post op day 84 - in the saddle

Energy level: Great!
Pain level: 0 for non weight bearing
               3 for 40% weight bearing

Big yellow taxi: You are on notice!

Advertising that you pick up in 10 to 15 minutes and then making me wait over an hour is not acceptable! Not to me and not to my doctor! Why is today any different that the other 10 times you have made good on your promise in the past three months?

Fortunately, after arriving an hour late and waiting yet another hour, my physical therapist was kind enough to squeeze me in just before his lunch break.

On the plus side, I take the extra hour to practice walking up and down the block.

As I walk with two crutches I feel that my left foot is not sinking into my soft sole shoes as much as the right foot. It is now comfortable to walk with 20% weight bearing on the recovering foot. I can push it to 30%, but the foot sends some very strong signals at about 40%.

It has been 12 days since the sprain and I am back to the level just prior to the sprain. I was able to do 10 minutes full speed (no resistance) on the stationary bike physical therapy session before the sprain and today I’m full steam ahead again! I even try level 1 resistance in the last two minutes on the bike.

I’m so close to walking with one crutch. Close, but no cigar. I lack the coordination and the ability to put 50% of my weight on the foot and the other 50% on the opposite crutch to make this technique work.

The physical therapist is convinced that I have plantar fasciitis. He shows me a diagram of soft connective tissue that runs along back of the calf and under the bottom of the foot. It is strange because the pain has nothing to do with the sport where surgeon accessed my heel bone.  The pain is on the underside of the foot and the only explanation is: weakness by months of non-use.
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"Plantar fasciitis is often caused by poor foot mechanics. If your foot flattens too much, the fascia may overstretch and swell. If your foot flattens too little, the fascia may ache from being pulled too tight."

I think I'm in the second camp and the ache is due to pulling these fibers that haven't been pulled on in months.

The best weapon to combat plantar fasciitis is stretching! He also recommends that I get a special splint to gently stretch my foot as I sleep.

More upsetting news… it can take up to 9 months to recover from plantar fasciitis.

Let’s hope this isn’t a permanent condition. I’ve already purchased next year’s season pass for Squaw with plans to go skiing every weekend.