rome24kr’s AchillesBlog

It’s been a while since I’ve last posted, a little over 3 weeks ago to be exact. Since that time (Deceember 28), I’ve made quite a bit of progress. I was told by my ortho-surgeon on Dec 28 that I had to get my foot to 90 degrees before I could wear a boot. Well… I had purchased the Vacocast Achilles boot, and began wearing it immediately. I had to adjust it to where to boot was angled at about 70 degrees, and after that… I could walk!!! The rocker bottom on the boot enabled me to walk and get around. The first time I could walk unassited since I was injured in the semifinals of my men’s football league playoffs on November 13.

I started physical therapy for my foot and ankle (NOT my achilles) on January 4. In 3 weeks of PT, I’ve went from just over 70 degrees to 101 degrees on my reconstructed foot/ankle. I’ve “graduated” from the Vacocast Achillies boot to the boot my ortho doc issued me, a Bledsoe w/a more flat foot. I’m walking better and better each day, and I’m able stand on both feet although I do put more weight on my good leg. I’m doing all types of exercises for my ankle and foot, and I might say they’re paying off. I’m battling some swelling but not too bad though. And on my good leg, I’m suffering from tender right achilles. Which I’m sure is from overusage during the early stages of my recovery process. I’ve been very religious in icing both of my achilles since my last appointment, and it seems to be helping.

I actually ran into my ortho-surgeon at a local steak house last week, and we shot the bull for about 10 minutes. We discussed my recovery process, and he asked how long I’d been in the Bledsoe boot. I told him I’d just started wearing it that very same day, and he responded that I’d need to be in this particular boot for 4 weeks. Thus, my target date to be in 2 shoes is February 10 and I can’t wait! I’d love to be in 2 shoes by February 3 but I think it’ll be the next week. Although I do have my 4th post-op appointment next Friday, January 27, maybe I’ll get some more good news. I just hope when I go into 2 shoes that I’m able to walk fairly normal.

I appreciate all of your replies, comments, and feedback. Looking forward to reading all of them!

Thanks!

Today was supposed to be the day that I went into a boot. Well… to my surprise I did not. My doc told me that I would have to use a Theraband to stretch my newly constructed Achilles tendon. This took place at 7:15AM this morning, and now at 5:00PM I can bend my foot up and down at least an inch. Needless to say, I am going to put my new Vacocast Achilles boot tonight! I will start out PWB and transition to FWB by the weekend. My foot and ankle feels extremely weird, but at least I now have control over my foot and ankle, unlike the moments just after my football injury and the days leading up to the surgery. I must say I have a new sense of confidence. Not meaning that I am going to rush my recovery, but that I can see progress and that does make me more optimistic. My next appointment is scheduled for January 26. At that point, I am expecting to go into 2 shoes. There is light at the end of the tunnel!!!!

I had one hello of a scare the other night. We had our staff Christmas party at a local Mexican restaurant. It had been raining, and upon entering, the floor inside was extremely slick. It felt greasy & wet. Needless to say, when I walked it both of my crutches slipped on the floor, and flew out from underneith me. I took one big hop w/my good leg and grabbed onto the cashiers counter. My bad leg, in a soft cast w/splint, was protected but it felt like my left foot shot straight up! I know it did not b/c of my hard splint stopped any type of movement upward, although it sure felt like it!

Today I showered and got a great foot massage from my better half, and she noticed some distinct bruising on my foot. I wonder if it was from my “scare”??? Has anyone else out there experienced a scare like this regardless if it was good or bad?

By the way… I am only 9 days away from going into a boot (Vacocast Achilles boot)! This nearly 6 weeks of NWB has felt like an eternity:(

Hello to all! Well I had my second post-op appoinment last Monday. This trip to the doc led me to getting my stitches out… all 20 of them! The doc said that I’m “progressing ahead of schedule”. But I’m still on the 6 week plan of NWB and crutches= SUCKS! I know I just have to be patient. I was still dealing w/quite a bit of swelling. Now I’m just 2 weeks and a day from going into a boot… Thank God! Today, nearly 4 weeks post-op my swelling is going down little by little each day. However, my foot feels absolutely freeky on the underneith side. When I or my wife massages my foot, I get a weird, sharp, shooting sensation going through my foot. I’m curious if anyone else has dealt or is dealing w/this type of feeling/sensation/discomfort in their foot. Also, I’m wondering how long this will continue??? The incision is healing nicely, and the doc also said (after feeling) the tendon is solid and feels good. I’m just sooooo ready to be off these d@mn crutches. They’re truly becoming a major pain now… bring on the boot!!! By the way, I ordered the Vacocast Pro Achilles boot.

