My Fit-bit Friends are Making Me Sick! Week 17

My Fit-bit Friends are Making Me Sick!

I am getting stronger and stronger however my patience is a little on the downside right now when it comes to my fit-bit friends and all of these challenges. If you are into fitness and want to have others join you, Fit-bit is a great way to do this. The Fit-bit exercise family has fitness products that help you stay motivated and improve your health by tracking your activity, exercise, food, weight and sleep.

Before my injury, I had just bought my Fit-bit bracelet and was calling out all of my friends to get on Fit-bit and take part in some fitness challenges. What great times we shared with everyone working on being fit and having some fun along the way with all of the smack talking and tongue wagging. My friends knew that I was going to bring with both the walking and working out activity as well as talking a-lot of noise. I love challenges and love to win however as much as I hated to lose a challenge, I still made sure to push my friends to get their steps in and give me a little smack talk along the way.

During my injury, I still participated in the challenges however it was not that much fun watching the leader board and seeing my name at the bottom of the charts. I still talked a good game but my walking of course was just not up to par. Boy did I get hit from everyone challenging me to keep up and teasing me about being at the bottom.,lol. Let’s fast forward to today and now their smack talking is slowing down more and more as they all see that my steps are increasing daily.

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Just this week, I pushed a few people to achieve their highest rank of activity for their walking steps and they was gracious enough to say thank you and glad to see me getting healthy. I tell ya, when I notice that I’m a few hundred steps from being at the top of the leader board, my mind is saying let’s go to the track and run a few laps however can also hear my doctor saying that I still have a month or so to go before I can start running. I will not jeopardize or run the risk of a re-rupture because it has been a long road to recovery and I am thankful to be where I am today. There are a few more hills to climb, a few more therapy sessions and ice buckets to endure before we are fully recovered but until then, we will continue challenging others to push themselves to higher heights as well as develop their mental toughness with all of the smack talking on the challenges.
Keep Stepping Into Your Greatness!

P. Jackson

P.S. Click HERE to check out the Fit-Bit Movement!

Sports Injuries Podcast regarding the Achilles Tendon - Week 16

Sports Injuries Podcast regarding the Achilles Tendon - Week 16

We did a nice podcast show on these Achilles Tendon Rupture Injuries. The show is pretty long however I received so much value and information from some of the guests. An Orthopedic Dr. came on and shared the nugget of the day and I took action and I can feel the difference. Grab a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy the show!

Watch the Show Here!

Stay Positive!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a resource for your achilles tendon recovery.

Not Able to Run is Taken a Toll on Me - Week 15

Not Able to Run is Taken a Toll on Me - Week 15

Hello my friends, I must say that I really miss running so much! I miss jogging on the track, sprinting gassers on the football field and running through the neighborhood and being able to get that heart beating fast and sweat all over my head and shirt. Running has been such a big part of my life and I know from the bottom of my heart that running is directly tied to my core of who I am and by not being able to run, it’s starting to play a huge part in what’s happening with me right now.

I can see now why this injury is a tough injury to deal with not only physically but mentally. I must say that I my leg is getting stronger and pain free everyday and I am extremely grateful for this feeling.  In my therapy everyday, I still get my workout in with weights, sit-ups, push-ups, etc… however I do miss running so much! I miss it and no matter how well my leg is feeling I have to keep in mind not to rush and risk things because I would hate to go back to square one with a re-rupture.

I remember just a few months ago when  I first got injured and so soon after the surgery, I was coming up with so many ideas and plans that I wanted to get done all while I was laying up recovering. Now that I’m back on my feet and getting plugged in back to work, I’m left to wonder, what happened to  accomplishing some of these plans and goals? Where did the time or should I say the ambition go?

I have to be honest and call myself to the carpet on this, but I am really struggling with getting things completed. I find myself being overly cautious and measured in how I am attacking my business workload and plans. I know being cautious and measured when it comes to walking is part of the recovery process however I don’t need to let this sneak in and interfere with my mindset when it comes to work, goals and moving forward with the other parts of my life. It seems that when I can run, my thoughts, my attitude is to be aggressive and in attack mode.

I have been known to be a “Go-Getter” and it’s hard to be one when it seems like I am stuck in slow motion. I know that I have to be cautious with this injury and recovery process, however I need to I have to stay positive, optimistic and faithful and continue to grow from this injury and believe that I am going through this for a higher reason and purpose. The time will come when I will be back to running and doing many of the things that I was doing before and today, I have to literally take things one cautious step at a time.
Keep Moving Forward!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a resource for your achilles tendon recovery.

I Need to Pick Up the Pace - Week 14

I Need to Pick Up the Pace

This week has been a character building week for me I must say. Even though I am off of crutches, out of the walking boot and back in 2 shoes, it seems like my pace and mood has slowed down. I am in the routine of exercising daily and going to therapy 3 days a week and right now I am in a battle to stay positive and optimistic about everything. I am walking with no pain in my ankle and foot area however I am noticing that I am walking with measured steps. When I am walking and not thinking about the injury, I tend to walk smoother than when I am thinking about my leg and taking my time. I am also sleeping later in the morning that normal.

