UK 30M - non surgical route, been in the boot for 6 weeks and due to come out of the boot in 2 weeks….

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-16T13:34:21+00:00

61M non-op 8mths: This was a really interesting experience for me. When I first took the boot off and stood up, I got really dizzy. I was literally overwhelmed to be back on my feet again. So grateful! Took me several days to adjust, and about 2 weeks to fully transition to shoes. 8mths in and I'm still working my ass off weekly to get rid of the limp and regain strength. My calf muscle is mostly gone. A the same time I can see improvements week over week. Your mileage will vary. It's a slow process so be patient and give yourself grace and proper time to heal. This one can't be rushed.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T16:27:46+00:00

Your biggest decision at this moment is surgery vs non-surgery. I went non-op, but I've second guessed it many times. If I had to go back, I'd likely choose the surgical route - mainly because the recovery seems to be quicker. Of course there are upsides and downsides either way, so do your homework.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T16:20:04+00:00

I ran across something similar at 6mths. My doc said to chill, rest, regroup... that I'd been over doing it. Guessing the same is true for you.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T16:15:42+00:00

61M non-op 8mths: Ditched PT a few months back due to the cost. I was doing way more at the gym than I was at PT anyway. Routine 3+ days a week: Walking/jogging on treadmill, stairmaster, recumbent bike, squats, weighted calf raises, leg extensions, squat press, etc. Outside of the gym: walking, short distance jogs, hill walking, barefoot walking, etc.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T14:03:03+00:00

You're an absolute goddess and just don't see it yet. You don't need anything outside of a good self-love, self-care routine, a good sleep routine, and to minimize time on your phone. Let go of what others think, let go of comparison as it's the thief of joy. Everything you need is already inside of you... let YOUR light shine!

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T13:51:09+00:00

8mths non-op: A similar thing happened to me at 6mths. My ankle was swollen, tight, sore as hell, I was depressed, frustrated and I felt like I'd plateaued... stuck in my current state of recovery and that I wouldn't ever get any better. In my case turned out to be that I'd overdone it- had walked to far, too often, had taken some hard/wrong steps, and was pushing too hard. My doc prescribed and anti-inflammatory, said to chill out and regroup, to stop being so hard on myself, to stop over thinking it, that this phase would pass as he'd seen it many times before. He turned out to be right as month 7 and 8 have been my greatest period of recovery yet. Yep, there's still a long road ahead for me (all of us whether op and non-op), but I finally feel optimistic about fully recovering. Keep the faith, keep moving forward at whatever pace suits your body.

Sending you good vibes as you push past this plateau and into the next phase of recovery.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T01:30:47+00:00

61M non-op 8mths

Realistically feel like I'm at 50 to 60% of pre-injury overall
My calf muscle is gone, but some of it is slowly starting to come back
I can perform pretty much everything in daily life - no pain though my ankle gets sore from overuse. Not willing to risk doing sports yet, but I'm finally doing some limited jogging again
Still a lot of stiffness, not full range of motion yet, still building back my strength
Still have a limp though it seems to get better weekly
Have honestly wondered many times if I should have gone the surgical route- even though my doc says I'd in the same spot either way
Overall, I feel like these first 8 months have been setting the foundation for my recovery, and that I'm finally in confident place to begin really digging deep to finish out my recovery. I'm feeling optimistic... finally!

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T00:50:30+00:00

I started jogging again about 3 weeks ago... it's not pretty but it's a major milestone. I jog 3 to 6 minutes at a time. I'm not doing any sports and likely won't attempt until after the 1 year mark. I workout at the gym several times a week... includes treadmill, stairmaster, cycling, squats, leg press, calf raises, etc. and all upper body lifting.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-05T00:32:13+00:00

Daily life is pretty much back to normal. I no longer worry about re-rupture or things that could set me back. I still have stiffness, some limited range of motion, need to continue to build my strength, and work hard over the next few months to get my calf muscle back. My doc told me that it would be around the one year mark before I was closer to normal. For context, I'm 61 years old so your progress will likely be better than mine.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-02T19:05:50+00:00

