Feb 08 2012
Upping the ante
Things must be improving as I’m checking in here less and less.
I’ve managed some time on the water, some bike rides, plenty of general going about my day kind of activities and generally speaking I’m up and about relatively normally.
From a physio’s viewpoint, I have full range of motion and it’s all about building up the strength.
I’m doing heel raise and lower reps on steps and once I can do 20 without loss of height on my recovering Achilles then it’s time to load me up with a backpack and some weights to really build up strength.
Also that’s my official return to action ‘marker’ so I’m playing gentle until then 
Next step on the rehab program is treadmill work, with a ‘return to running’ program which should also help me with some cardio fitness and in turn trim the weight a touch.
Over the last 5 months I have actually put a little weight on, perhaps half a stone, but I guess this time of year I always put a little weight on through reduced time on the water and the Xmas excesses.
Perhaps my Achilles rehab program will see me start the 2012 season fitter than perhaps I started the 2011 one …. How about that for irony?
Hope everyone else is recovering well, they say 12 months, but I’ve been leading a relatively normal existence after 3-4 months. Everyone is different, but don’t look at the 12m as a fixed term repair and signifying the end of your life as you know it. Thinking that way messed with my mojo and it’s easy to believe that it could take that long as this injury really hits you like a juggernaut !!!!!!
Stay positive, be patient ……
Great to hear the good news. Staying both positive and patient right now, at just over four weeks out, is the challenge. Success stories are encouraging — knowing this misadventure can have a good ending and soon enough.
All best.
Yeah, it’s good to see others just that bit further down the line are cracking on with regular life, while its also worth finding someone of similar mentality around the same stage as yourself to pace with.
I’m not much into running or exercise classes or indeed the gym itself, preferring to get out and actually do stuff, however I’ve found the local gym and also the gym at the hospital physio dept to be superb for getting me up and at it while the conditions outside were in truth awful.
Good news is that between the rubbish weather and work commitments I am managing to get a mixture of gym, MTB rides, SUP and windsurfing sessions.
I’m not full strength, not by a long chalk, but having focused on range of motion before building up the strength was the preferred route.
The calf muscle is back on a par with the ‘good one’ and in fact the good one has grown since I started physio, so that had obviously wasted slightly too.
For me the key moment in my recovery was the moment I switched from under the guidance of the Othapedic consultant and became the patient of the physio guys. I guess that their focus appealed to my mindset better than the sit and wait early stages
Keep positive, patient, but also clear in your own mind regarding how you feel your body can cope given appropriate rehab program … Research research research
I had a good chat with my physio consultant and much as many might view my approach as bolshy know it all opinionated and frustrated problem patient,he referred to me as exactly the kind of patient he loves, referring to my approach as being informed and proactive with clear goals.
Good luck with your own recovery …..