I'm pretty happy with how it went and I'm looking forward to meeting my specialist today to discuss my next steps (I'm also keen to discuss my blood clot that ended up in my lung).
Its 2 shoes time, a major goal in anyone whose had an Achilles rupture. I now need to pay great attention to what I wear and how I wear it. Gone are the days of just slipping on a pair of flip flops to lounge about in.
Flip-flops are popular in the summertime, and I have to admit I've worn them far too frequently in the past. Working from home I became lazy and being constantly barefoot made me resent wearing normal footwear. So, I always just slipped on some flip flops whenever I left the house. Sadly they aren't that great for your feet and they're certainly not suitable for me post Achilles recovery.
Researchers from Auburn University in Alabama concluded that;
“when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which can result in problems and pain from the foot up into the hips and lower back.’’
Researchers used 39 men and women who wore either flip-flops or athletic footwear. Vertical force was measured as their feet hit the ground using a special platform. Video cameras were also used to record gait, particularly stride length and limb angles.
They found that subjects wearing flip-flops took shorter steps and had less vertical force than those wearing athletic footwear. It seems that flip-flops don't allow the wearer to bring up their toes up as much when the leg swings forward. This causes a larger angle to the ankle and the inevitable shorter stride which it seems is caused by the tendancy to grip flip-flops with the toes.
While this doesn't mean you shouldn’t wear them, be aware of your foot, ankle and lower leg health and only use them for short periods. For the beach or traveling on a plane they are great. Just remember they do not support the foot and ankle during all-day wear. When fatigue kicks in you will loose ankle stability.
Mine are restricted to flights to Hawaii and being on the beach in Maui.