Jul

16

About 6 months

July 16, 2013 | | 3 Comments

Haven’t posted in awhile, but this Thursday I visit the doctor for the final time (good chance he’ll clear me for everything).

Just an update on the physical activities that I have been doing lately…

For the past two months I have been doing a lot of strenuous hikes (the most strenuous was the Upper Yosemite Falls hike in Yosemite Valley).  My Achilles was sore for a week (also both my legs) but after that it felt fine.

I have also resumed my normal mountain biking workouts which is about 10-15 miles with about 1000 ft of elevation gain.  It seems biking is the best type of therapy for me.

I haven’t gone back to basketball yet where I ruptured my Achilles, but I will after I feel like I can jump with full force again.  I’m up to doing 6 single legged calf raises without support.

Still a little bump on where the surgery is…but it hasn’t swelled up in awhile so thats good.

May

23

Resting helps - 19 weeks

May 23, 2013 | | 3 Comments

Spent 6 days in cancun….just relaxing, going to the pool and snorkeling…no exercise and a lot of eating/drinking.

got back to san diego and can do three complete toe raises before breaking down my form on the 4th and 5th one.

couldn’t do one before the trip….so rest and don’t overwork!

May

6

Toe Raising Progression

May 6, 2013 | | Leave a Comment

Sorry if this has already been posted but I did a search and couldn’t find it.

I have been following this plan for the past 4 weeks…on phase 2 now…seems to be working.  The toe raising section is near the end of the document.

http://www.massgeneral.org/ortho/services/sports/rehab/Achilles%20repair%20rehabilitation%20protocol.pdf

Apr

26

Finally got to do real Mtn Biking 15 weeks

April 26, 2013 | | 6 Comments

Decided I was ready to go mountain biking for real yesterday and went with my brother who is a doctor (just in case I got hurt).  Anyways, was only planning on doing three miles but ended up doing about 9 miles.  Here is the link to the workout http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/198373526

I am happy I was able to do the 9 miles without any pain or falling off my bike.  My balancing was off a bit, but other than that there were no scares.  I also wore an ankle brace but not sure if that would help prevent achilles re-ruptures.

I say at week 12, my achilles and calf were pretty weak.  I was sore on my achilles pretty much every night until the beginning of week 15.  That’s when I decided to go do some real mountain biking.

Still working on that single legged calf raise!

Apr

9

3 month post-op follow up

April 9, 2013 | | 8 Comments

The doctor was happy with my results and told me I can start jogging, biking, play golf, and any other activities that does not involve plyometrics (basketball, tennis, etc)

I was very happy with the visit except for one thing.  Doctor told me to do a heel raise on my ATR foot and I told him that was impossible…his response was "why?  does it hurt?"  I told him that I’m not strong enough but he insisted I use a table to assist myself.  I did the heel raise but I felt like I only pushed 60 pounds.  Man, the doctor didn’t look too happy. He told me to see him again in 6 weeks and he expects me to be able to do a heel raise on my ATR foot unassisted.  I guess I have a goal now and I’m afraid he will only clear me if I am able to show him next time.

Apr

2

11.5 week update

April 2, 2013 | | 4 Comments

Been walking in two shoes for more than a week and still have a limp.  It’s a bit painful when I try to walk  with good form.  Limping makes the pain go away.

There is still a bulge where the surgery was done.  I’m going to get Graston a massage on my achilles area Wednesday….heard this helps.

Mar

25

10 weeks…now into 2 shoes

March 25, 2013 | | 3 Comments

Wearing shoes today and everything is feeling great (and light!)

Trying to walk with good form, but my mind is not there yet to walk without a limp without thinking about it.  Other than that, can’t complain.

Mar

8

8 week progress

March 8, 2013 | | 6 Comments

It’s been about 8 weeks since my surgery.  Physical Therapy has been slow on me.  They haven’t started strength exercises yet but still doing ROM and stretching exercises.

