Healing long

Thanks all for the advice and encouragement

So i saw my OS on Thurs and it is once again confirmed there is NOTHING wrong with my tendon except it is healing long. No PTT dysfunction or any other complications. Just healing long and as such i’d have to work harder to get it working and just persevere and not give up. The worst case scenario is get another op to shorten it which my OS doesn’t think its necessary or appropriate to do it now.

I now combine once a week session with my physio who then works with my conditioning coach/personal trainer (who specialises in injury rehabilitation on top of his personal training credentials) to work on building strength on my lower body (and other parts as well) but mainly focusing on my gluteus, back, gait, calf strength etc as every part helps in one way or another without damaging /causing more injury. i will probably back down on my PT to twice a month instead of weekly and continue to see my Personal trainer twice a week and every session i feel my body is getting stronger which helps overall i guess

so any suggestions on what other stuff you guys do when you know you are healing long ? Eg as Richard mentioned not to stretch it and let it be a little tight, anything else?

at least i know nothings wrong except my tendon is healing longer than most normal people…. so just have to be realistic i guess in terms of maybe it will just take me a year to get me to raising my heel at some point. :(

Week 24 - still no heel raise and may need re-op?

so 4 weeks from my last post - i am getting stronger from my weekly physio and twice a week of body conditioning with a personal trainer who is trained to do injury rehabilitation. however, i still cannot do a heel raise. my 2nd physio is concerned as she believes something might be wrong with that particular tendon that is supposed to give me the push off and strength to raise my heel.

Anyone heard of anyone with a fully functional leg but just might have 1 particular tendon muscle / connective tendon partially ruptured? its just odd that i cannot even do a heel raise or push off (oh and the thomson’s test proved very weak so that was another concern). Still limping and upset. but my strenthening is now focused on getting my gait back, stronger glutes, quads etc… gonna see the OS on thurs now for another opinion. I really dont get it since my last ultrasound was fine. :(

reading up more online - my condition seems to be similar to this - posterior tibial tendon dysfunction?? anyone familiar with this?

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00166&webid=26DBE25F

Week 20 and VERY FRUSTRATED

I really don’t get what is it i am doing (or not doing) that my leg just doesn’t have calf strength. I am really at my wits end. Saw the 2nd physio and he gave me some exercises to do but nothing that i don’t already know. Its all about balancing on one leg, calf raise with one leg instead of two , etc. He doesnt even need me to see him every week , just once every 2 weeks for progress update. Why? Why am i the only one with no progress after 5 long months? Average return to sports is 6 months, up to 9 months but i am at my 5th month and i seriously can’t see myself running at all (without a limp!) in another month’s time! What else can i do? every time i try pushing myself at the gym i feel like crying just because i simply don’t have the strength! WHy?

what do you guys do at each physio session (its 30mins here in the uK) and do you see your physio at least three times a week? I mean i will really do ANYthiNG just to get my progress monitored but i don’t see what value add my physio can do when he see me apart from watching me perform the exercises? (well my first PT will be even worse as there are no gym equipment at the clinic). Should i even suggest to the 2nd PT to see me three times a week and use that session to help me with my strengthening exercises, just so that he can help me push myself? I am getting very worn out and emotionally tired from seeing my first physio as there is nothing except to listen to my moans, comfort me, and see how i am progressing. I really want to be able to wear proper flats (NOT TRAINERS!) at some point, and i am not asking for more! Just being able to walk around without a limp, without my trainers (as wearing flats makes my leg uncomfortable) and not look like some alien limping around! I am not even going for any summer holidays this year as i can’t enjoy myself without being in my blood trainers at the beach!

i have been crying every other night and i don’t know how else i can stop myself from sinking further. i know its all mental, thank you all for your encouragement but i don’t have any complicated surgery, no signs of re-rupture, just no strength! Norm i know said my situation is abnormal but i don’t suffer from swelling now and no pain just simply can’t push off as i would like to. my goal is single calf raise by september is that too much to ask?

i am going to arrange for another consultation with a sports physio clinic which specialises in sports injuries tomorrow and if it means paying to see the PT 3 times a week 30 mins each and focusing on working to strengthen my calf under his supervision, i will do it. there is one near my work place so it means i can commit to it more. pls tell me what else can i do at home without machines/ equipment??

Week 16 - 17 no improvement?

Everytime i read the blogs here i get so discouraged and upset and angry with my leg and my PT. I am week 16-17  , still walking with a limp, and unable to do any of the exercises described on their blogs. Why isn’t my PT giving me similar exercises as you guys? Why am i asked to increase load SLOWLY? 5kg a week incremental ONLY! Anything else i can do apart from bloody leg press and calf  press.? Also each time i drink alcohol it swells a little, and its frustrating. are you saying i cannot drink a bloody sip for 6 months? sometimes i wonder what will happen if i don’t do anything! going to the gym seems to give me a bit of reaction each time! (BACK TO SQUARE ONE!) ok i am just ranting here as getting increasingly frustrated and wish i am able to give more positive news each week but NONE available. :(

All clear! Phew!

