Three Weeks Out - Physical Therapy, Recovery, and Questions

Hey all, sorry it's been a while - things have been busy. Last post explained my first post-op visit and left off with me excited for my first PT appointment. I went to a nice place in the Longwood Medical Area (for non-bostonians, that probably won't resonate) where they were recommended by my surgeon due to the volume of compartment syndrome afflicted patients they receive. I was still somewhat apprehensive that I might be assigned to a physical therapist that would not have significant experience with CS, but those worries were quickly placated when I met Jerry, who seemed to know his stuff.

He explained that for another week and a half, calf/ankle stretching and some very simple calf/ankle strengthening exercises would really be the only PT I would be doing, as the legs are still healing from the trauma of surgery. At about 4 weeks post-op, he explained, is when the real physical therapy would begin, with some bicycling, and, in his words, "massaging the hell" out of my legs (I assume that, among other things, it goes to break up scar tissue).

Interestingly, a reader of this blog named Tom has mentioned that his doctor advised that he should start running as soon as he could in order to break up the scar tissue. This seems to be in direct conflict with what both my surgeon and physical therapists have advised - Namely, to absolutely not run at least for the first 6 weeks, and to err on the side of not pushing it in any activity one might find themselves in. It seems that there is obviously two things that need to happen post-op - your legs need to heal, and scar tissue needs to be broken up (obviously there are additional factors, such as strengthening, but these two seem to be the crux of this conflict) - Now I would assume there would be an optimal time where the healing of the legs would reach a point that increased efforts to break up scar tissue would not compromise the recovery - the question is when that point is. So if anyone else who has been advised by a doctor as to what point they should begin running activities (and keep in mind that in both cases 4 compartments were released on both legs) then please speak up!

As for general updates on leg ability, I now can be on my feet all day with barely any pain, although I sometimes encounter swelling late in the day, however it is not too significant. Yesterday I walked all over the city, probably a combined two or three miles, with minimal discomfort. Stairs pose no issue. My right leg is still a little behind my left leg, in that the calf is tighter and flexibility is just not as far along. But overall they are still gradually improving. Next physical therapy appointment is Wednesday, so I'll keep you guys posted.....