One year ago I underwent surgery to repair my Achilles and though the onset of the injury was nearly two years prior to my surgery, I have to admit, I was highly skeptical of fully recovering to the extent I could enjoy racing 5ks as I once did. Today is my one year anniversary of my surgery and this is my final blog.
Since the first weekend in September, I have run two marathons, one 10k, five 5ks, and a half marathon. I set a personal record in my 10k, (39:23) which the only significance in this is that it was my 37th 10k in the last seven years. Before my surgery, someone asked how I would measure success of my surgery and I said, “If I can set a personal record (PR) in a race within two years of surgery, then for me, it would be a success.” My 5k times are very near pre-injury race times. And though I hit the dehydration wall in the Chicago Marathon October 9th, I ran my second faster marathon in Tupelo the month before (3:19:47). I’ve logged 1,673 miles in the last nine months since I started back running.
It was only 3 months ago that I still went for PT treatments occasionally. Only in the last several weeks have I completely discontinued using the Achilles-Pro brace. My Achilles does not swell anymore and though the tendon that was transferred into my Achilles may become mildly sore after a hard speed work-out, I stretch as needed and the soreness goes away completely. There is no need for icing it anymore and it’s been a while since I have used ice on it. Long runs of 18-miles or longer do not bother it at all. As far as my Achilles, the only noticeable difference than pre-injury is the fact that it may be a little stiff in the mornings, but without pain. Truly, I can’t believe my surgery worked out so well. But I will tell you also, I worked pretty hard getting back as described in my previous blogs.
I run, because I enjoy it! It’s a gift from God, and for me, one he restored. I’ve learned to stop training before there is pain. I remember to stretch more often before and after hard workouts. I am much wiser about speed-work, which I believe was the predominant factor over time that caused my injury. No more twice a week ¼-mile repeats for 5ks every week for months at a time. I was addicted to speed-work on a treadmill and even now I going into a closed gym and hitting paces on a treadmill I know I shouldn’t be running would be fun. I’m just wiser about running, but still love to run hard.
I am always cognizant of the repaired Achilles, but probably now if I want to have faster race times it’s my diet that needs attention. Ah, but it is nice to be able to eat anything you want, and lose it the next day in a 12 mile run! I don’t take that for grant it! I can’t imagine how poorly my Achilles would be today if I had not undergone surgery. There was no exercise, no amount of time off that was going to heal my particular injury.
And once again, I simply can as I hope you do,
Enjoy the run!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Week 27 Post-Op Achilles Debridement/FHL Tendon Transfer
As I promised, I am going to continue to update my recovery from Achilles Surgery that consisted of debridement and Flexor Tendon transfer into my Achilles. My purpose is to provide anyone who may be facing this same surgery with a full year report on my recovery and the effects on running.
Since my last update (20-week post-op), I’ve averaged 38 miles a week running, which mileage wise, is getting back close to the average weekly mileage (42), which I ran year round prior to surgery. However, these were slow miles in my first 40-mile week post-op.
Week 22
In week 22 I managed to run four 400-meter repeats at a 5:27 pace. The next day, Tuesday, I ran a seven mile progression run that starts out, after a one mile warm up, at a 7:19 pace and each subsequent mile is 10 to 15 seconds faster ending with a 6:40 mile. The following Saturday I ran a 19:50 5k. So yes, speed still comes from speed work, but patience is the greater virtue of recovery. During this week my Achilles still swelled and had some lingering pain after the harder runs.
Week 23
I managed to run 10 x 400-meter repeats on a treadmill with a 1% grade at a 5:27 pace, but was quickly reminded again by a sore Achilles, to go easy again for a couple of days and continued to massage it at night.
Running may feel good yet sometimes I would catch myself favoring the leg that was repaired with a bit of a limp afterwards and take it easy the next day. I’ve learned to take a day off before soreness becomes pain.
