First Post - Non Surgical Route - 4 weeks Since Injury
Posted by: smiler in UncategorizedWell 4 weeks and 4 days after the initial injury I’m feeling fed up and looking for words of encouragement.
Im a 36 year old active male in the UK. Was playing football as I do every Sunday when I heard a large crack and turned to abuse the man behind me who I thought had kicked me to find no one there. At that point I knew I was in trouble
Visiting the Fracture Clinic the next morning they confirmed a Ruptured Achilles and said I had 2 options the Operation or the boot. I explained I went to the gym every day and played football but they still suggested the non surgical route, so as they are the experts took their advice
Having played football / soccer for 26 years with no real injuries I was so naive about my pain and recovery expectations and called my boss telling him the bad new by indicating I expected to be back at work, with crutches, over the next few days. How little I knew, My Aircast boot was wedged up but I was given little direction on what should happen next so I tried to walk out, nearly falling flat on my face and realising this might take a little longer than I thought.
My heart dropped when they explained no driving and I had to sleep with the boot on. Then the hammerblow….. I was looking at approximately 6 months before even thinking about getting back into my old gym routine
The first 3 weeks were a mesh of constant pain, and felling of uselessness as my wife ferries my four children to their daily routines of sports. I have to say that going back to work seem a million miles away but the thought of any more day time TV was slowly destroying the soul
So Week 4 comes and my first visit back to the hospital. Contrary to what I thought the doctor tells me it is knitting nicely and he saw some signs of movement in my toes while squeezing my calf. He has now removed 2 of the 4 wedges from the cast and said he was happy for me to return to work. So here I am First day back at work and its 3.19pm after arriving at 7am this morning. Leg is sore now and im back on the crutches to get around. I really thought I could have lost them by now but just feel vulnerable without them
Am looking for reassurance that others have been this route and can tell me what there experiences are and I am doing the right thing.
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June 14th, 2012 at 10:22 am - Edit
Smiler-
At 4 weeks, you’re still pushing through the worst of this- rest assured that things do get better. At 6 months, I suspect you’ll be back to doing just about everything (maybe not football) that you were before- but, for instance, you should able to resume your full gym routine. You shouldn’t expect to be at full strength/speed by then, but if things go OK, I don’t think you’ll find yourself restricted from many, if any, activities.
You’re actually approaching the point where you’ll start to see some of the most rapid improvements. During the first weeks, you really can’t do anything- just have to wait for things to heal. Then, things start to move along… you’ll go from NWB, to PWB, to FWB, to two shoes, all in the matter of a month or two. Once in two shoes, you’ll work on regaining your gait, maybe work on running to jogging, improving balance, etc. Then, things really slow down again, as the slow journey to rebuild strength and fitness begins. You’re getting close to the “fun” part
June 14th, 2012 at 1:46 pm - Edit
What Ryan said!
Smiler, if you haven’t checked out the UWO study (on this site) and its protocol — e.g. at bit.ly/UWOProtocol — you should. Don’t let them make you go slower; it doesn’t help and probably hurts, esp. non-op.
June 14th, 2012 at 4:37 pm - Edit
Smiler,
You have to have both a long range and short range view of your condition. The long range says that in 6-12 months, with luck and discipline, you will be back to where you were before the injury. In the short run, you have to concentrate on and celebrate the small victories. Four weeks ago, you were dead in the water. Now you’re at work and have confirmation that you are healing. That’s cause for a beer or at least an ice cream cone. In a few weeks you’ll be FWB, ditching the crutches and able to carry things - another victory. Discouragement is the enemy of recovery. You got to fight it.
July 25th, 2012 at 7:14 pm - Edit
You are right. Freakishly similar!!!