16 miles in the 26.2 journey
Today I noticed that I’ve completed 16.44 miles out of the 26.2 year-long achilles recovery marathon! I’ve run seven marathons, and I always thought of 16 miles as the “halfway” mark. I’m back to running and that has improved greatly the past few weeks. So, to commemorate this 16 mile halfway mark, I’m sitting on the deck enjoying an IPA and the mild June evening. Cheers achilles mates!
Stuart Said,
June 10, 2014 @ 9:21 pm
This is great news Kim. There have been a few enquiries about running of late so your experience can add to the mix. You should update your status to 2 shoes as no doubt you have been there for a while. Love IPA’s. On the other side of the world we have gone into the darker beers. My partner has made a chocolate stout which is served without refrigeration mainly because it was below freezing outside this morning. We make all of our electricity so in winter we can use less just by keeping things like beer outside.
sporti Said,
June 10, 2014 @ 10:07 pm
Congrats Kim!
tjwinsertional Said,
June 22, 2014 @ 11:22 am
I need to ask some more details about your status because I would like to compare with him. I am frustrated at lack of my progress: I still have pain walking particularly when going down stairs. When doing this, I have sting pain in interior of heel and I also have pain lateral at lower point of heel at one spot in particular. It feels like there is so l surgical area there. I take tramadol and gabapintin twice daily to deal with pain. Here are the notes from my surgery to compare: An incision was made posterolaterally. Of course I preferred to go medial but he has a previous Haglund’s type of procedure and I was obligated to use his old incision. Dissection was carried down through the skin and subcataneous tissues where the insertion of the tendo Achilles was identified. I took this down sharply. He had pain that located mainly laterally. I basically took the lateral side down completely. The medial side was only partially elevated, preserving the length/tension relationship. then exposed the posterior aspect of the os calcis. His area of maximum paindid indeed correspond with an area of a tendon that was significantly abnormal. An oscillating saw was used to remove the large posterior exostosis from the calcaneus. The was smoothed down with a rongeur. FOllownig this. I used an Arthex SpeedBridge to perform the secondary repair of the tendon. Fibertape was place in the tendon, and it was advanced distally. The distal anchors were then place and the tendon was then tided up with a small Vicryl suture. This secured things very nicely. THere were no problematic knots from the suture or large prominences. Once this was completed, I reapproximated the subcutaneuos tissue and subsequently, the skin in the interrupted manner. There are the notes. Just seems like I am not advancing like almost everyone else and as studies I have read would indicate. As I said I am frustrated and depressed.
normofthenorth Said,
June 22, 2014 @ 1:45 pm
tjwinsertional, I’m way far from an expert on Haglund’s-surgery recovery, but (a) I don’t think you’re anywhere near the first who’s had a long slow frustrating recovery, and (b) I have a suggestion for some symptomatic relief that may cheer you up:
Specifically, you’ve noted that going down stairs is especially painful, and that makes perfect sense, because walking down stairs is quite an extreme test of ankle and calf strength and flexibility. Fortunately, there is a simple “work-around” that can allow somebody with compromised strength and flexibility to walk down stairs perfectly normally — or at least so close that no casual observer would ever notice the difference. I’ve outlined this “trick” a bunch of times, including on one of my own recent blog pages. Here’s the short version:
Instead of placing your post-op foot square on the step down, put it much farther forward, about half on the step and half hanging out over air. Then when you step down to the next step with your “good” foot, let your post-op foot “roll” over the nose of the step without your ankle flexing. With a little practice, you should be able to find a good “target” for where exactly you want to place your foot, and how much (if any) flexion is painless. Of course, don’t start in your slipperiest shoes.or on an ice-covered set of outside steps!
tjwinsertional Said,
June 27, 2014 @ 7:55 pm
how do you setup a blog on this site? I am confused by the whole thing. The site seem so poorly organized with links on topics on the left in no particular order and the, I guess, blogs following, again in no particular order and on the right side there are comments listed out, again,in no particular order. How can one be sure they are getting good advice without being able to follow a consistent dialogue? I installed wordpress but when referring to the documentation steps I invariably and quickly reach points in the step by step instructions which appear to not follow the situation I have on my computer. What a shame as I think there might be people out on this site that could help me.
nick19 Said,
June 28, 2014 @ 4:35 am
@tjwinsertional - To set up a blog, drop a note to achillesblog@gmail.com with your username and a blog will be set up for you.
goldman Said,
June 28, 2014 @ 4:49 am
@tjwinsertional - do what nick19 said. You don’t need to install WordPress on your computer. Once you get a blog set up on this site, you can do everything thru the web browser.
atrbuff Said,
June 28, 2014 @ 5:29 am
Dear tjwhatsit
You set up a blog by referring to the instructions on the home page of achillesblog .com. Dennis, who set up the main blog way long before any of us used it, will set up the basics for you. Easy after that.
Most ATR guys here gain a great deal of benefit and support from this site. I understand that Dennis looks after it in his spare time, and that it is not some expensive, professionally manned website. If you can’t find something there is a search box.
Most items are in order - chronological order (because of worldwide time differences, the quoted time of day may vary from this order).
Your post concerning the site was written in a particularly critical manner, but I guess that this was out of frustration from following the wrong course of action.
Like it or not, you are in a situation that, although benefitting from positive action and thought, will still require considerable patience. If that is simply not you, I suggest that you use some of your new-found spare time to learn to chill a little.
janis Said,
July 9, 2014 @ 7:21 am
Kim, what great news! That makes me want to check my marathon progress.