Hurt My Foot and Achilles Tendon Badly, Need Aerobic Recommendations

Parent Cafe
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<p>Ok, almost 3 weeks ago, my kids threw some things on the floor, and I slid on them. I felt my foot twist inward terribly and remember a kind of crunch. I had the sense as it was happening to quickly try to move my weight to the other leg, but I did hurt the foot pretty bad. I actually cried for a half an hour from the pain. After icing for awhile, I took a hot bath and relaxed. I actually felt better in the tub, but when I got out and stood up, I actually cried again from the pain of what felt like the blood going to my foot. </p>

<p>If I were to describe what it feels like happened, it feels like someone twisted off my foot and then stuck it back on, and the nerves are still protesting. </p>

<p>Afterwards, when I flexed my toes (could do it, but hard), I felt a pulling all along the underside of my foot, up the back of my heel, to my lower calf. I had some swelling near my outer ankle the following day, but nothing else visible to speak of, other than pain and limping. I opted not to go to a doctor because it seemed obvious that I could still move my foot and walk.</p>

<p>Anyhow, it’s been almost 3 weeks now. I am getting around ok with just a slight limp. I only have a real problem with going down the stairs and bearing weight directly on that leg to do so. Trying to put my foot into my sneaker and the resultant pushing of foot to calve is very painful to the entire area encircling my foot, but otherwise, the chronic pain seems to focus on the area of my achilles tendon. What is most distressing is that this is my dominant leg/driving foot.</p>

<p>Anyhow, until this happened, I was engaging in regular aerobic exercise and yoga. This is absolutely essential to my mental and physical health. While I know that I could do strength training purely for exercise, this total cessation of aerobics has undoubtedly caused an endorphin crash and I am feeling depressed and insomnia is kicking in, something that I had completely gotten rid of with exercise and a natural diet. 2 years ago, I was huffing and puffing walking to the corner, could not last on a treadmill for 2 minutes without my heart rate soaring dangerously. Before this injury, I had reached a point where I could last an hour at at a brisk aerobic level and was almost running. I simply cannot mentally take returning to my former situation. I tried gentle yoga earlier in the week and was in pain. Research revealed that you actually cannot stretch out these kinds of problems and that it can aggravate the situation. So I do not have that either, and I am miserable.</p>

<p>I realize that I do not want an Achilles tendon rupture nor a chronic problem, so I’ve avoided all but walking. If this does not get significantly better in another week, I will go see an orthopedist, but from what I’ve read, there is little to be done but painkillers and rest. If I had actually ruptured it, I wouldn’t be walking at all.</p>

<p>Can anyone make some suggestions on ways to bring my heart rate to an aerobic level without harming this foot? I’d swim, but I’m not a strong swimmer, and the chlorine at the pool bothers my asthma. I also think that flapping my foot to swim would also hurt because the top of my foot where it connects to my calve hurts too when it is engaged.</p>

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<p>There is a gym machine in which you rotate your arms somewhat like you would your legs on a stationary bike. I don’t know what it is called, but you can look into a machine like that. It is considered a form of aerobic exercise.</p>

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<p>I broke my foot and walked on it for a year with problems untill a good doctor finally found the break. I had a swollen ankle and was in for x rays and the tech said “you definitely have something wrong but I just give up”. (Hospital charged me for the x ray and boy did I protest that and it was waived)
Any way in 2000 I was walking with out my boots across a base of a glacier in Alaska while riding a bicycle from Fairbanks to Anchorage. Support was supposed to bring our boots to the entrance but lost mine. At first walking on these cold hard smooth glacier stones was invigorating then POW something shot my foot with pain. For the next year i tried to continue to exercise, rest, ice then excercise and still no healing. Last ditch effort i went to a podiatrist that was also a bicyclist. He took one look and said you have a small broken bone right here and tapped his finger right on the spot. It was not the Achilles like I thought. It was another tendon from the ankle that wraps around the outside of the foot to the front toes. A small bone the size of a pea works like a pully mechanical. there was a tiny break in the pea-sized bone there that would not heal.
Anyway good luck with doctors most of them dont have the spare time to look at details like sesmoid bones these days.</p>

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<p>GO TO THE DOCTOR! I really think you screwed up - you should have gone right away. Best treatment for ankle injuries - ice, motrin, elevation, compression until you can get to a doctor. Please, get to a doctor.</p>

