I haven’t been cleared to do anything except PWB with two crutches and switching out to flat bottom on the boot.
However, after reading several people’s accounts, I am taking a proactive approach. I am starting range of motion exercises on my own. Ankle circles, both ways. Drawing the alphabet with big toe of surgery foot. Toe scrunches. I am also massaging the incision a couple of times a day. I want to be ahead of the game when I am finally cleared for PT.
I have been walking around in the boot quite a bit without my crutches. (Against my ortho’s advice). I am a little sore at the end of the day on the bottom of my heel, but no pain nearly approaching pre-surgery. Sometimes when standing without my boot, getting dressed, I put my surgery foot down flat. Probably about 10% of my body weight on it. Basically just using it to help me balance. I am extremely careful when doing this because I know that one wrong move, one slip, and I could ruin all of this work. I have read stories of people experiencing a re-rupture once they were cleared for two shoes, just a slip or a misstep, and that scares the hell out of me. The accounts I saw, granted, were from people whose initial surgery was due to a traumatic rupture. I have read that where mine is repaired it will be stronger than before. I had grand visions of going back to full duty at work after getting back into two shoes. Now, I’m not so sure. My job as a paramedic is regularly a landscape of uneven surfaces, carrying heavy loads of precious cargo down uneven and/or slippery steps (often while walking backwards), stepping in and out of trucks whose steps and bumpers are at hip level for me. I am lucky as a supervisor to also have office duties that keep me going to work for a few hours at a time and in the loop, but we still do a lot of time in the field. I don’t mind working through pain. I just can’t stomach the thought of walking on a ticking time bomb. Thankfully I know my physical therapist well, and he will not recommend release until he is confident I am ready. I am just not mentally prepared to be off full duty for more than 4 months.
Back to today’s reality: Found on the Vacoped website that they actually sell an elevator thing that slips over your non-boot shoe, that makes your leg lengths less uneven. (Also a weather cover/sole for Das Boot which was not nearly as exciting to me but also seems like it will be necessary.) I will be purchasing both of these in the next month or so.
So… in conclusion, I am the bad patient I was really trying so hard not to be, but always knew I would end up being. I have to be careful, because for me there is no such thing as half-assed ignorance of the rules in my world.
Haglunds Recovery 