get the blood rush to my foot when it is not elevated nearly as much as I did just a short time ago.  I can pretty much walk around most of the day without much of a problem as long as I periodically rest to relieve the pressure on my heel.  At the end of the day I remove my boot and work on my ROM.  The swelling is not too bad but it is definitely present.  All in all I am satisfied with my progress at this point.  My neighbor (who had surgery 3 days before me but on the opposite side) and I went down to the tennis and pickleball courts today to watch all the people having fun and to remind me what I am working to get back to.  When I first injured myself, I felt that I would never chance this happening again but as time goes on, I can’t imagine giving it up.