Columbus, OH-Well everything is progressing nicely in my achilles rupture recovery. I am able to run with out much pain but still have that tight feeling all the time. I stretch and stretch and stretch and stretch but still tight. I have even started that P90x workout that requires some jumping around that is going well, but I still don’t get real crazy with all those jumps sometimes in the workout. I have been still favoring my leg just a little during my runs which I have almost completely corrected but not quite yet. There is a very different feeling in my leg, not any pain just a different feeling(It is just not the same anymore)..I hope that one day it will be back to normal but who knows. This injury has taught me patience and to everyone out there, don’t get frustrated..This thing takes a long, long, long time to heal. Go Bucks, Hey Walshie, sorry to hear about your BC boy Jags…
Author Archive for matts
9 Month Mark-Update
Columbus, OH-It has been almost seven months since all of this fun has started. I finally have the confidence that my achilles will not re-rupture and although it is not 100% back to normal, I am for the most part, normal again..Whew! I am able to run, squat, one legged calf raise and the pretty much everything else. I still have a little lump back there but I guess it is normal because there is no pain. When the Ohio weather is very cold, it reminds me that my achilles is still tight..I have not been as religious with my exercises like I have been in the past month, because I have been sick with the flu/cold and working alot. The treadmill is my friend now and I cant wait until it warms up again so I can run, bike and enjoy the warm weather, which I missed out this last summer..I have been pretty much been MIA, but I enjoy reading some of the other peoples post/fears/surgery/scars, etc. I was just there not so long ago. To the recent people with tears, keep your head up, it will heal, your life will move on and everyday healing takes place. You just are going to have to adjust your life for 6 months and that is the way it is..This takes along time to heal and no shortcuts with this race..I look forward to May 8th of next year to finish this race..Keep your heads up high and whatever you do..Don’t rush this thing!!!!!
6 Month Mark…
Columbus,OH-I reached some major milestones at the sixth month mark, I can FINALLY do a one legged raise on my bad calf..I started to do some running as well, 2 minutes on/ 2 minutes off..It feels really funny at first but it gets better. I just feel like I am landing on it wrong sometimes..No limp at all, even after running a bit..I am a retired softball/basketball player now. I am going to stick to biking/running/swimming from now on. Sorry it took me so long to post again, I have been staying busy, busy!! Hope all is well in AT land..My Achilles feels about 75% healed, I look forward to running again someday and not having to worry about this darn thing..
5 Month Check-up
Columbus,OH-It has been awhile for me posting any update, so here it goes. My achilles tendon is doing fantastic. It is still tight in the morning and needs to be stretched daily. I have started to jog on the treadmill, and what a strange feeling at first. I have upped my mileage to two miles every other day. I started jogging with one minute jogging and one minute walking and worked my way up..Go SLOW at first. My calf is still way smaller then my other one. I lift legs twice a week now instead of just once like before. I have zero limp when I walk and other then the just weakness of not having built up my muscle on the calf, it feels great other then that. Barely able to get off the floor with a one-legged calf raise, but getting better everyday. It takes a long time to heal, so be prepared for ever bit of a year before your tendon is 100% again..My tendon feels like maybe 80-85% healed right now and most days, I feel 100%..
Columbus, OH-After taking it easy, walking on the treadmill and doing the elliptical and bike, it was time for my fantasy football draft weekend. After alot of trash talking form my buddies, calling me ‘The Gimp’ and smart jokes about me snapping my other achilles tendon if I played ping pong, I was called out for a little cornhole. Well to make a long story short “the gimp” worked over his able healthy two achilles tendon friends. So I had to represent all of my fellow bloggers out there laid up and elevating there legs all over the world, that in just a few short months you will be back to normal, having a few beers with the guys or girls and back to normalcy…..
