Just over 6 weeks - concerned
Hi all.
Just over six weeks since surgery and to recap I have spent 5 weeks in casts of various foot angles. 90 degrees for the fifth week.
At the five week check up where I was previously told I would be going into a walking boot at best they simply gave me a tuba grip told me too put a shoe on my bad (right) foot and gave me a card to commence physio.
I was concerned about this to say the least and asked if I should be going into a boot first to which they replied it would slow down my rehab???
Also I had not seen the same person at the hospital twice which concerns me.
At physio (Monday just gone) they gave me a serious of leg exercises to do and also said to gently pull the foot towards me with the use of a rolled up towel.
The physio also said I should try to imitate normal walking with the use of my crutches, I have tried this but as i push off with my toes my AT is not having it and feels like it may go again.
I have another pt session this coming Monday but am really confused and concerned about what I should and shouldn’t be doing??
I am even considering getting hold of a boot myself so that I can begin to walk in a boot and possibly ditch the crutches?? Is this a bad idea??
When I attended physio there was precious little info supplied to the physio and I had to tell her exactly what had happened so far
In short I want to progress but I’m unsure how much to do. Any ideas guys and girls?? Would getting my own boot be a good idea or would it as they have suggested slow down my rehab??
Hope your all well and healing as you should.
Filed under: Uncategorized and
Steve i feel for you. We are almost at the same point but with totally different protocols. So o can only write about my experience. I’ve just recieved a copy of the letter sent to my gp. States intended plan of action by my ortho. He states that once out of a cast next week. I will be in a walking boot for 3 weeks.
I have actually bought my own vacoped for this 3 weeks because it’s a little smaller and neater than the Aircast they use at hospital. ( can get my trousers over the top of vaco)
If I were you I’d go back to the hospital and ask to see the consultant who is responsible for you and ask him what the plan is. In my own experience the NHS is brilliant but you have to manage the situation as it’s easy to fall between the cracks in no mans land.
Can’t see how a boot would stop u your rehab as with one you could get rid of the crutches.
Hope this helps and take care
You could get a boot and use it for a few weeks. Most good protocols have you “weaning” off the boot at about 8 weeks in anyway, so you wouldn’t be using it for long. You are definitely vulnerable now, though your ATR foot should be able to hold your weight.
If so, one approach most of us used when first in 2 shoes was to do a straight, inline “gimp walk”: Lead with your ATR foot, and keep it in front of the other foot. That way it doesn’t have to dorsiflex past neutral while holding your weight. (It’s best NOT to walk with your ATR toe out to the side, as you may have done right after the injury.)
The other approach is to keep the crutches and use them to take so much weight off the ATR foot that it can practice walking normally, but initially with only a tiny fraction of your weight on it.
Good luck! And no walking while you’re on the phone — Watch Your Step!