37 but think I’m still 25

Hello to all my fellow ATR rupturers (is that a word?) out there.

Well, I am just about at the five week post-op point, and am doing very well, as I hope all of you are.  I’m now at the point in the recovery process, where I can see a glimmer of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, although I know I still have a lot of work to do and need to practice a lot of patience.

The above photo shows the splint I’ve been sporting since my first visit with my physical therapist (who by the way is the same person responsible for re-molding it every week when I see her) about two weeks and a day post-op.  I was initially under the impression that I would be getting a walking boot at some point, but I was told that the boot was only to be a temporary thing between my first post-op doctor visit and my appointment with the physical therapist the following day. 

So, the only thing protecting my Achilles from circumstance and my clumsy nature is a 30 inch piece of re-moldable plastic. 

Last Friday, it was re-shaped to come to an almost 90 degree angle (maybe a few degrees short of that), and I was told to start walking with crutch assistance as tolerated.  On a side note, it’s kind of interesting how the splint is shaped every week.  The therapist dunks it into a tank of hot water, and it becomes soft.  She then shapes it according to the angle that she measured by flexing my foot forward to the point of stretch but no serious pain.  So I started walking as told, and felt some pain immediately on the heel of my foot.  Lots of pin prick sensations as well.  Thanks to this site, I wasn’t surprised because I know that is fairly common. 

Initially, the walking was difficult, but I have noticed over the last three days it gets a little easier every day.  I’m now able to take (albeit very slow) steps with little to no crutch lean.  It feels good. 

By the way, there is a name for the post-operative plan that my doctor has ordered.  It is an early weight bearing process designed to minimize muscle wasting in the affected calf, and is called the Ontario Achilles Tendon Splint Fabrication & Early ROM Postoperative Protocol.  If anyone would like some information on this process, I can scan (with my wife’s assistance because I’m technically challenged) the paperwork my doctor gave me and email it to you.  The plan calls for full weight bearing to be achieved 7-9 weeks post op with no, I repeat no, restrictions and full activity restored at 3 months post-op. 

So anyway, enough of the technical stuff.  I’ve had some time to reflect on things, given that I can only watch football three days a week, the A’s are way out of the playoff hunt, and think I’ve seen just about every show the Discovery channel has to offer.

I was talking with a work buddy on the phone the other day, and he just so happens to be the guy that was pitching in the softball game the day I had my ATR.  I told him I was going to pitch next year, because I couldn’t see myself playing outfield again after what happened this year.  My wife looked at me like I was crazy to even think about playing softball again.  So, I got to thinking, am I banished to a life of golf and poker?

I’ve always been a run 110% kind of guy when it came to sports.  Even as I started aging and playing sports less and less often because of family, friends, work, overtime, etc., when I did get out there I always went to the max.  I thought I was in the shape to do it, because of my normal 15 mile per week jogging and three day per week lifting habits, but I have since realized that sprinting combined with little to no stretching was a bad combination.  In other words, I think I set myself up for this whole mess.

I guess this has been sort of an epiphany.  If I’m going to continue to enjoy a sporting life (and I can’t see myself not doing that), I’m going to have to drastically alter the way I work out to incorporate serious stretching).  Maybe I’ll enroll in a yoga class or something (I used to tease the crap out of my old UCSC roommate who used to do yoga all the time).  At any rate, I have to become more pro-active in my fitness routine to try to prevent this or any other future injuries from knocking me down again.  

This is a necessary thing, because I drink too much beer on the golf course, and I’m not even a break-even poker player.  Oh, well.

As always, I appreciate everyone else out there sharing your experiences here.  It has made it so much easier knowing what to expect as the recovery moves on.

Steve