On my own, I have been swimming, walking in the pool, doing heal lifts in the pool, using bands to get calf strength back, and riding a stationary bike (resistance level 11 out of 20) and real mountain bike for 20 minutes a day.  I have also been walking the hallway in my house barefooted and almost can walk without a limp.  I tell my physical therapist I’ve been doing all of this on my own, but they still won’t do strength exercises during my sessions.  They tell me that I’m healing faster than normal but they say I have to be in 2 shoes first before I begin strength exercises.  I think I will find a new PT or not go to PT anymore and just follow the aggressive protocol that has been posted here.  I would like to thank everyone here for the great advice and updates that are posted!

Today was awesome…..I flexed my calf for the first time today and I saw my calf muscle in my right leg for the first time after surgery.

Tomorrow, I have the day off, so I’ll spend an hour in the gym working my calf strength and go to the pool.

I see my surgeon in 4 days..hopefully he’ll tell me I’m progressing quickly.

Feb

21

Change of Diet to Boost Healing

February 21, 2013 | | 2 Comments

Before my surgery, my family physician took my vitals, blood samples, and did a test that was new to me: "An Antioxidant Test. " This antioxidant test measured how much antioxidant is absorbed in the skin.  The higher the number, the more it meant that I was eating my fruits and vegetables.  I scored a 20, 000  out of 50, 000.  Below average : (

After my surgery, I had plenty of time to do research on the Internet.  I’m not sure if this has been posted but there was a publication on how high-dose vitamin C supplementation accelerates the Achilles tendon healing in healthy rats.  (See end of my post for a link and abstract).

After scoring low on the antioxidant test and reading the study I found motivation to eat healthier to help me heal faster (if possible).   I bought a juicer called the NutriBullet.  Everyday (well at least 5 times a week) I’ve been mixing in oranges, strawberries, bananas, kale, and broccoli and chugging it in one sitting.  For lunch I would buy juice with 300% of the daily value (DV) of Vitamin C from my local farmers market and drink it with my meal.  Everyday I would be taking in about 500% (DV) of Vitamin C and more than 100% DV of other antioxidant vitamins.

Yesterday, I saw my family doctor just to take the antioxidant test again.  I scored a 45, 000 out of 50, 000!

I’m not 100% sure if taking in high dosage of Vitamin C is working to quickly heal my Achilles tendon repair.  But I think it’s working.  The surgeon told me I was healing nicely last week and this week my PT said I was healing faster than normal.

Here is the article I mention earlier about rats receiving high dosages of Vitamin C to aid in healing its Achilles tendon rupture.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18309503

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

This experimental study was performed to assess, whether or not, vitamin C, required during the collagen synthesis, would influence the Achilles tendon healing in a healthy rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The right Achilles tendons of 42 healthy female Wistar Albino rats were completely ruptured. The rats were randomly divided into the vitamin C and control groups and both groups included third, tenth and twenty-first day subgroups. One hundred and fifty milligrams (1.5 cc) of vitamin C and 1.5 cc % 0.9 NaCl were injected once for every 2 days for the vitamin C and control groups, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative microscopic comparisons of the repair tissues of both groups were made on the mentioned days.

RESULTS:

Angiogenesis was more evident on the third day in the vitamin C group. There was a significant difference between the control and vitamin C groups regarding the type I collagen production on the tenth day. The structure of the repair tissue was almost in the form of regular dense connective tissue at the end of twenty-first day in the vitamin C group. Mean collagen fiber diameter was considerably higher, and the number of active fibroblasts in the repair tissue was slightly elevated in the vitamin C group during the entire healing process.

CONCLUSION:

High-dose vitamin C supplementation once for every 2 days has stimulating effects on the Achilles tendon healing because of early angiogenesis and increased collagen synthesis in a healthy rat model. Further studies are needed to make clear the mentioned encouraging effects of the vitamin C on the Achilles tendon healing.

Feb

19

5.5 Week Progress

February 19, 2013 | | 3 Comments

I have been going to PT once a week.  Today, the therapist told me that I was healing quickly and it was time to go faster than what the surgeon prescribed.

He massaged and worked my achilles for 15 minutes.  He stretched it pass neutral and it felt like my achilles was going to rip again but he assured me that it was good for me.

Next week (after week 6), I will be starting full weight bearing PT exercises.

I asked my PT about using the hinged boot feature before going into 2 shoes but he said that was unnecessary and I should go straight to the shoes when he thinks I’m ready.