Hello all
About 10 days ago I pulled or possibly partially tore the Achilles tendon in my right foot whilst playing squash. My GP thinks it may be a partial rupture and so advised me to be careful with it. Three days after the injury, I moved my car from the place where my squash partner had parked it for me to its usual spot in our residential car park. Even over this short distance, though, I found driving very unnerving - I found that when depressing my foot on the brake pedal for any period of time, my ankle would weaken and my foot would go limp and lose pressure on the pedal - like brake fade in the foot! The harder I pressed, the more my foot would resist.
I've therefore not driven for the last week, and have been making a painful and lengthy bus journey to work instead. I've been referred to the physio for further inspection of my foot and whatever treatment is necessary, but in the meantime, I was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience. Is this common? Could you make adjustments while driving? How long did it last? A forum search finds someone who had a complete rupture in their left foot a few years ago, but that's all. Anyone had any right-foot troubles?
Obviously only I can judge whether or not I'm safe to drive, but it would be useful for me to know if this is par for the course, and how long I can expect before I get better. Thanks.
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GP,
I posted on here a few years ago after snapping my right Achilles and was wondering whether one can drive an auto left footed, as that was my plan. In fact, I was plastered up for 10 weeks and couldn't drive at all. After the plaster came off, my right calf and foot was very very weak, but I was driving the same day, as I am a contractor and couldn't afford to take time off. But I had a practice somewhere quiet to make sure I could apply full braking pressure, as that's the key to this - are you safe? I was able to drive the car reasonably normally although against the "nannying" advice, which I didn't seek. If you adjust your driving style, you hardly ever need to apply the brakes more than gently, maybe why my pads have now done 70000 miles!
As for the injury, don't let it stop you and let pain be the gauge of what you are doing. Yes, it's very painful, but life has to go on. I was told I wouldnt run again for a year but i got that down to 4 months and made a full recovery, although i still get pain. There are good exercises (google) to help you make a speedy recovery. Best of luck.
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>>As for the injury, don't let it stop you and let pain be the gauge of what you are doing. Yes, it's very painful, but life has to go on. I was told I wouldnt run again for a year but i got that down to 4 months and made a full recovery, although i still get pain. There are good exercises (google) to help you make a speedy recovery. Best of luck.
Good advice. Once the initial trauma pain is over, pain from extending yourself can be a great indicator of healing and progress. I broke my ankle once running (awkward landing off a high kerb) and ruptured one achiles tendon playing squash - both plaster jobs. Walked as soon as I could and drove soon after - probably shouldn't have but it was an auto and I honestly felt 100% safe and able to push very hard on the pedals. I got through 5 plasters in 6 weeks at the hospital just wore them out walking everywhere and now 20 years on, my broken ankle aches far less than than the unbroken one after a jog (not run!) or long walk. I was told by the physio to gently stretch the damaged tendon/ankle as much as I could stand which I did and still do now.
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Thanks both for good advice. I'm going to take the car out today or tomorrow on quiet roads and make sure I can do an emergency stop if I need to. Like Bazza I try to drive in a 'responsive' rather than 'reactive' way and minimise my brake usage, but you never know when the unexpected is going to happen. It's good to hear that two people who clearly injured themselves worse than I did made such speedy recoveries.
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If you have a foot in plaster, then you shouldn't drive, apart from the fact that any unnecessary strain on the injury will more than likely only delay recovery.
I broke a bone in my right foot six years ago and drove myself to the A and E department.
It was X-rayed and then the foot was put in plaster. I was asked how I had got to the hospital and told not that I shouldn't drive, but that I couldn't. End of story.
In fact the doctor involved followed me out to ensure that I didn't drive and was quite prepared, he said, to phone the police if necessary...:-)
My younger offspring, who lives some distance away, eventually had to come and pick up my car after I had got home by taxi, having realised quite quickly that any attempt to drive was out of the question
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