PT Continues

So the doctor wasn't pleased that I was still unable to walk on the bones of the foot.

She was pleased with the incisions and the progress of the tendon. But then, I'm satisfied with the tendon's progress.

Yes, I tend to over-do it when doing my exercises. I had a good talk with Don at therapy on Wednesday while doing the assessment. It turns out that my understanding of what a 'stretch' on the tendon was actually an over-stretching of the tendon. In other words, I'm causing the tightening and the pain and swelling in the tendon by putting too much of a pull during my stretching exercises.

For me, stretch means that I should feel a pull in the tendon, kinda like when you do a good stretch after sitting too long -- a tingly, good feeling. But for rehab purposes I shouldn't be getting it to the tingly pull as that is, according to Don, actually minutely tearing the strands of the tendon. Normally that would be okay as a healthy tendon will repair those tears and become stronger. But at this point, any tearing or stressing the tendon to that point is detrimental. The tendon tries to protect itself from further injury (i.e. the surgery) by 'freezing up' and preventing movement.

And since I have such a high threshold for pain, I don't realize that I am putting that much stress on the tendon. I've been stretching until I feel 'a stretch'. Apparently that is more than the tendon can take even tho I'm not feeling PAIN.

Until later when it freezes up and I can't move.

So lesson learned. Hopefully, I'll make more progress on the ankle from here on out.

They also added some new exercises. So far the only weight-bearing exercises have been walking and the slant board stretching. All the other strengthening exercises have been non-weight-bearing flexibility and resistance exercises. So now I am doing squats, balancing on one foot, and heel raises while standing. Cool. The ankle will strengthen with those as long as I'm careful. I've been adding those randomly for the past week or so and so am not throwing something real hard into the mix all of a sudden.

But my exercise time has now doubled. It seems that all I do is work and do exercises and PT. Three times a day for about a half hour each time seems to take a lot out of your day.

But the toe joint and foot is still an issue. The doctor watched me walk, or at least attempt to, and decided that she needed to adjust the alignment of the toe and joint. Right now the fused joint is hitting before the toe and they should be hitting at the same time.

So she did a 'strapping' of the foot, which is just a tape job, and moved the toe down just a bit. Voilà! the foot feels much better. She said that we will try the strapping for a bit and see if it helps, and if it does then will get an orthotic to position the toe and joint.

The big toe is also rolling inward, kinda like it would if I had a bunion on the joint. But that's not the case, somehow the toe is shifting. I am using a toe-spacer right now but don't know if that is the long-term solution. The doctor made noises about going back in and doing some realigning. Gotta say this -- she is dreaming. I'm not doing another surgery on this foot, especially 'realigning', as that means bone work and crutches and Mike doing chores again. Ain't gonna happen.

I go back in two weeks to assess the strapping work and probably get fitted for an orthotic. I'm hoping that fixes the pain issue. I'm continuing PT for another four weeks. I'm hoping when I see her again on the 23rd that there is a lot of progress to report.

But at least I'm not sighing and sniffling today!