Such a long recovery

I had the same problem!  I'm a realtor and injured my driving foot on Sept 29th.  I am like you- I didn't want to say depressed but I definitely was in a rut and not as up and enthusiastic as I normally am.  I got around it by finding a trainer who was qualified to help me work out without hurting myself again.  I had to pay more for it than I ever would have but it turns out that it has kept me so on track and feeling better mentally.

Are  you working out at all?  Maybe that would help you if you aren't already.  

Only time has helpped for me; conservative 65 years when it popped. Not super active but working up to longer walks for retirement, its only 18 months down the line that i can walk up a steep hill without pausing to stretch leg muscles. Its the loss of condition that amazed me, the weak calf threw walking all over the place, stressing ham strings and lower back. Then a series of colds after xmas put me off the gym for a month. Perserverance and targets helped, and going back on a diet to loose some weight that crept on during the inactivity. It really is a nasty injury that takes longer than you ever expected, but a slow improvement WILL get you there eventually!

Hello Susannah

I am sorry to hear about your pain. I am 43 years old and live in Brighton. I have also problems on my feet. It's very painful and I am limited to go to work, uni once a week when I am ok and go home. No social life. Every time I do a tine bit more than ths, the pain flares up strongly. Very frustrating. I bought a few things to cheer me up when I am at home as I cannot go out much.

This pain seems to have started after I took part in a obstacle course - Tough Mudder - in Oct 14. I still suffer with it. I was diagnosed last year as having posterior tibialis tendon dysfunction. Doctors, physio didnt improve. I had a word with my own self after had read and thought about my condition. I then looked for a good foot and ankle specialist and found David Redfern who I have seen this week through BUPA (he cannot take patients through the NHS at the moment). I liked what he told me and how he checked my feet. He said that I need further tests as the MRI results does not seem very conclusive. He thinks that is unlikely that I have PTTD.

I am not sure which kind of doctors you have seen so far. I would advise you to look for a good foot and ankle specialist. Look he/she up on internet to see how long they have been working on the field, their experience and knowledge and for any testimonials. We need a good professional to treat us. Not all doctors out there are good. 

A friend told me that James Alvey is good (NHS) and a lady called Mrs. Houssein. I am not sure where you live but these doctors usually work in the South East. Another person in this forum told me about St. Guys Hospital in London. She had an operation for PTTD with a young doctor called Ronald Walker and his Orthopedian team.

I wish you the best. Keep your head up and let's be positive. We will get over all this.

Please feel free to contact me again.

All the best

Cris

I totally hear what you are saying!  I fully ruptured my Achilles 13 months ago and I also went the conservative route.  Trust me when I say...it does get easier.  I found coming on this site very beneficial because I learned very quickly that I was not alone and that what I was feeling was pretty normal. I too am very active and so it was hard to just sit around.  During the winter months it wasn't too bad because I accepted the fact that I just couldn't go out because of the snow and ice but when it started to get nice and my friends were getting out walking, biking and enjoying nature I got really bummed because I couldn't be a part of it.  Once I got rid of the boot and started doing physio I was able to go for short walks and that made a huge difference!  Also getting out and seeing people was nice too.  I'm a teacher and because I am on my feet all day I was unable to go back to work which was another tough thing to let go of!  Although I'm still not 100% I know I'm on the right track. So like I said... Trust me... It does get better. I'm now getting out for longer walks and even hiking on some uneven terrains!  Now I just need to get back to sandals and volleyball!  There is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Hang in there!

Hi  i supose its wrong of me to suggest a wine or several  when on crutches but that with  a good chat and laugh with a friend. helped me lol.  maybe not providing a good healthy image but  i too have had my moments with this injury its actually been worse than when i broke my leg and had two ops on it then.  i think when you start seeing progress it helps.   my physio warned me you hit plateaus with this injury during  recovery.

 i guess having a goal or doing something you enjoy may help take your mind off the slow road to normality.

Hi Susannah

I'm a very similar age to you and ruptured mine just over 12 weeks ago. Also conservative treatment and I've been out of the boot for 2 weeks now. 3 PT appointments so far which has been essentially massage so far but that's probably due to me doing quite a bit myself, walking, cycling on turbo trainer etc. I had my first outdoor ride today so am buzzing a bit! Only 6 miles (just over 20 minutes) but at a decent average speed and no reaction so all good. I am starting to feel my calf engaging a bit more but noowhere near being able to stand on tiptoe using my bad leg to lift. Started doing some seated calf raises whilst leaning forward, PT suggested doing them on scales to see how much weight I'm putting through.

What I'm saying really is keep going and keep your chin up, I'm optimistic about my recovery and you should be too!