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- trisportgirl has completed the grueling 26.2 ATR miles to full recovery!
Jul
18
Too Early to Walk a Mile?
July 18, 2009 | |
So I’ve been comfortably, easily, and without pain, FWB in my boot for the past week. Today I played nine holes of golf, and have some mild soreness in my quad, which started around the 6th hole. I did use a power cart. Although I’ll see how everything feels in the morning, I think things went pretty good today, with it being the longest that I’ve walked unaided. The exercise felt great. Tomorrow, I’m headed to begin biking at the gym everyday. By the time I see the PT on Friday, I’m supposed to be up to 20 minutes with no resistance.
So, my question is, even though I feel no pain, and walking in my boot is easy, do you think it’s too early to start walking a mile a few times a week? I firmly believe in relying on how my body feels (in HONEST assessments), but know that us ATR sufferers can begin to get overzealous when things feel right.
Quarter for your thoughts…
Comments
9 Comments so far
Is your goal to improve overall fitness or to make the mile walk part of your ATR rehab? If its the latter I would say go with the prescribed exercises. I’m walking FWB with 2 heel wedges at the moment and I would call it labored at best. I realize you are farther along and things must be different but I’ve read accounts on this site of people being cautious at 10 weeks when they are in 2 shoes. I think there will be plenty of time for long walks in a few weeks. Right now ROM and isolated strengthening exercises would be my focus (along with whatever else the Dr / PT prescribes).
I’d probably be thinking the same thing if this was still my “first rodeo”, haha, but being that this is the second time through this, I think I’d probably work my way up to walking a mile a few times a week.
Working your self up to a certain distance can help you gauge how much you can do without a certain amount of pain. I’d probably start out doing a quarter / half mile, then increase the distance the next week.
Good luck with what you decide!
Thanks, Chuck and Mike! I will heed your caution and take it slowly. I think I needed my comrades to remind me that I’m not the Terminator…I just live in his state.
Hi. I am just a bit behind you as 6 weeks post op is tomorrow. I too am walking without the crutches and fwb in the boot(at 10 degrees now). I am also FWB barefoot when I shuffle off to the bathroom in the middle of the night (I use a crutch for stability). Everyday, I add a little something extra to my routine whether it is excercise or house duties. It helps to have little goals. Walking a mile would be too much for me right now but maybe in a week or two. I did 10 minutes with some resistence on a recumbent bike last week. Legs felt good but I was a bit winded when I was done.
My PT guy says that at 6 weeks one is 90% healed regarding the tendon but that building the strength to do a single footed toe lift will take some serious time,patience and hard work. Getting stronger everyday…
Chuck
Chuckv,
I really like the “little goals” idea. I’m going to have to borrow that and come up with something, myself! I religiously do my PT exercises and, I think, want to be able to supplement that and that’s where my drive is coming from to walk. I asked the same question of my PT, and this is what she wrote back:
“I would not advise taking progressively longer walks at this time. The stationary bike, your straight leg exercises, clams, band exercises, etc. should be sufficient for maintaining/improving strength. Prolonged walking (for exercise purposes) would potentially increase your risk of uncontrolled swelling and stress to the healing tendon.”
I told her to knock me back inline whenever I get overzealous.
hey t, nine holes after 7 weeks is really good, i’m jealous! i’ll try and tackle the nine by walking though
my ball striking seems ok, but i’ve developed a pretty deadly hook because i still put a lot of my weight on the heels 
are you playing competively actually?
best
freddie
Tamar-
You rock! Again, your PMA is incredible. Here I am debating whether it’d be ok to walk to the bathroom unaided and you’re playing golf and ready to walk a mile…incredible! Annnd, you’re a few weeks behind me I believe.
Anyway, congrats on feeling well enough to even want to attempt a mile. I’m so happy for you and “Cami”. What will Cami do once you dump her for “Sol”? (that’s all I could come up with…it’s a play on “sole” as in the sole of a shoe…yes, weak, I know…lol).
You rock, my friend!
Shay
Shay, Cami’s been a great supporter, taken me all over the place, braved grass, gravel, hard-top, bunker sand, kept me warm while sleeping, and been a fantastic date even though she’s not the most attractive friend I’ve had, let me tell ya. *sigh* Will I lament when she is old and no longer useful? Probably. Will I miss our long walks together? Heck no! I’ll be happily (although cautiously) back amongst my party of “Sol”s. Yes, you know there are many - three closets full. But I will never forget my time with Cami.
Walking in the boot does not exercise your calf and ankle muscles.
It is not the quantity but the quality that matters.
I would say trying to walk correctly (rolling motion, staying on the bad leg longer not just for half a sec while stepping up with the good one) balancing on the bad foot is more important.