What is going on?

I heard this injury takes alot out of you in more ways than physical because of the length of healing and recovery time as well as taking you away from your normal day to day activities. For people that know me, they know that I walk fast and can get pretty animated in my day to day activities. Walking and moving in a measured slow pace is part of the healing process however for this measured slow pace to move up to my mindset, this is something that must be dealt with. It seems that everything is moving in slow motion and I’m just not used to this; and my friends are not used to it either. I received several phone calls last week from friends and they all asked me was I, because they didn’t hear the excitement in my voice like usual. I responded yes, everything is fine and that I am just taking things one day at a time and will be back up to full speed sometime soon.

You hear so many horror stories of re-ruptures and sometimes this can cause a sort of foot on the gas and brake at the same time mindset. The main thing I have to remember is to stay positive and optimistic, continue with training and therapy and not rush trying to get back to running and moving fast all too soon. I look forward to all of your encouraging comments and experiences and wish you well on your own healing.
Stay Inspired!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a resource for your achilles tendon recovery.

Protecting Myself from Myself - Week 13

Protecting Myself from Myself

Well, there is not much new to report this week, just taking things step by step with recovering from this Achilles tendon rupture. I am glad to be out of this walking boot however I must say that my doctor was absolutely on point on what he said to me after he g ave me the ok to ditch the boot. He told me to be careful with being in shoes because the one thing that the boot did was protect me from myself,lol.

Sometimes while I am walking about with my 2 year daughter and she decides to take off running, I want to chase after her and right now, I am in no position to take off fast and chase her. When I am walking with a group of people, instead of walking as normal as I can, I find myself trying to keep up and not wanting to slow the group down and I got to keep in mind that I am not 100% and the people know this and there is no shame in slowing anyone down.

The other day my cell phone was charging in the other room and then a call came in. I started to walk fast to get it before the caller hung up however I had to remember that I am still recovering and I can always call them back. These examples are just a few that occurs on a daily basis and my doctor statement really hits home when it comes to these experiences.

I am so very glad to be out of the boot however I must say that it will take some time to be comfortable in my everyday walking sessions. So please take it from me and my doctor, it’s good to be out of the boot however the boot did serve as a valuable protection resource for our injury and our personal safety.
Be Careful and Stay Positive!
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a resource for your achilles tendon recovery.

Finally, Two Shoes and it Feels Great! - Week 12

Finally, Two Shoes and it Feels Great!

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Uh oh, no more crutches, finally out of the walking boot and ready to leap tall buildings in a single bound… they call him TWO SHOES! Thanks Lewis Mcknight (my barber Holy Hands Barbershop) for the nickname! Well 2 out of the 3 above descriptions are true (leaping the building maybe a reach, lol) however I Thank GOD for the progress and His continued healing and for your prayers.

Wow, what can I say, I am finally out of the boot and into two shoes! After 2.5 months, the boot is off and all of my left shoes are screaming for joy. The doctor stated that when I am in a crowd place, I may want to have it on just for protection but for the most part, have at it, break those left shoes back in. I still have a slight limp but my therapist and doctor both agreed that this is par for the course until I build up strength and flexibility to allow full movement in both my ankle and achilles.

This is a major step in the right direction and I am taking it all in, as well as every phase of my ATR recovery. I am thankful to have this blog to journal these breakthrough moments, to follow other’s progress and share tips for recovery.  Thanks for reading this post and I ask you to please share your major breakthroughs no matter how small or large. Sooner or later, we will be back to 100% with our Achilles tendon and ready to take on the world in front of us.
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a resource for your achilles tendon recovery.

These Marbles are Not For Kid’s Play - Week 11

These Marbles are Not Just for Kid’s Play

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If you have ever suffered any type of foot, ankle or in most of our cases, an ATR, then you know exactly what I mean when I write about marbles. You sit in a chair and you have marbles on the floor for you to pick up with your toes and place each marble in a bowl or bucket. This simple exercise activity with marbles is a vital exercise to aid in our Achilles Tendon Recovery. I remember watching this exercise on the Kobe Bryant documentary showing his comeback from an ATR and I remember thinking that this will be an easy exercise. However, now that I am fully into my therapy, I now see how difficult it was at first and now I am getting stronger and stronger with my toes and foot.

It seems like yesterday when the therapist laid out about 15 marbles for me to pick up with my toes and how difficult it was to do this. I mean my entire left leg was aching and tired later on and I just couldn’t believe that all of this came from a simple exercise with toes and marbles could do this. Now we are up to about 60 - 70 marbles and to add to the challenge, my therapist now has added some different size marbles as well as a timer to the exercise drill. There is one particular large marble that is almost the size of my foot (well not quite that large) however it does take almost all of my toes to pick it up and this is a workout!

