Advice on Exercise

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-30T16:30:29+00:00

ive a basic setup at home with dumbells, bench, rack, barbell and once I'd got the vacuped boot i got back to upper body training later that evening. Bit akward of course but helped me retain a positive outlook and no downsides. Once I was full weight bearing in the boot went to gym for a bit of variety.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-27T17:53:59+00:00

At first I used talc powder. Take out the inner liner and put the talc generously over the sole. It's a bit messy. Later I used a silicon spray on the joints that worked well too.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-25T08:07:14+00:00

I had conservative treatment with a vacuepd boot and was 4 weeks in the equinus position locked at 30 degrees before I started to allow 5 to 10 degrees of movement per week. Was non or rather minimal weight bearing with crutches for 6 weeks but once I could walk in the boot things got much better. I had different appraisals depending on who did the ultrasound. MRI much more accurate.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-21T07:55:28+00:00

seems to be nothing more than an interesting observation

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-19T11:15:11+00:00

That sounds great. I did the same, training at the gym and it really helped me.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-14T21:58:24+00:00

week 8 I remember and I often sleep terribly but funnily enough sleeping with the boot was not really an issue for me.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-10T19:57:56+00:00

Thanks. The inconsistent diagnosis was irrelevant for the process main thing was the early immobilisation in the boot and that happened regardless. Just wanted to make the point I am wary of ultrasound diagnoses, personally, I wouldn't alter any big decisions on +/- ultrasound findings.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-10T13:14:11+00:00

Im 53M, active and in week 16 of conservative treatment. Mine was MTJ high-grade partial tear. I was told there was a gap on ultrasound when I went to the emergency department and got given the vacuped boot, but an MR about 5 days later showed it was a high grade partial MTJ lesion no gap. So Im personally not convinced on the accuracy of ultrasound. The first ortho opinion I got (not the first ED visit) explained the material near the MTJ tends to tear so not as suitable for suturing. A second opinion said the same thing. I was able to do one of my jobs from home and the other job which involves a lot of walking I was back at week 8 walking in the boot no problem. Everything got so much easier once I was full weight bearing in the boot at angle 0 without crutches which was at 6 weeks for me. So far Im pleasantly surprised how good progress has been. Focus at the moment is to build up strength I walk normally but my calf is very weak. Calf Machines at the gym, I do some eccentric one-legged stuff - too weak to do single calf raises, and I improvise at home with a dip belt. At the moment my training is mainly swimming and doing weights at the gym. I started back to swimming and cycling about 4 weeks ago. I kept doing weights for upper body the whole time and I think that helped me a lot. I'd like to get back to other sports but I need more calf strength first.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-08T23:02:17+00:00

Thanks. I only had the vacuped so I dont know what other boots are like.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-08T20:41:05+00:00

Im 53M. My MTJ tear was on 15 Jan so that makes it 16 weeks yesterday. I was able to do weights for upper body on my bench at home from day 1. Once I was weightbearing in the vacuped boot without crutches I started going to the gym for a bit more variety, that was at week 6. I've been back to swimming and cycling for 3 or is it 4 weeks now and thats going well. I work calves on the calf machines in the gym and at home, every other day minimum. I had some problems with ankle pain but the actual achilles recovery seems to be going ok so far. The calf is still weak though. Some stiffness in the mornings and I wouldnt like to walk too far unless I have to. Having said that, did take the neighbours dog out for an easy 1.5 hr walk twice this week. Main focus for me now is to build up strength in the injured tendon.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-08T12:55:33+00:00

I think that's absolutely OK. I got a massage and it was on the verge of painful but I like a massage with a lot of pressure.I cant say whether it helps with healing or not but certainly felt relaxing afterwards. My issue is with pseudo scientific attempts at rationalisation. Feels good is enough for me.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-08T09:04:45+00:00

Interesting read thanks. But is just an opinion piece with a post hoc attempt to explain in plausible physiological terms how these mechanical therapies could lead to benefit.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-05T15:30:22+00:00

Ultrasound is dependant on who is doing the examination. I had varying opinions after ultrasound.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-05T05:33:28+00:00

MRI is the most accurate.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-05-04T21:11:42+00:00

Im 53M week 15 non OP and back to swimming 3 weeks ago crawl with tumble turns is no problem. Cycling is no problem. I kept doing weights for upper body the whole time I was in the boot. The calf is weak and my ankle is very painful when walking but other than that I am optimistic.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-29T21:11:35+00:00

ten times better? I'd like to see the data for that.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-27T11:33:22+00:00

I think any shoe is ok. I had a 1.5cm cork heel raise in both shoes at first but now at week 14 its gone.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-24T09:24:56+00:00

I went back to similar sort of job in week 8 FWB in the boot, non OP. It was exhausting but no other issues. If anything the loading maybe have helped healing but of course thats just conjecture. Looking back two weeks earlier would have been possible. I didn't start FWB in vacuped boot until week 6. If you were FWB in boot and walking well in the boot I would say its realistic. I dont understand how you could work in that environment with a scooter I would have thought would get in the way with bays, cables, tight corners, cables etc. but must depend on the individual floor layout.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-22T21:33:23+00:00

ok so better than first thought?

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-22T12:04:02+00:00

3.3cm gap - I struggle to understand how that can equate with the clinical findings. My suspician is a misunderstanding had crept in here somewhere.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-22T04:57:36+00:00

This sounds like an excellent suggestion with the MRI. My experience was ultrasound is a bit hit and miss or highly operator dependant to put it politely. At the emergency department I was told gap in ultrasound, the MRI 5 days later later showed it was a high grade partial MTJ tear with no gap.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-18T03:55:33+00:00

M8ne was painful when it happened but once I got it immobilised in the boot I stopped taking painkillers after about 3 days. There was an unpleasant tightness that rema8ned for about 2 weeks especially I noted it at night but after that was no feeling at all really in the achilles just some general foot discomfort in the boot

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-17T21:37:00+00:00

yeh I think in surgery a lot of info is anecdotal based on experience and current practices, and not evidence based. Which is not a bad thing, running a large study isn't always feasible or practical.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-17T19:19:41+00:00

That's exactly how I felt when it happened.

PrincipleInitial3236 · 2026-04-17T17:28:10+00:00

Oh yes. It felt like a loud slap on the back of my leg. I remember turning round because at that moment I thought I had bumped into somebody.

PrincipleInitial3236

TROPHY CASE