Recovery from Surgery
jthet
Posts: 45
To put a long story short I used to regularly undertake Half IM Distance and was working towards my first IM. One day I was jogging and suddenly felt like I'd been kicked in the heel. Lots of other incidents and Physios stratching heads and it turned out I had a growing bony spur on my heal, What Medical types call a Haglund Deformity. And it was increasingly interfering with my Achilles. After a further 3 years of 'lets see if Physio works this time' and interrupted training plans, I finally had surgery 2 weeks ago. The procedure involved severing the Achilles, cutting off the bony spur, reattaching the Achilles including metal pins and then stitching it all back up (Top tip, do not watch YouTube showing the procedure straight after you have had it yourself!)
So having spent 2 weeks watching daytime TV with my foot in the air (You reach Peak Daytime TV at about Day 6) on Friday I had the plaster cast replaced by an aircast boot with the next step to move to partial weight bearing and return to work (Sad to say work was a relief from daytime TV). The physio is booked for this week. From what I've read full recovery is about 12 months but this varies.
So thought I'd post on here rather than switch the TV Back on. May even start a blog. So at this stage, advice and sympathy accepted. Also, happy to provide mutual support and encouragement to anyone else taking the longer roads to recovery.
Oh, my aim is to recover and finally run that Iron Man. (I WILL!) but I'll concentrate on just being able to return to walking for now.
Comments
I feel for you, its hard work recovering - mentally and physically. I was badly injured in a bike accident earlier this year so can appreciate what you are going through. Though I was only out completely for 2 whole weeks be4 crawling back onto the turbo... I found it helpful to read everything I could get my hands on about training & nutrition for triathlon which led me down some very interesting paths. You may already have done this? I also downloaded all the various triathlon/endurance sport podcasts I could find too. Not sure how much pain you are in but I certainly found this a great diversion (stubbornly refused to take too may drugs) from my injuries. You probably have an awful lot of time on your hands!?
D'you think you could get back in the pool? Legs strapped together for example to stop ankle movement?
Wish you well in your recovery & keep us posted how you get on. J
I had ACL surgery 2 years ago and was back racing after 6 months (they usually say 9) and the biggest tip I can give you... do EVERYTHING that the physio tells - and NOTHING ELSE... its better to perfectly implement every step of your rehab than try to rush through it!
Thanks Guys. The Physios have just started to work (hopefully) their magic though they say there isn't much they can do at such an early stage and I need to keep it elevated as much as I can with RICE and some very light massage on the bruising (Still very very early days as its still only less than 3 weeks since surgery and they did cut through quite a bit of both tendon and bone). But the pain is subsiding and scar healing nicely with no infection. I like to think that some of this is due to me going to the Physio prior to surgery and following a few exercises, particularly to strengthen and stretch the Achilles. Andrew's comment is mirrored by the Surgeon who said his part was the quick and easy bit and it was in my hands to now follow the Physio's. But, but...I never thought it would be so difficult to be so sedentary...Though I try to 'crutch' around whenever I can rather than take short lifts which seems an excellent upper body workout!!).