And I was winning…….

Hello All,
Coming up on my 2 year anniversary. What a journey. Life is back to normal, no second thoughts when running, jumping, or biking. Back on the court full time, and actually beat the guy I had to forfeit to when I blew my AT. Racquetball going full time with no apprehensions to playing. So to my fellow ATR brethren…do your PT, push when you need to and you will be back to what you love to do in no time.
Take care

Doc Ross

Well it has been 6 months.  Every day is better, every day is closer to the end.  My activities of daily living are within normal limits.  I can squat, run, do a one legged calf raise and have no pain.  Staying away from racquetball for another couple of months.  

Here are the latest pictures of my ATR.  Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Make sure you’re doing your exercises and doing something every day.

Doc Ross

Well its been 4 months since rupturing my AT.  And….doing great. No pain, no limp, literally no stamina and no strength.  As in my past posts in the beginning you attain goals quickly……boot, cast, boot, NWB to PWB, showering, crutching, steps, no boot, two shoes, FWB, limp, no limp and now…..screeching halt.

My major goal now is to do a one legged calf raise.  Obvioulsy I compare to my good AT and boy do I have a way to go.  You would think that after a month of lifting this 210# body you could see some major strength gains but to no avail, just a chicken leg.  Started running, 10 minute miles or should I say mile, cause after one mile I’m exhausted. 

My routine at this point is 3X per week—run ( until I can’t), bike for 30 minutes, stretch, calf raises standing, sitting and then core workouts.  Twice a week I golf. walk 18 but afer 14 holes really feel the fatigue.  Tournaments I’ll ride to save energy and feel pretty good at the end of 18.  Still doing the nutrition, and watching my ATR weight gain steadily diminish.

Wear my orthotics every day except one day and noticed calf and knee soreness.  So for those of you in two shoes make sure you get them.  Seriously your gait, and biomechanics have permanently changed.  Talk with the surgeon, go to your chiropractor, or podiatrist and get casted.

Actually went on the racquetball court by myself to see how my lateral movement was and pleasantly surprised.  But……will not play until January 1, 2009.  Total torture for a highly ranked tournament player.  Plan on putting in my application for a tournament the second weekend in January.

That’s pretty much what’s going on now…not too exciting, slow progress, nice scar, great conversation starter ( way to go Matts) (DOG), and as you can see us veterans blog monthly rather than daily or weekly as we used to.

Keep up the great work, PT hard………we are one day closer to the end.

Doc Ross

Here are the latest of my left ATR…slowly getting strength back but no pain.  Limp at the end of the day.  Also found a company that makes orthotic flip flops…Bri, they are comfortable.  Trying to get my pictures of the Grand Canyon up for all to see but having some problems.

Let me know if you have any questions.  thanks all

Doc Ross

 

S’car Smoking at the Canyon

Well I’m back……

refresher on the trip….

fly to Vegas, small plane to South rim of Canyon, stay over night at Bright Angel Lodge, then 10 mile hike down to River, raft 5 days 4 nights, helicopter out to Bar 10 ranch, small plane back to vegas.   all this at 10.5 weeks

So was I nervous, anxious you bet….First having the weakness post surgery, not really exercising and not knowing what lies ahead made me concerned.  Flying was not a problem at all.  The hike was my biggest adversary– 10 miles of switchbacks in new hiking boots along with 100 degree weather made for an interesting day.  So at 5 am we were off…and for 7 miles I did great and then the burning kicked in…almost like my muscles said time to stop…but my mind said if I stop I may not start again…so I pushed thru the burning and interesting enough the burning stopped.  Also the burning was not along the incision or the gastroc but localized to the outer part of the leg.  So after 5 1/2 hours of hiking, heat and moving away (couldn’t really run) from a rattlesnake we were at the river.   Hard hike, especially with a 30# backpack but after undressing down to my skivvies the cold Colorado river felt great not just for my ankle but also for the rest of me…I had made it…

The rest of the trip was uneventful if you consider majestic views, great rafting, nature hikes, good food, camping, stargazing, laughing and meeting people from around the world uneventful.  I was able to participate in all the climbs, jumps off waterfalls and swimming.  If you have not been to the Grand Canyon I highly recommend it…. We used www.riveradventures.com

My only real bump came after camping at a very sandy spot,  swelling set in at night to the point that I soaked in the lake, did my exercises while looking at the spectrum of colors within the canyon…Not a bad place for rehab.

Will post some pictures of the trail and scenes but here is the post hike one

Post hike  

So there you have it…at 10 1/2 weeks thanks to the surgeon, and all of you for the advice, good thoughts, I couldn’t have done it without you….

If  you have questions about the trip let me know…Now back to reality, catching up on all your posts and my first round of golf this Sunday…

We are one day closer to the end.

 Doc Ross

tendon healing utilizing laser and E-stim

tendon healing utilizing laser and E-stim

Here is one on using Pulsed Ultrasound
using Pulsed Ultrasound

Immediate post op weight bearing….(goes against my opinion but ….)

Immediate post op weight bearing

Well had a good night sleep…Will try and take a shower today…Funny how the little things become so difficult and how we take things for granted.  Knowing that this is temporary helps and makes me appreciate how lucky we are.  I am coming to realize that I am not invinicible  and that returning to work, travel will have to be put on hold.  Being in solo practice will make this hard on me, patients and staff….although I know they will enjoy the time to catch up on paperwork. 

The time off will allow me to focus on the future, goals, and changes both personally and professionally.

Never saw the reason to ‘blog’ but realizing its just a way to vent, think, and find others going thru similar problems.  Will write on my physical state just as soon as I figure out how the day is going..Off to the surgeon for my post op tomorrow..now just trying to figure out if I can drive by myself…any thoughts on this..

Thanks

Ross