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It’s great to know that progress is being made in my recovery and I believe the same is happening with all of your recoveries as well. Going to therapy can be sometimes be time-consuming and not fun however keep in mind that what we put in is what we will get back, so let’s go in with a positive mindset and do what we can to make therapy fun and challenging at the same time. Get those toes to working and pick up those marbles!
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a small gift that you can read to assist with your achilles tendon pain.

It’s Hard to Watch Football Practice With an Injured Leg - Week 10

It’s Hard to Watch Football Practice With an Injured Leg

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I visited my Parents the other day and heard about my old high school football team (John Tyler H.S.) on the field at 5am for practice; Yes, 5am in the morning! Keep in mind, this is Texas High School Football and we are very passionate about our football. There seem to be over 100 players out there going through their drills, coaches hollering instructions and the film guys watching from the stands.

There were a lot of activity going on in preparation for the new season and like always, I was glad to see them live and up close. Mannn, of all seasons to be injured in, Why football season? Even though I haven’t played the game in over 20+ years, this time of the year, you can find me working with the wide receivers with their routes, ball catching, etc… and it never fails that as soon as I see a couple of players take it easy on the catch or route running, I usually make my way down on the field to share some knowledge of the game and position. I was blessed to play football in both the Collegiate and Pro ranks and even though I haven’t played the game in over 20+ years, this time of the year, you can find me working with the wide receivers with their routes and ball catching.

The thing that bothered me was the fact that, I couldn’t get too excited when a player made a nice catch or run because when I did, those sudden movements caught my injured leg by surprise. I had to sit in the stands and stay calm and this is so hard for me to do. Now the start of the season is here and I think for the next few weeks it will be in my best interest if I stay at home and catch the game on the radio or tv.

The great news is that, in a week or so, I may be cleared to start wearing shoes in public and if I do attend a game, I still need to take it easy, watch the game from the stands and not on the sideline. I know that if I am on the sideline, my football career may jump off again and if I see a football in the air coming my way, look out!

For all of you football fans, let’s get ready for some football! Take it easy with your injured leg and leave all of the jumping and cheering for the fans that are able to jump. As much as we all want these ATR’s to heal and get back to 100%, it’s just not worth the possibility of a re-rupture.
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a small gift that you can use during your recovery.

All of My Left Shoes are Ready to Boot the Boot! Week 9

All of My Left Shoes are Ready to Boot the Boot!

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I’m glad to be off of those crutches now it’s time to hit the next phase and get this boot off. Here I am in Dallas, Texas in the middle of a hot summer season and moving around this heat with the boot makes you wanna holler! I met someone in the store the other day and they mentioned that they had to endure the boot in the middle of a bitter cold winter season in Chicago of all places and their toes was almost frostbitten, so I guess I can say that it could be worse.

Well as you see, I can easily keep going on and on about the terrible, terrible things that we have to endure with this injury however that’s really not my style. I have a few more weeks to endure the boot so there is no sense in complaining, just take this part of the process all in stride with a smile on my face one day, one step at a time to a full and complete healing. Just to think that there was a time when my leg was in a cast and I couldn’t wait to get to the boot stage; funny how time flies when you are having fun!

Well, let me go to my closet and start digging out all of my left shoes because in due time they give the boot the boot and be back on my left foot. And to celebrate that accomplishment, I will probably write about how the left shoe feels funny or something,lol. In the meantime, keep giving your 100% in therapy, continue reading my blog and all of the other valuable content out here regarding the ATR recovery and  stay positive my friends!
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a small gift that you can use during your recovery.

No More Crutches For Me! Week 8

No More Crutches For Me!

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WOO HOOO!!!!!!!

I am feeling excited, ecstatic, elated, enthusiastic, etc…!!! Why? Because I am walking without the use of crutches! It’s been 6 1/2 -7 long weeks and I’m telling you my armpits and wrists are thankful that this time in my achilles tendon recovery has come. All in the matter of 2 weeks I went from 2 crutches down to 1 crutch down to using a cane and again I’m getting along without the use of any extra assistance. I went to my first physical therapy session on yesterday and it felt good to stand on my foot without the boot and do all of the exercises that the therapist asked me to do.

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I am feeling great however I do have to keep a little caution close by because I don’t want to rush anything and cause a re-rupture or something. I only want this injury to happen 1 time and this 1 time is enough. My doctor did bring me back to reality when he was discussing some future timelines for my injury and what to expect. When he stated that I could start light jogging possibly in the next 3-4 months, my eyes lit up however he further stated that I may not be at full speed (former NFL Player where speed was my gift) until another 8 months or so. Wow, 8 months? Oh well, like the younger folks say, “It is what it is!” I will take any progress as it comes and not get too ahead of myself when it comes to running and jumping.

I hope you are doing well on your recovery with this injury or whatever injury or challenging situation that you are faced with. Please keep in mind that no matter what the situation is, your mental game plays a Huge part and by staying positive and having an optimistic view long term is the only way to go. In the meantime, let me get back to my daily living activity called work and I will talk with you soon.
Make it HAPPEN!!!

P. “Action” Jackson
pjackson@theactiononline.com

P.S. Here is a small gift that you can use during your recovery.