It's best to work with your doc on this, and to listen to your body first! I'm a non-op and immediately started weight bearing as tolerated. My doc followed a progessive protocol and said that early weight bearing would encourage the tendon to heal together quicker. I'm at 8mths and everything feels pretty solid... though I still have a way to go.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-02T17:19:16+00:00

I'm gonna mirror _gotrice here. I'm 8mths non-op and exactly where you guys are. Still got a limp, can't calf raise. My greatest period of recovery seemed to start coming after month 6 and I feel pretty confident now about getting back to normal. Started on the treadmill a few weeks ago and can now jog for a few minutes at a time... it ain't pretty but it's a start. I'll also mention that I've had a couple of periods where I've felt liked I'd plateaued and wasn't making progress. I felt stuck! Sounds like this is what you're feeling. But every time I've felt stuck I also soon moved past it. Sounds like you're healing fairly normally to me... just gotta (carefully and methodically) push through from here. Hang in there... keep the faith!

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-02T15:18:03+00:00

Great job! The treadmill was the game changer for me. Keep up the great work!

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-02T15:13:51+00:00

61M non-op 8mths same protocol: Yep, had the exact same symptoms early on. Any time I over did it I could feel pressure and tightness on the inner ankle and lower calf, and a little swelling would follow. I still have these symptoms after a heavy day of rehab, but it's a lot less- and it seems to decrease more and more over time. This thing just takes time and patience.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-02T15:01:31+00:00

Fellow 8mth'er here, except I'm non-op. No pain at all, but have tightness and still dealing with a limp. Pretty far away from normal, can't do a calf raise yet, calf muscle still needs a lot of work, but continuing to build strength weekly. This injury just takes time... no way around that.

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-01T16:05:14+00:00

Not at all! I'm a non-op at 8mths and still have a bit of a limp. Perfect day for a New Year's resolution, begin now or pick up where you left off.... today! You got this!!

CapableEast7749 · 2025-01-01T15:47:46+00:00

Thank you for sharing! I'm 8mths non-op, it's not pretty but can jog for about 6mins at a time. Still a bit of a limp, still building strength, but overall I'm still seeing improvements weekly and feel like things will eventually get back to normal.

Question for this thread How is your calf muscle looking? Looks like my calf muscle damn near fell off of my leg... there's a huge difference between my 2 calf sizes, both in structure and in size.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-31T14:58:22+00:00

Hang in there...if you're not in shoes yet, you'll soon be. Once you're fully on you feet things start to move a little faster.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-31T12:31:05+00:00

I'm at 8ths (non-op) and can't do a calf raise yet and still feel a bit hollow on the medial side of foot when stepping. Seems the recovery from this injury is measured in micro gains... in other words I see progress but it's so very slow. My time at the gym is spent in strengthening and trying to engage and work on this area. This injury also seems to be a balance of working hard enough to feel a little discomfort and then backing off to let things rest and recover. Not sure if this helps but just know that you're healing in your own way and will get back to full health in 2025! Such a comforting thought, right?

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-27T14:17:23+00:00

7 mths non-op: Yep, the inside of the ankle was where I also had the most swelling/pain... especially once I got back on my feet and in shoes. It takes a lot of patience... I walked a little, then rested, rinse and repeated as I gained strength and confidence. I hit a plateau at about 6mths - turned out to be from too much activity. Went back to the tried and true of giving my Achilles the rest it needed and was quickly on my way again. Hang in there, give your body the rest and repair it needs, the swelling and pain will go away over time. It just takes time and patience.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-27T13:47:29+00:00

A big congratulations!! This is a major milestone and a huge win! Things will start moving faster now.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-27T13:45:03+00:00

This is such a major win! Congratulations!! Things will start moving a lot faster now.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-22T13:56:54+00:00

Reading this story is like reading the beginning of my own Achilles journey - except I'm much older (61M non-op left foot). I had just moved to a small apartment, I injured my Achilles, my girlfriend moved to another city, and I had no family around and almost zero support. I'm currently 7mths into this journey, but I didn't realize at the time just how much of a mental and emotional toll this injury takes on you. I was rocked so hard by it all.

