Achilles rupture has a notoriously slow recovery. I know that. It doesn't make it feel better to know that I'm right where I should be, when I'm missing all the cool weightlifting things that the rest of my peers are doing. I was injured at the beginning of a three month strength cycle. I had a personal goal to bask squat 200#, shoulder press 105#, and get a new PR for deadlift (I hadn't set that specific goal yet). Both of those were reachable with a little effort, and I was excited about the cycle. It had started off strong. This week is the last week of it. This is the week to see that effort pay off. It's fun to watch all of my friends PR this week. It's also really hard to watch. That stuff is my favorite stuff. I love the lifting parts of Crossfit the most.
The Moxie Games have been announced as well. I almost did the games last year. I lost my partner just before registration ended and the weightlifting club started back up at the same time. Weightlifting is my first choice, so that was the direction that I went. I judged the Moxie games just to be a part of it, but vowed to myself to compete next time. Well, now it's next time, and I'm not going to be able to do it again.
This week I've been wearing two shoes at work. I'm supposed to wear my shoes at home to practice walking and work on my gait. My current issue is less that my Achilles doesn't stretch at all, and more I have a jammed up ankle, due to inflammation and not moving it for nearly 3 months. It gets pinched because the bones in my ankle are crunching together. The problem is that I'm only home for a few hours a day. I go without shoes for the time it takes met o get ready for work, then I put the boot on to leave the house. I don't get home again until dinner time. I wear shoes in the evening, but part of that time is sitting with the kids after chores are done. There isn't a lot of moving around going on. So I decided to wear shoes at work, where I actually do get some walking done, but it's safe and not full of obstacles. I see the doctor again soon and I'm crossing my fingers that I'm done with the boot.
The coach told me that now that the strength cycle is ending a new conditioning cycle is starting up. I'm using this as an opportunity. Conditioning is my least favorite part and my biggest weakness. This is my current opportunity to make some improvements in that part of my health. This is where I find out how to get conditioning in while my ankle mobility returns. I'm excited to see what happens next.
This is where I start to get real recovery and make a comeback. This is the beginning of being better than I was.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Friday, October 5, 2018
2 months in
On Sunday, it will be 2 months since my injury.
I've had my moments of depression, of course, but I've done pretty well at keeping positive. It's not going to change anything by being depressed, so I'm just setting new goals, based on where I am now.
I ran across my 2018 fitness goals and there really isn't much I can achieve on there now. So I'm writing new ones. I'll let you know when I have it figured out. I think I'll firm that list up after another week or two at PT.
I'm stuck in the boot until the end of October, at least. I'm allowed to wear shoes at home and walk carefully. I have to start learning it somehow. Yesterday at PT, the doc gave me some new things to work on. All of them seem like they should be so very easy, and on my right leg they are done without thinking about it at all. I can't do any of it on the left leg at all. I was standing on a 3 inch (~7.5cm) platform with my left leg. I had to bend that knee and put my right foot on the ground, while keeping my hips level. I've lost so much strength, and have so little dorsiflexion, that I simply can't do it. I tilt my hip to get it down there. Stand on one foot for 20 seconds. Just stand there on the flat ground. I can't do it without holding on to something.
I only have a limited number of visits left that are covered by insurance, so I've cut back from 2 times per week to once a week. I've got a list of things that I'm allowed to work on at home. Those include all the things that I couldn't do yesterday. I've made a list and will create a little check list. I have grand plans to do those things at open gym 4+ times per week and at home when I can't get to the gym the rest of the time. I'm throwing in some other open gym goals as well. So I'll be at the gym a lot again. (I've been going, but only half as often as I had been going). I'm excited to ramp it up again.
I know that recovery is LONG for this. I'm following a professional Crossfitter with an achilles injury, who, at one year post surgery, can only do a half calf raise on that foot. I know it's going to take awhile. I don't like it, but I accept that it's a darn slow process. To not accept it lets the defeat and depression creep in.
I've had my moments of depression, of course, but I've done pretty well at keeping positive. It's not going to change anything by being depressed, so I'm just setting new goals, based on where I am now.
I ran across my 2018 fitness goals and there really isn't much I can achieve on there now. So I'm writing new ones. I'll let you know when I have it figured out. I think I'll firm that list up after another week or two at PT.
I'm stuck in the boot until the end of October, at least. I'm allowed to wear shoes at home and walk carefully. I have to start learning it somehow. Yesterday at PT, the doc gave me some new things to work on. All of them seem like they should be so very easy, and on my right leg they are done without thinking about it at all. I can't do any of it on the left leg at all. I was standing on a 3 inch (~7.5cm) platform with my left leg. I had to bend that knee and put my right foot on the ground, while keeping my hips level. I've lost so much strength, and have so little dorsiflexion, that I simply can't do it. I tilt my hip to get it down there. Stand on one foot for 20 seconds. Just stand there on the flat ground. I can't do it without holding on to something.
I only have a limited number of visits left that are covered by insurance, so I've cut back from 2 times per week to once a week. I've got a list of things that I'm allowed to work on at home. Those include all the things that I couldn't do yesterday. I've made a list and will create a little check list. I have grand plans to do those things at open gym 4+ times per week and at home when I can't get to the gym the rest of the time. I'm throwing in some other open gym goals as well. So I'll be at the gym a lot again. (I've been going, but only half as often as I had been going). I'm excited to ramp it up again.
I know that recovery is LONG for this. I'm following a professional Crossfitter with an achilles injury, who, at one year post surgery, can only do a half calf raise on that foot. I know it's going to take awhile. I don't like it, but I accept that it's a darn slow process. To not accept it lets the defeat and depression creep in.
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