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<p>I completely agree Anxiousmom - get to the doctors ASAP - orthopedist - oo and BTW - you may actually have a fracture - or torn/ripped tendon/ligaments etc… - if not diagnosed and treated properly - you are possibly looking a lifetime of pain and suffering - do the right and best thing for yourself - get it looked at by a professional - by trying to exercise this foot - you could possibly be causing more harm/damage - and you should not even be trying to do exercise with it at all right now - get to the doc asap please.</p>

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<p>Yes, go to the doctor. And stay completely off it till you see dr; get crutches (I guess you have to drive if you have kids but try not to); take ibuprofen and ice several times a day for 15 minutes. </p>

<p>How about sit ups and push ups? Not aerobic, but your stomach and arms will look real good!</p>

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<p>Geez, these last posts about going to the doctor and chronic problems are what really scare me. </p>

<p>Truthfully, I am sure that a doctor will want to know my momentum and what exactly happened to my foot, but other than what I said up above, I cannot even seem to recall this in my mind because it was so darned awful. It’s like my own mind cringes and can’t stand to think of it. </p>

<p>Since childhood, I have had my knee give out and twist inward, and kind of crunch, and it hurt like hell, but I had no known damage (other than a propensity for this to happen).</p>

<p>After I fell, my husband helped me to the couch and he felt that it was just a sprain, and that they could not do anything for me but shoot me up with painkillers, which I did not want. </p>

<p>I can walk around my house now, like I said, it is the activities that I mentioned that are a problem – pushing on the shoe, going downstairs (not up). </p>

<p>Reading these posts, it sounds like some of you feel that maintaining an aerobic level is the least of my problems right now, and that scares the heck out of me, because I am afraid now that some doctor will want to do surgery on me. :frowning: </p>

<p>But I will take your advice and call the foot doctor in my area tommorrow.</p>

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<p>For what it’s worth, I also agree that you should go to a doctor. But to answer your aerobic question. Try swimming. Sometimes it can be difficult finding a good heated pool that is close to home or work, but the workout is amazing and not harsh on the body, joints, etc. You’d be amazed at what an incredible aerobic workout you will get. If you haven’t swam in awhile, the first few times aren’t much fun, but once you get into a bit of swimming shape, you’ll be amazed at the workout. You get same aerobic highs from a good swim workout that you can with running or aerobics class.</p>

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<p>WHAT - it is possible that you have a severe sprain - which actually can be worse than a fracture - or something is torn - but that said - you probably need to have it x-ray’d to make sure - and then it will be treated accordingly. It is impossible to tell a sprain from a fracture without an x-ray - they can look and act alike.</p>

<p>It is possible that it can be treated with a walking boot - which gives great support to the foot/ankle area - which can be removed - and yes - swimming may be a very good alternative for aeorbic exercise that you feel you need - water therapy can be awesome - as one doesn’t really have to use the injured lower extremity at all - it can be dragged - also water walking/running will also give you what you need.</p>

<p>But that said also - you need to find out what you injured - and how significant this injury is - if it does not heal correctly - you won’t be able to do those joint pounding things - like running - because it will hurt - and put yourself at risk for further/other injuries.</p>

<p>Get it checked out - then make a good plan that works for you - it can be done - without causing further injury - as this will be a weakness if you don’t. Don’t worry about telling the doc exactly what happened - they need to know - just do the best you can.</p>

<p>Your best bet is to see an orthopedist - not a podiatrist…</p>

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<p>WHAT - one thing you CAN do for some aerobic exercise is ride a bike - but without the bike LOL - lie on your back and do leg pumps that similate bike riding - include your arms by pumping them as well. (you don’t have to use your ankle/foot at all - this will raise your heart rate - maintain it for as long as you can - if the injured foot bothers you - ‘ride’ with just one let and both arms - this can be done on the floor - or on the edge of a bed as well.</p>

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<p>have had my knee give out and twist inward, and kind of crunch, and it hurt like hell, but I had no known damage (other than a propensity for this to happen).</p>

<p>Once you deal with your foot, you really need to work on strengthening your muscles. Strong quads and core will make your joints more stable and decrease risk of injury.</p>

<p>I know, as someone who is “double jointed” I depend on my muscles to keep my extra flexible ligaments in line ;)</p>

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<p>I think it comes down to how much the OP really wants to get better and to return to the aerobic/yoga exercise - not doing anything will curtail that for a long time - fixing it and rehabing it the right way will get her back on track far quicker and safer than ignoring it and keeping fingers xxx’d.</p>

