It’s been my experience that an injury requiring intervention by an orthopedic doctor eventually requires some type of physical therapy.
When I was released out my cast to my walking boot, I was given the green light by my orthopedic doctor to start physical therapy.
My orthopedic doctor has a very strict regimen that he requires the physical therapist follow ‘to the letter’. The regimen uses ‘time from surgery’ as the benchmark as to what therapy steps can be offered at that moment and what’s next.
Following my cast removal and walking boot implementation, I immediately reached out to physical therapy with the number provided. I was told that physical therapy at my ‘first choice’ location would not be available for another 4 weeks.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I asked if there were any other options… and to my great relief, there were.
They had a satellite location that was not too far from my original choice that could start my therapy that Friday. SOLD!
The main reason I wanted my original location choice was pretty simple… it was close enough to my home where public transportation, i.e. Houston’s light rail, could be conveniently used. The location I ultimately had to select would require ‘Uber/Lyft’ services… but I was able to start PT ‘now’ vs. in 4 weeks. (Remember my long-term goal… to return to my ‘normal’ running as soon as possible. And this ‘immediate location’ was definitely a ‘means to that end’)
My PT was a very nice, petite, enthusiastic, and, best of all, knowledgeable person. We discussed the injury, i.e. the how’s and why’s and the anticipated timeline.
I told her of my goal, i.e. to run a half marathon at the end of October ’25… and we immediately got to work.
It’s also been my life experience that when something is right, good things just seem to happen ‘on cue’. Case in point… unknown to me when I made my initial appointment at this satellite location, their plan was to close that location at the end of December (it was currently mid-December) and move patients to the therapy location of my first choice.
I would only need to Uber for about 3 weeks when, at the start of 2025, I would be switched to my first choice location where walking/public transportation could easily work for me.
WINNING!
My therapy started slow… there’s nothing like picking up marbles with your toes and dumping them in a cup to improve your dexterity! (I did this A LOT!)
With every subsequent visit, my PT checked the provided/required recovery schedule. Each visit and ‘homework’ were filled with new challenges.
Some were fun.
Some hurt.
But all were geared to get me closer and closer to full recovery.
Milestones… we had them:
First bootless walk.
First stretch.
First leg press.
First heel lift.
First right leg balance while throwing a ball against a target and then catching it on the rebound while not touching the ground to steady yourself using my left foot.
It all worked.
This past Tuesday, May 20th, was my final PT appointment for my Ruptured Achilles. As part of this final visit, my therapist measured my movement in several areas and compared to these same tests just a scant 8 weeks ago.
While not 100%, I have achieved the following, i.e. 8 weeks ago vs. today:
Ankle lifts: ZERO to 10 in a row.
Ankle flexibility: -10 to +10 today.
Smiles everywhere!
It was then I heard my PT say… “You are being released from physical therapy.”
I graduated.
She then gave me a list of exercises for me to do on my own during my gym visits, and she made me promise I would send her a photo of me crossing the finish line at my ‘come-back’ late October half marathon race at Walt Disney World.
I promised.
And most definitely in this case… promises made will be a promise I WILL KEEP.
More normal!
Let’s talk! Feel free to email me at RupturedRunner@gmail.com.
Ruptured Runner 
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