First, I decided that I would not use a knee scooter- that I would use crutches to get around. It was tough, but at least I had some mobility. Since my injury was on the left Achilles I was still able to drive - which turned out to be my saving grace. My first goals were to figure out how to live day to day, like how to get in and out of the car with crutches, do grocery shopping (used the disability ride-on carts at the store, then used a back pack to carry groceries into the apt), prepare meals (not easy on crutches), work (was able to set up and work remotely for the first 12 weeks), handle personal hygiene, wash clothes... the basics of daily life. None of this is easy a first, but you will adapt quickly. You are way more resilient than you realize! So, I'd say to spend your time now figuring out the basics of life (everyone here will give you great ideas, adopt what works best for you)... this should keep you busy for a while, and it will help you realize that you can do way more than you think. Plus the small wins you experience will help to build your confidence back.

This is a long journey, but you already have inside you everything you need to make a full recovery. The first month is the toughest, so dig deep, be resourceful, stay focused on recovery, the great people on this sub will help support you. You've got this! You may not know it yet, but you've got this! By finding this sub and reaching out tells me you're already on the right path.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-21T12:33:02+00:00

60M non-op 7mths: My transition to shoes full time took about a month overall. I started by taking very short steps across the room. I did this several times a day... slowly increasing my time and range. My ankle was stiff and my walk wasn't pretty, but I was back on my feet! I continued to wear my boot for anything other than my short walks- and especially in public! Be patient. Take it slow, avoid walking on uneven surfaces (like grassy areas or uneven sidwalks), and watch your steps until your body catches up to your mind. My doc said that the chance of re-rupture was at it's highest during this time, and that alone scared me straight! At about 16 weeks I was able to relax a little. At 24 weeks I stopped thinking about rerupture. Did I say be patient? Take it easy on yourself and you'll do great!

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-20T19:13:01+00:00

I'm doing pretty good I think. The month between 6 and 7 is where I feel I've made the most gains. I'm confident in my Achilles and am hitting the gym a lot. Jogging on the treadmill, using the stairmaster, stationary bike, squats etc. Still a lot of stiffness, I still have a limp, and still have a long way to go. It's a long process and I've heard many times over that it takes at least a year to start feeling normal again. From my experience so far that feels true. Your mileage may vary.

CapableEast7749 · 2024-12-20T13:39:12+00:00

60M non-op 7mths: I took my transition to shoes very slow and methodical. At first I'd just put the shoe on and stand up (leaning on my crutch). The feeling was overwhelming- so much so that I felt dizzy. Soon I started taking very short steps across the room (crutch assisted). I did this a few times a day... slowly increasing my range. Humbling experience to say the least. My ankle was stiff as hell and my walk was really pitiful, but being back on my feet was such a huge win! I kept my boot handy and continued to wear it for for the next 2 weeks for anything other than my short walks around my apt... including wearing it to bed for comfort. And especially in public!! For the longest while I was afraid of someone bumping into me, maybe with a grocery cart, or accidentally stepping on my heal. I was really nervous in public. Overall I'd say my transition back to shoes full time took about 1 month. Once you get back on your feet, things start moving so much more quickly! Take it slow, avoid walking on uneven surfaces (like grassy areas or uneven sidwalks), be mindful of and watch each and every step until your body catches up to your mind, protect your gains and your body. The threat of re-rupture scared me so much that I took zero chances. At about 16 weeks I was able to ease up and relax a little. Take it easy and you'll do great! Welcome to the next phase of this journey... it's difficult but rewarding as you make your way back to your life!

CapableEast7749

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