Week 15 now and ultra sound scan today proved to be positive! Tendon’s still intact and everything looks good! Tendon is not ruptured! Hurray! Both sonographer and OS said scan showed everything is good. So I can resume with my Physio exercises and all. You cannot imagine the big smile on my face! OS couldn’t say why I had to go through all these trauma - swelling to tenderness to no tenderness and loss of strength suddenly. But I guess the only way is up now!

At least I am no longer battling with swollen feet , just very weak legs.

sometimes I wonder if my pt is just too conservative ? No idea. Somehow I wonder of I made the right choice on this PT. Ok time to celebrate !

Could i have re-ruptured it again?????!!!

Saw my surgeon today and he was also not happy with my current state. He scheduled me for an ultrasound scan for Thurs and see what the results say before going ahead.

He did a few tests and said my leg was a little ‘floppy’ and ‘extending’ more than my good leg. I also had a scare earlier on today where i somehow tripped and felt a sharp pain but its not swollen after that nor did i feel any pain when i walk now as my entire left leg feels ‘detached’ or like he said ‘floppy’ therefore not getting the push off that i would normally expect/ feel any pain when i used to walk and push off on the balls of my feet.

i am so worried now ( i know worrying wont do anything) , but what if i had a slight tear? i do feel it slightly less strong than before , like no matter how much i try to put strength on my left to have the ‘push’off effect, i dont feel anything? could it be that some parts of the tendon snapped but still overall in tact??? Anyone have this experience before? I AM SO SCARED I HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER OP! in the meantime i will wear my boot again just to be on the safe side and not have any ‘accidental’ scares…..

how does a re-rupture feel? or a partial tear feel? i don’t want another op so can i still go for non-op route? what will the protocol be ?

ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally a scan

well things havent been fantastic since my last post. was able to do some gym exercises without immense swelling but now it seems to have transgressed to my tendon slightly swelling/feels hard/tense and tight. not my usual swelling so both my PT and I are a little worried, so he said i should have an ultra scan done

i dont really know whats the best way to describe this but it feels like the tendon area is very tight, and a bit hard, almost feels like there is a lump there but a long lump. massaging doesnt have the same effect as in the past since the slight bump isnt water, but more like a harden swell. anyone have any idea what it is? when i walk it hurts a little as i am unable to lift off the way i would normally walk…

:(

End of week 13 post op and still swelling

So my leg isn’t swelling as much as it did 2 weeks ago but nothing new to report, I haven’t been able to do much apart from RICE

Going through a rough patch as emotionally i am relatively depressed, lack of exercise and sweating out made me a very grumpy person. Last wed after my physic, my PT gave me a list of things to do in the gym including horizontal calf presses and calf stretches. I followed as instructed but after the session i could sense my leg swelling up again! I am sick and tired of this - having to be so mindful of the things i am doing and yet if i don’t do them i cannot progress. However working out made me fearful that i may indirectly cause it to inflame again! This is frustrating me a lot and even on weekends i don’t do much or walk around a lot but i could sense the leg was swelling up a little bit more than before i exercised on thurs (note i was totally out of action for 2 weeks just because i wanted to be good and do what my physic told me to do which is to rest as much as can)

anyone felt like this before? like you are not progressing or improving where you should really be strengthening and doing calf raises? I have read many blogs and by week 13-14 most are able to do calf raises. anyone ever felt like your leg swells after an exercise ? Note i haven’t been back to cycling nonstop for 45-60 min anymore, the last session on thurs i just did 15′ on the bike and the rest were strengthening and abs exercises.

what else can i do to improve my situation? really at wits end. its like nothing apart from just sitting at home and grow fat :(

Week 11

it’s already end of week 11 and i don’t feel like i have progressed much

every week my PT could only keep massaging my leg, pushing the swell up the lymph nodes and out of my system but my body don’t seem to be cooperating much

every morning post compression socks its fine, walk a bit more then it starts swelling up. end of day - looks so swollen.

feel like i have taken a big step back and i have no idea why. i was told to stop my physical exercises (spinning and any squats / exercises using my legs) except for swimming.

any one experienced swelling even up to week 11? i am so upset now i feel like my progress is just downward sloping compared to my first 8 weeks of just up up up and up! taking anti inflammatory pills too as PT said it feels warm and a little inflamed. we’re both frustrated i haven’t been able to progress further other than just massaging….

:(

Week 10 post op

So - been in 2 shoes for a few weeks now and progress so far is alright

My ankle is still swollen, and even after cycling/gym, it helps to relax it for a while but recently it seems like the area around my wound gets more and more tender and sensitive, and lots of fluid build up. Sometimes when I drink, it swells up even more and looks like my feet is about to explode.

Anyone out there have similar problems? What did you do to deal with it?

Currently been going to sleep in compression socks, and elevate when I am home/work. Constantly on trainers (that provide good heel arch) and i just ordered ice packs to ice the ankle when possible.

Quite bumped to be in this state since i was progressing so well for the first 8 weeks and now it seems like my body isn’t cooperating as much. :(