Things are going well! I’m walking in my boot with a normal looking gait, pain is pretty much a 0/10 99% of the time, and PT is going smoothly. My PT remeasured my degrees of plantar and dorsiflexion and apparently my plantar flexion is 20 degrees shy of normal and my dorsiflexion is 3 degrees shy of normal. I’ve made great progress! I have a little less than 3 weeks in the boot left until I am out of my boot and I’m getting a little anxious.
It’s hard because I am starting to feel stronger so I notice myself getting a little ballsy. For instance. When I bathe, I step into the tub rather than slide in. Am I allowed to do this? I’m not sure. The doctor did say I could shower normally which would include standing sans boot so one could assume I could do this. Also, I find myself taking a few steps without the boot sometimes. Never more than 5 feet but still. It was crazy because at first when I tried this it felt like my leg was not apart of my body, and now it’s feeling more natural. Also, I should add that I don’t do a normal walk when I do it without the boot, it’s more of a place foot on floor, walk with other leg type thing. I really need to stop, but I’m super careful.
19 More days!!!
2 responses so far ↓
normofthenorth // Dec 1st 2012 at 1:15 am
The folks who did the highly successful UWO study followed the protocol at bit.ly/UWOProtocol , which calls for “wean off boot” at 8 weeks post-op (or post-non-op). If your recent history resembles theirs, you should be OK walking barefoot or “shod” — though not when you’re feeling ballsy! Watch Your Step! No distractions, no obstacles, etc.!
The standard handicapped walk most of us start with involves leading with the injured foot, then only stepping as far up to it (then eventually past it) as is comfy and not scary. That transition usually goes nicely quickly, so in less than a week you can take a more-or-less full-sized stride — though with a “dip” at the end, because your calf and AT still have no strength.
Losing the “dip” seldom comes as quickly as we’d like (or expect, after that nice quick progress), following what some have named “the frustrating plateau”.
kkirk // Dec 2nd 2012 at 12:50 pm
RN- I started standing in the shower also, and usualy I take the safe route and slide into the tub, at this point my ankle is still to weak to take steps without assistance. I guess the pains of being NWB for so ling.
Norm-I starting to trying walking again to, usually with one-crutch, sometimes with none (with same handicap style of step). And your stair method works great to get to my downstairs laundry room!
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