It’s hard to believe how much you can appreciate standing on two feet until you are denied one foot for 7 weeks. The other day, I removed my boot to sit in the shower. (yes, sit…). Somehow, subconsciously, I stood, and realized, “I AM STANDING!” It did not HURT either! I did put the boot back on after I showered, but it felt so good to feel my heel on the ground sans the tingle.
Fast forward to yesterday at the PT. It was my first visit before I “really” start ( in two weeks). He tested my ROM and gave me insight into how I may have injured my AT. First, my ROM was -10 flexing forward and 42 flexing down. (It should be 0 and 64 I think). Yes, that is great, he said, but also he had to check my other side. Flexing down, I was only at 56. He inferred that my AT is really tight and has been due to inadequate stretching and then overusing with tightness. The step I took downward when I injured it was the bane of my existence. This motion is a killer if you are not adequately stretched. One uses this motion to jump or push off if you will. I CAME DOWN on my foot in this position, and BOOM. Now, I just want to learn how to do things right. It seems as though this is how I always learn…through injury.
His massage of my edema-filled foot was crucial because he mentioned if it stays this way, it could harden and inhibit healing. BOY DID IT HELP!
He showed me how to stretch my foot, and told me to continue the alphabet. My foot MUST BE in the neutral position in the boot and my heel must hit the floor.
