Leg Strength
Posted by mikerford on July 27, 2008
The thing that has most surprised me about this injury is how my leg strength has deteriorated. I am wokring with a 4 pound ankle weight to help with the quads etc., however, my calf is still very week. I am 4.5 months post op and still cannot walk on my toes. I have been doing double toe raises (standing and lifting myself on my toes, however, massively favoring my left - non-injured - foot. I see that Dennis is running by month five on a treadmill. Man, I would love to be doing that!
July 28th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Mike…
I have been doing the workout from ‘Maximum Calves’ by Health for Life. Great workouts, talks about how to workout, getting to fatigue, etc. Also stresses order of exercises, gastroc should preceed soleus, plantar/dorsi preceeds pronating and supinating. My surgery was March 6th almost 5 months and I am toe walking and able to do a one leg calf raise, stamina another issue but that’s what the next few months is for.
Look for the book, 55 pages on nothing but calf.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Doc Ross
July 28th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Some good info on exercises and motions that activate (or not) the gastroc. There is a page for the soleus too. Looks like I need to get out the jump rope and do some ‘hopping’.
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/Gastrocnemius.html
July 28th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Thanks for the tips. I am no where near jump roping yet. My physical therapist looked at me as though I was nuts. Then she said, walk on your toes. Still can’t do it on my fixed Achilles without the parallel bars. But today was very promising.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:57 am
Forgot to mention I’m about a week ahead of you and can’t yet raise up on the toes of the injured leg, without help from the other. I can walk on my toes now, and can raise up if my foot is past horizontal, meaning if my heel is off a curb and down, I can go to about level with one foot.