Dec 15 2011
16wk Update
Since my last update, I found myself getting a little frustrated with the slow pace of my progress. My working theory has been that the best way to rehab my injury was simply to use it- skate, bike, ski, walk, etc.
I’ve been rethinking that a lot lately- and have decided that while it may be true in the long term, right now I need to re-focus on specific exercises and activities for Achilles rehab. So, I made some changes, the biggest being that I’m now spending 2 days a week, working solely on strength building for my Achilles and calf.
“PT day” at the gym
I’m taking my own advice, and approaching this like a bodybuilder: I’m working my calves hard, 2 times a week, being sure to give them sufficient time to rest and recover.
Muscle tone has improved a lot.
I’m making a gradual shift in my nutrition program too; rehab is more about muscle (re)building now. So, more traditional high protein, less Jello, weaning off the kelp, enzymes, and such. Basically, I’m consuming what I have left, but not restocking the tendon specific supplements. I am trying to decide if I think my normal (vegetarian BTW) diet may have had deficiencies contributing to my initial ATR injury. I might decide that I want to make a long term adjustment to maintain tendon health (Jello once a week or something)…
I still have some atrophy issues to resolve. Good view of my scar status here too
After my battle with insurance, PT is now wrapped up for me- I’m on my own from here on out. I’m OK with that, my sense being that I was getting diminishing returns anyway. Through my job, I can access 4 additional (on-site) PT sessions with a new therapist- I plan to take advantage of that in January, just to get a fresh perspective and maybe some new ideas.
Balance is improving
I’ve have reached one important (seems to me) milestone. Up until recently, whenever I’ve worked my injury, I’ve felt like the injury itself has always been the limitation. I’m not sure if my Achilles has just gotten stronger, or if my calf has continued to get weaker, but that’s not always true now: If I’m careful, and doing fairly high reps, I can actually work my calf hard enough that the calf itself fatigues/fails. Usually, it just hurts so bad (up high, away from the injury, a good weightlifting “burn”) that I have to quit 
Lastly, I’ll mention that I’ve been working through another physical impediment during the last couple weeks. I crashed hard on the skis… for a while I thought I might have broken ribs. Turns out, I dislocated one, but I spent 10 days struggling with that before finally getting it popped back into place. My inability to breathe, all around hurting, and just generally being miserable surely contributed to my frustration. On the plus side, the down time gave me time to re-assess my plan/progress, and so perhaps it will end up being a good thing- getting me back on a more productive path.
11 responses so far
Sorry about your rib. Ouch. It does look like progress though. I keep wondering when I will get on a Bosu again. I’ll be interested to see what you come up with for diet. My trainer thinks my diet may have contributed to my injury and I think he is probably right.
ryanb,
I’ve read your blog and am very encouraged. My goal of March 19 seem’s reasonable even knowing that I will be tired and sore at the end of each day of umpiring. Thank goodness it is college and I will be on a 3 man crew so that will help somewhat. March 19 will be almost 14 weeks, so I feel comfortable with that. Hopefully getting back to using the bike at 12 weeks and working the cross country ski’s a little. I’ll keep following your blog. It’s mentally and physically encouragiong to see how far you have come.
ryanb,
Your video worked fine for me, and I found it very inspiring. You are running, and doing a bodybuilding calves routine which I thought would not be possible until five or six months into the recovery process. I notice very little atrophy, and from the video, it seems your injured leg is strong. Is that a single leg raise you are doing?
Thanks Housemusic; I guess you’d call it a single heel raise, but I’m taking some weight off with my hands. I won’t give myself credit for THE “single heel raise” until I can pound out a set with my full bodyweight
Wow Ryan, this was awesome! It truly looks like you are near 100% already. I can not believe you are only 4 months since your surgery. Absolutely amazing and inspiring to me!
Ryan, this is awesome! I am a newbie to the blog site, surgery was Nov 10 and tomorrow I finally get cast off and go to a boot with 2 wedges, 1st week still nwb but my question is, all the different boots out there, will I be able to remove for showering? I cannot wait to wash and shave my leg! Please give me your thought
2o4d: I went from the post surgical cast, into a removable splint - at day 5. I gave my leg a sponge bath (& shave) a few days later. Infection is a big risk, and you won’t want to get the wound wet until it’s healed up pretty well - but if you’re more than a month out, that shoudn’t be an issue. I started getting it wet at day 17. 2 days later, the doctor told me it was OK to start doing that (oops, I was a couple days early). I was very worried about slipping in the shower, and didn’t mind the extra security of having my splint on (bagged) up until that point. For quite a few weeks, I perceived the shower as being one of the most dangerous places to be… so be careful.
Thank you for responding so soon, I am 5 plus weeks out now and have a shower seat so I wouldn’t even remove the boot until I was seated. I just want to be able for some air to get to leg for a bit! Longing for the day I can put my foot down!
Ryan,
What a great video! It is tremendously inspirational to see you running only 14 weeks after your ATR… and doing sooo much with your leg! I can’t wait ’til I can get moving in two shoes again, but you know, I gotta’ wait
I’m looking forward to seeing so much more great progress and sweet video production from you.
Video was actually @16 weeks… but what’s 2 weeks between friends
Post is also a month old- I’ve just been going through my old posts, doing a little clean-up, repair, and updating (which percolates them back up to the top).
Glad you made it percolate back up to the top, Ryan, because I’d otherwise missed your response to my video problem! (That’s the price of curing an AB.com addiction!
) It plays fine now, even up here in Canada, thanks! Nice video, too, even if it is “old news”.
BTW, reading your posts, I’m surprised how similar your mental habits and approaches seem to my own. (Lots of my friends and associates would say that’s SCARY, of course!)