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<p>several years ago I missed a step, fell and landed on my left foot with all my weight. It swelled immediately pretty big, so I went to the ER where they did x-rays. Showed nothing… so it was treated as a bad sprain. Many months later (and after some physical therapy) I still had a small twinge of pain, so I followed up with an orthopedic who recommended an MRI - it didn’t show anything, so he ordered a CT. It showed I had chipped a tiny part of some bone on the outer portion of my foot, that continued to rub and irritate anything in the area. So I eventually had surgery to remove the little bugger, and after recovery (and more rehab), it was as good as new (minus a little scar). </p>

<p>One thing I learned about the initial time after a foot injury - they hurt like the dickens when you stand up after having had your foot propped up. The blood rushing to the area is excruciating. I would crawl sometimes within the house just to avoid the gravity of blood rushing to my foot!</p>

<p>From my experience then, had I stopped with the x-ray, I would probably still have some pain today, but doc insisted on an MRI, then CT, which eventually showed the tiny piece of bone. So be persistent until you get some answers.
Then be diligent with rehab. Any good PT will have some excellent suggestions for getting your heart rate up until you can resume your normal activity.</p>

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<p>See a podiatrist - they are the best for foot and ankle pain. I tripped in my home and limped around for almost a week before seeing a podiatrist. I had a break in my joint and if I had waited any longer I might have had to have surgery. I thought it was just a sprain - I was wrong. Don’t take the chance - see a podiatrist right away.</p>

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<p>Somebody suggested riding a bike. You could also try an elliptical machine. It is fairly low-stress on the joints. Your ankle will move a little bit, but I always did the elliptical as part of my rehab after spraining my ankle last year. Had to keep cardio up because I was at the end of one sports season and into the start of a second while I was doing rehab.</p>

<p>You said you had gotten in the tub and relaxed in hot water for awhile… did your foot swell up significantly right after that? Immersing your foot in that hot water wasn’t the best of ideas right after an injury like that.</p>

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<p>I have asthma too & while I was going swimming with D, the chemicals they use in the pool now seemed worse than chlorine.
But at the gym I alternate between rowing, eliptical & upright bike- usually two of them each session depending on which muscle groups I am working on with the weights.</p>

<p>I couldn’t do the eliptical machine until I built my leg muscles more after I had overuse injuries. I also don’t do the stair climber anymore even though I used to love it.
Its hard to go slow once you start feeling better- but if you go too fast you risk injuring yourself, but drinking lots of fluid helps your ligaments heal.</p>

<p>My favorite is the rowing machine though- even though the one at the gym is old school- no video competitors like at the other gym- but it feels natural & I am looking into doing some kayaking.</p>

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<p>emeraldkity4, I just read a great article about those old fashioned rowing machines. Said they are one of the absolute all around best work out machines out there. Also said that most of the time they are under used at gyms because very few people know how to use them correctly. I had to chuckle as the one at our gym is almost always empty and the few times I tried using it, I felt like a dork and couldn’t figure it out. This article did however also do a nice explanation on how to properly use one. Think I might give it a shot.</p>

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<p>[I felt like a dork and couldn’t figure it out

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</p>

<p>You should have seen me use one when I was very, very pregnant… not a pretty sight! If I could use it then, anyone can use them.</p>

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<p>I just wanted to thank all of you for your posts. </p>

<p>To answer some of your questions, I know that getting in a hot bath was probably not the smartest thing, but soaking in a hot bath is my default way of forcing myself to relax when all else fails. This was soon after the injury, and I can’t say if it made me swell any worse. I didn’t notice much swelling until the next morning, and I wouldn’t say that it was horrible. What was horrible was the pain that I felt when I got out of that tub though… And I did crawl up my stairs that first night.</p>

<p>I am kind of afraid of doctors. :frowning: I am thinking that it is probably a sprain, but I don’t know what I will do if they tell me that I need surgery. I am pretty terrified of medicine, anesthesia, and hospitals. Believe me, it’s totally justified (whole other story). </p>

<p>But I will see about getting an orthopedist.</p>

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<p>Well, if you’re not willing to see a doctor, you might want to talk to a physical therapist. They specialize in making sure you don’t compensate for one injury by creating other problems. (A friend is currently in intensive physical therapy for the injuries caused by not getting a twenty-year old ski injury properly taken care of.) </p>

<p>If it were me, though, I’d see a doctor yesterday. You could have a break. And tendon and ligament repair is a lot easier if you don’t tear it further.</p>

<p>As for anesthesia, on your leg they would do a femoral block. This is an injection into the femoral nerve in your leg. Surgery is painless and you’re awake; the technology was really improved as a result of the Iraq war, where leg injuries have been common. I had a femoral block and spinal anesthesia (not general) for my cancer surgery (along with a sedative) and woke up with no problems at all–general anesthesia makes me vomit for days.</p>