Columbus, OH-I posted an update a few weeks back saying that it was Day 94, but after taking my time and doing some re-counting, I was wrong and today is Day 94. In the first few months I had the exact number of how many days post-op like the back of my hand. I guess that means I have been getting better. Here is the update for the real Day 94..if you care..haha
I have made fantastic gains after hitting my plateau the last few weeks. The limp has all but disappeared from my walk and I have to say that it happened over night. One day I still felt that tightening up back there and literally it went away. I went back to work this week for the first time since April 30th and everything has been running smoothly(Except me that is…haha, not that funny, moving on then) and have been able to work 22 hours of overtime this week alone. No major problems at work. I have to tell you that it is great to have a pain free, limp free, somewhat fast walk now. I still cant do a single legged calf-raise yet although I thought I was close I must be wrong, because there is nothing doing yet in that department. I have been cleared by the doctor to start running but I am going to continue the bike riding and elliptical for a couple of months still. I do not have the need or desire to start running this early in the game. I have been able to maintain a comfortable weight and I think my body deserves a break from the daily grind I put on it that last 12 years of non-stop working out. I have been doing the stretches, ROM and biking almost everyday but I have taken a break from the bike and leg press since Tuesday and that is when my foot started giving me no problems at all, although I have done the ROM and stretches religiously. The AT still is tight in the morning, still not close to 100%, but at 13 1/2 weeks. I feel that my biggest change has happened from week 12-13 1/2..Thanks
The stages, NWB,PWB,FWB,2-Shoes with limp, 2-Shoes without limp, walk-jogging, slow jogging, jogging without pain, out-of-shape jogging, then back to normal jogging. I look forward to the next stage..
Columbus, OH-Week 12 is here and progress is a slow grind for awhile. I am almost able to do a one-leg calf raise and I have my final PT session on Wednesday where I test out on all my exercises and have been cleared by the doctor to return to work on Monday, August 5th. I walk up and down the stairs with no problem, ride the bike everyday and do two-legged calf raises, I also lift up with both calves and let myself down with the bad one, which is a great exercise. My leg feels good but stregth and stamina are still lacking. I also do one-legged leg presses, calf raises on the leg press, and leg extensions. I try to workout my legs 3 times a week and I have been back in the gym for the second week now working on my other core strength(Upper Body). I still do stretches also but I have incorporated lunges into my arsenal of leg building exercises. Up until about Week 10 is probably the hardest but now it is all gravy. Good Luck to everyone and have a safe, speedy recovery..Too much to fast is not the way to go!
Columbus, OH-I was just wondering when the best time was to try a one leg calf raise. After reading about the most recent doctor induced re-rupture of a one leg calf raise, I went to PT. My PT told me to try and do calf raises with both feet which is fine, but to let myself down only on my good calf. I tried it one time and felt a sharp pain back there when just on the one foot so I quickly stopped? When did you try/do a one legged stand. My PT says that I have to be able to do three sets of ten one legged stand before I can try to run? Does that sound right? Thanks in advance everyone!!
6 Weeks, 2 Days
Columbus, OH-I had my 4th PT session this Thursday and I walked around in my regular shoes for the first time and it felt GREAT! I warmed up on the bike as usual and then put on two shoes and walked back and forth with just a little help from one crutch which I barely used. Instructions from the PT were to start walking an hour or two at home in a “safe” enviornment. With the help of heel insert in the back of my shoe underneath the sole, I then did some leg strength work, balance on my bad ankle and were able to perform squats as well. ROM is almost as good as the other foot already. There is no limping at all when I was walking with two shoes which surprised me. You can feel that tightness in your AT when you stride but no pain, just tightness which is starting to go away ever so slightly everyday. I still am very careful and slow moving in the boot and will be extra careful when in two shoes. Just trying to strengthen my surrounding muscles for tendon support. Oh Yeah, I bought a new pair of New Balance running shoes so I will have as much cushion and support as I need. To everyone that is new to the site, good luck, everyday gets better!
Here are some pictures of my scar still healing on the bottom portion. I took these pictures a couple days ago and they seem to be healing very well. I also took a picture of the huge boot ala Dennis’ Pic. Thanks Marianne for the tip on how to post!