Foot and leg strengthening exercises aft Achilles tendon lengthening?

[mj23]

Does anyone know any good exercises?

[hlh]

What did the surgeon recommend? Didn't you go to PT after the surgery? Did they give you a home program?

[mj23]

No he told me to get my foot and leg stronger. I'm a walking quad. Ever since the surgery I feel like I limp a little more but he said that you have to strengthen your foot and leg now cause its weaker.

[graybeard]

How long ago was the surgery?

[mj23]

6 months ago

[hlh]

Get a script from your primary care doctor for a short course of PT.

Until then - walk, walk up stairs a lot, and do this exercise...

Stand up on your toes, then back down. UP, then down. 15 time in a row without stopping. Rest. Repeat. Try it on one leg alone. Hold on to something lightly if you need to. Then do the other leg.

Then hold weights in your hands or have ankle weights on while you are doing it.

[roc21]

calf raises will be good for foot/ankle/calves...u can do them standing or seated ...for leg..either extentions(for quads)..or hamstring curls(for hamstrings)...there are more but those are the most basic....click my signature link for exercises, there are descriptions and pictures for these ..

[mj23]

Thanks roc21, do them without my afo right? I know calf raises for sure. Also won't calf raises cause my foot drop to come back?

[roc21]

Thanks roc21, do them without my afo right? I know calf raises for sure. Also won't calf raises cause my foot drop to come back?

i would think if u can walk, u have function in your ankle and foot drop wouldnt be an issue...isnt foot drop a problem with those with no function in lower limb,, i dont have footdrop, i have muscletone and can control movement in my foot/ankle, so im not sure about that.

[mj23]

I had a herniated disk wen I was in the hospital

[graybeard]

mj23--

I had this operation also. Be careful with the exercises, you do not want to re-injure it by overexertion. I was told the tendon takes a year to completely heal.

Ease into putting your legs through heavy workouts (weight lifting, leg press). You have remarkable function. the leg will be weak in the near term, and may not return to full strength, but of course, the trade off is more flexibility of the ankle. Slow and steady is the best for now.
Best of luck to you, keep posting your progress. Very interested in how well you do.

[mj23]

thx for the advise graybeard

[Saranoya]

I've had this operation multiple times on both feet. It somewhat weakens your tendon, so be careful not to put too much strain on it. Although, it's been a while since the actual operation for you, so I would just try not to do anything that actually hurts.

As far as I know, the others are on the right track telling you to do stair steps, and other calf-strengthening exercises. However, if you have spasticity in your calf muscles, and if this is one of the underlying causes of the original shortening of the tendon, then you may want to take care not to make them *too* strong. In my experience, the stronger the muscle, the more spastic it will be; and then you might be right back where you started in a couple of years.

Good luck.

[mj23]

thx Saranoya