Hey everyone. Here’s my 6 month update.

I visited the doctor on Nov. 7th and he gave me the go ahead for Plyometrics training. So I told my trainer this and he set me up with a program on the 20th, which was 6 months (minus a day) post op. I was pretty scared to be jumping. Each one of these steps is as big of a mental obstacle as it is physical it seems. My doctor and trainer both said I could do it, so I trusted their opinion and went for it. My trainer has me jump up and down, distributing my weight evenly when I land. I do as many as I can in 20 seconds, making sure I cushion the landing with about a 45 degree bend at the knees. I then jump forward 8 times and back the same amount. I do a squat jump, where I bend my legs knees 90 degrees and jump. I also jump side to side, both feet together and then front/back, each for 20 seconds. I then do a run/hop in place, then a side jump to one foot and a side jump back to the other foot, they call it an “ice-skater” if that gives you a better visual.

I’m up to 1.50 miles on the treadmill and am around 5-5.2 mph (roughly 8-9kph). I did get up to about 6mph for about a minute as he wants me working towards 6.5 mph. I really need to work on cardio! I’ll be up to 1.75 miles on Tuesday. I do the plyometrics 3 times a week and strengthening 2 times a week right now.

Strengthening consists of a one legged standing cable row with a little squat/bend in the knee, walking on tip toes, walking on heels. Plus calf raises, straight footed, then toes in heels out, then heel in-toes out, so I work all of my calf/ankle muscles. I also do one legged leg-presses, something they call a “running man” where I stand on my ATR leg swing my good leg up to 90 degrees, drop it back behind me while bending the ATR leg and tap my toe on the ground. A single trunk rotation with a 4lb medicine ball, touching the wall behind me both ways while keeping arms as straight as possible. I also do my jogging on this day as my trainer doesn’t want me jogging and doing plyometrics in the same day. I stretch before and after each workout also.

I’m still experiencing a fair amount of soreness in my ankle and foot (not around achilles though-which is good I think) and if I skip more than 1 day of exercising, I really get tight and have to really have to work on stretching it out before it’s functional. It’d be nice just to have a day or two where it feels normal again but I’m sure that’s a ways off. I also started getting out of the car normally and not like an old man (swinging both feet out first).

Hope everyone is heeling well.