Well yesterday I had my cast taken off and my first PT session. To be quite honest I was very discouraged after not being able to walk with 1 crutch. I began to realize the true gravity of this type of injury. I’m not sure why I thought that this was really no big deal, cast for 6 weeks, then 6 weeks of PT and bam, life is like normal. Truthfully, I didn’t think learning how to walk would be this difficult. But it is, if not more so than I could have imagined.
I’ve been quite fortunate, I’ve maybe only experienced pain once or twice during this whole journey. Granted there’s just generalized aching and I understand when I need to rest, but now that I’m learning how to walk there is some real pain happening.
First my bones ache. I have pain in my heel and most of my foot. While walking, the first few steps are the worst, probably as bad as a 6/10. After I get going and have walked a few feet, the pain continues at about a 4/10. My biggest concern is when do you know it is acceptable/expected pain vs. warning pain? This is something I’ll be asking tomorrow at my 2nd PT.
I guess I finally understand the magnitude of this situation. I do have some questions… I return back to my physician saying I’ll be doing 12 weeks of PT first 6 are ROM then 6 of strengthening… is this normal? Anyone else with jobs where you stand for 12 hours or similar survive and are telling the tale? Help a sister out. It seems extensive compared to what I’ve read around on other blogs…A total of 18wks for recovery….?
Thanks!
Sylvia
6 responses so far ↓
normofthenorth // Nov 9th 2012 at 2:08 am
If the pain is in the bottom of your foot, including the “sole” of your heel, then it’s 100% normal and not especially scary. Solutions include adding some squishier gel-type footbeds under “that” foot, while taking care to make your two feet equally far off the floor so you can walk straight. Rolling your heel/foot over a tennis ball (while seated) can give some relief, too, but it’s got to be done extremely carefully when you’re still in the early stages of healing. E.g., you certainly don’t want to use any weight to dorsiflex your ankle past neutral until your rehab clears you to do so. (Check out bit.ly/UWOProtocol for one well-tested and highly successful schedule.)
OTOH, pain in the BACK of the heel is a different matter, and usually signals that the healing AT has been overtaxed — at least IMO. I’d take that as a signal to back off and take it easier. And similarly with other pains in the AT region.
Clarabell // Nov 9th 2012 at 7:20 am
Don’t be disheartened . I felt pretty low the week in between cast off and PT appointment . My foot was painful even when the nurses handled my foot in order to change the angle of my cast . The first time I put any weight through my foot , it felt horrible .
What seems insurmountable one day is much easier in a matter of days .
My PT asked me how I was feeling on our first meeting and I replied that I had just about had enough . She reminded me that this was just the beginning !
I would take Norms advice , don’t do too much you will still see big advances week by week
tracymym8 // Nov 9th 2012 at 8:50 am
That’s really useful to know. I’ve just had my boot off and have started PT this week and I was wondering what kind of pain was a warning. My foot and ankle have also swelled up and to be honest I’m finding this first few days without the boot quite painful. My leg feels like it belongs to somebody else! I feel worse now than I felt last week with the boot still on! I’m doing the exercises I’ve been given and I’m hoping to see an improvement soon.
brownbeast // Nov 9th 2012 at 9:04 am
I am sorry to do this, but can someone help me. I just signed up on this website and I don’t know how to write a blog on issues I have been having with my ATR recovery. PLEASE HELP!! =)
Lisa // Nov 9th 2012 at 9:59 am
Brownbeast, There are instructions on the home page:
“To create a new blog, please create a user account first. And then, please send me an e-mail (achillesblog@gmail.com) from the e-mail address that you registered with, and I’ll create a blog for you. Please tell me what your username is, and mention briefly how your injury was caused.”
brownbeast // Nov 13th 2012 at 5:34 am
Thanks Lisa for the advice!
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