Rehab: Cheever - Entry 4
Well I haven’t updated this since 5 weeks post op. This upcoming Friday will be 13. Here is the news I got and what I learned.
I got a tubular repair done to my achilles. Not sure any information on that particular method beyond that.
Almost 4 weeks ago I saw a specialist here in Park City. Dr. Tim Beals. Beals has diagnosed two ankle breaks on me before and scoped both my ankles. He helps out the US Snowboard and Ski team a bit too, plus the guy keeps it real.
Beals biggest concern with Achilles injuries are tendons healing elongated. I mentioned weeks ago, can’t push on a rope. Well, at 8 weeks I came out of the boot a few hours a day (a protocol that some athletes use) and started getting some range back. I followed up with Beals and he said… the tendon takes 3 months to heal. Achilles have poor blood flow and in all honesty, stay in the VACOcast for a few more weeks and we’ll come out of it if all looks well then.
Well, when I am at my training facility I usually am not wearing a boot, I wear a sneaker with a 2 inch heal lift to prevent dorsi-flexion. When I am not training, I am in my VACO cast at 10 degrees plantar flexion.
I have been working my calf out like crazy (doctors orders) and have been making noticeable progress. I guess I am rehabbing between 8-12 hours a week and am training in the gym another 15-20 on top of that… so yes I should be noticing progress.
The biggest thing with major injuries like this, is patience. I told Beals I want to compete in December at my first World Cup in Austria. He told me, it is reasonable to do that, but I need to keep after it.
Well… that is what is getting me up every morning.
Beals also let me know that some studies have showed that vibrations help healing. I spend 5 minutes a day on a vibration plate I have at my facility. Most information says between 20-40 hz is the way to go with vibration.
I have been keeping in touch with two friends who have ruptured their Achilles in the past. One is just returning to sport at the 6-month mark, the other took a year off. Although he was 10 years older than me when he did his.
Right now my rehab exercises are as follow:
warm up (walking or bike)
3×15 two up, one down calf raises on a shuttle with 36.5lbs
walking on my toes at max plantar flexion then 50%
some balance work on a foam pad with a 4 inch block at the heal
and shooting some hoops
there are a few other exercises i alternate in. partial weight bearing on my operated side only with one leg.
I am also in the pool doing calf raises. I wear water shoes with a heal lift in the pool
At the 11 week mark I started noticing my calf muscle coming back.
Things are slow and frustrating… but are coming along.
I have been updating my youtube channel weekly if anyone is interested.
some skit comedy, some injury talk.
http://www.youtube.com/teamcheever