This is my first post in a while, due to me being back at work and up to my eyeballs w/catching up!  My appointment was 10 days after my surgery and I was so glad to get in and see how my progress was going.  Not a lot really happened during my appointment.  I saw the PA, not the doctor, and the main concern to check for was infection.  I checked out great, no infection and the incision was healing nicely.  However, there was still a great deal of swelling (I have pics of incision and swelling, but do not know how to upload them to my posts). 

 
After the nurse took me out of my soft cast, I was able to “asses the damage”.  My foot felt extremely weird, granted I did not try moving it.  Although, I did wiggle my toes (that was nice LOL).  I took pics of my leg, and it looked like I had about an 8″ centipede on the back of it!   The PA felt of my leg, and said the muscle tone still felt good.  Not much atrophe as of yet, but foot felt like I had needles sticking in the bottom of it as her hand ran across the bottom of my foot.  I am sure it was just nerves starting to fire back up but who knows. 

My soft cast was put back on, but this time it did not have all the extra padding.  I now go back on Monday to have my stitches removed, and that will be the 17 day since surgery on November 18 (injury Nov.13).   I am still on the time table of going into a boot on December 29, and then start wearing shoes on February 3.   Hopefully I will be able to start jogging by the first part of May.

I have been looking at various Achilles tendon braces and have found a few that look like they could really be of some benefit coming back from a ATR. I have listed the links below…

Achimed http://www.medi.de/en/patient/products/joint-stabilisation/foot-supports/achimedr.html

Bauerfeind (PRO) http://www.achillesmed.com/AchilloTrainPro/aso-ankle-brace.html

Bauerfeind http://www.achillesmed.com/AchilloTrain/aso-ankle-brace.html

Let me know what y’all think about wearing a brace one you start back jogging and playing sports, and which one would y’all recommend.

Hello, my name is Kevin.  I’m a 35 y/o in-shape guy (6′0, 200 lbs) who has played college baseball, and has played flag football, men’s baseball, and softball for the last 12 years (and basketball sparatically). I also jog between 15-25 miles a week.  Needless to say, I felt like I was 10 foot tall and bulletproof… boy was I wrong.  I would’ve never dreamt this type of an injury in a million years. 

I ruptured my left achilles tendon on November 13 while playing flag football. It was our eleventh game of the season, and our second game of the day.  I would like to say that I did have warning signs w/a calf strain approximately 3-4 weeks before the injury.
 
I play wide receiver and ran a corner route. I ran 10 yards then cut my route off to the sideines, at that point when I made my jab step the back of my ankle felt like it exploded! However, it didn’t hurt, it simply felt like my foot had went to sleep. I knew then and there it wasn’t good and more than likely an achilles injury.
I had an Xray on November 14 (negative, no broken bones), MRI November 15 (revealed a complete tear of achilles), met w/orthopedic surgeon/doctor on November 17, and then had surgery 6 days after injury on November 18.

The first night wasn’t that bad, took the Percocet for pain (but it made me sick, thus I discontinued it), and just relied on Tylenol & Advil. The second day post-surgery was NOT good, painful and sore. Day three post-surgery wasn’t bad, and today is day four and my injured limb does’t hurt. Now it’s day five and I feel a lot better, just still sucks that I’m on crutches.  I can’t wait till I’m in the boot!  Then I’ll be saying I can’t wait till I’m in a pair of shoes.  Oh then I’m sure I’ll be saying “I can’t wait till I lace up my football cleats again ”

My doc has set aside a time table that reads like this…
Injury- Nov. 13
Surgery- Nov. 18
NWB- 6 weeks (until Dec. 30)
Boot- 4-6 weeks (until Feb. 3-17)
2 Shoes- 10-12 weeks from surgery (Feb.17 at the latest)
Jogging- 6 months (approximately May 13)
Fully recovered- 9-12 months (Aug-Nov)

I just hope & pray I have the opportunity to onec again play flag football and softball.