Week 29
This week was my best week in that I was able to run 8 x 400s at a 5:27 pace with a 1% grade on the treadmill on Monday, followed by a 7.5 mile progression run Tuesday (7:30-6:30 pace), a 6-mile recovery run Wednesday, and just completed a 14.2 mile run with an average pace of 7:57 including 3 water stops. (Big thanks to my training partner MC!) The last two miles were at a 7:03 pace. I wore the Achilles pro-trainer brace today and I expect to use it for another six weeks on runs longer than 12 miles. There is a very little soreness and virtually no swelling, SWEET!
The calf muscle is pretty strong at this point, but in running 5ks recently, I think it may be just a few more weeks before its 100%.
My surgery was six and half months ago and I do believe with the tendon transfer it may take longer to recover than with simple debridement. Today my Achilles is at the point that I haven’t used ice on it in over two weeks. I only massage it now as a preventive measure.
The good news, as a runner, I’ve lost two toenails already from running! I figure when I lose one more and only have seven functional toenails, I’m Back!
Since my last update (20-week post-op), I’ve averaged 38 miles a week running, which mileage wise, is getting back close to the average weekly mileage (42), which I ran year round prior to surgery. However, these were slow miles in my first 40-mile week post-op.
Week 22
In week 22 I managed to run four 400-meter repeats at a 5:27 pace. The next day, Tuesday, I ran a seven mile progression run that starts out, after a one mile warm up, at a 7:19 pace and each subsequent mile is 10 to 15 seconds faster ending with a 6:40 mile. The following Saturday I ran a 19:50 5k. So yes, speed still comes from speed work, but patience is the greater virtue of recovery. During this week my Achilles still swelled and had some lingering pain after the harder runs.
Week 23
I managed to run 10 x 400-meter repeats on a treadmill with a 1% grade at a 5:27 pace, but was quickly reminded again by a sore Achilles, to go easy again for a couple of days and continued to massage it at night.
Running may feel good yet sometimes I would catch myself favoring the leg that was repaired with a bit of a limp afterwards and take it easy the next day. I’ve learned to take a day off before soreness becomes pain.
Week 29
This week was my best week in that I was able to run 8 x 400s at a 5:27 pace with a 1% grade on the treadmill on Monday, followed by a 7.5 mile progression run Tuesday (7:30-6:30 pace), a 6-mile recovery run Wednesday, and just completed a 14.2 mile run with an average pace of 7:57 including 3 water stops. (Big thanks to my training partner MC!) The last two miles were at a 7:03 pace. I wore the Achilles pro-trainer brace today and I expect to use it for another six weeks on runs longer than 12 miles. There is a very little soreness and virtually no swelling, SWEET!
The calf muscle is pretty strong at this point, but in running 5ks recently, I think it may be just a few more weeks before its 100%.
My surgery was six and half months ago and I do believe with the tendon transfer it may take longer to recover than with simple debridement. Today my Achilles is at the point that I haven’t used ice on it in over two weeks. I only massage it now as a preventive measure.
The good news, as a runner, I’ve lost two toenails already from running! I figure when I lose one more and only have seven functional toenails, I’m Back!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Achilles Surgery 20 Weeks Post-Op Update
It takes a while to “get it”; recovery from Achilles surgery takes several months and a lot of patience. You can read about it, you can talk to doctors, and you can talk to people that have had the surgery, but until you experience it, it’s hard to comprehend the psychological ups and downs that take place every day internally. The questions that constantly beg an answer, 1) Will I ever get back to the race paces I once ran? 2) Will I ever enjoy a 20 mile run again?
Ten week post-op, my doctor released me to my physical therapist with the caution, “Do what he tells you and take it easy.” He approved of using of the Arc Trainer but didn’t want me to run for four or five more weeks. Those instructions were given February 2, 2011. The following three weeks I worked out on the Arc Training a total of 16 times burning a total of 19,366 calories. The swelling continued and the soreness was slightly worse after workouts. However, simply being on my feet all day also caused similar soreness. The cardio workouts in February kept my body weight in check and aided in the initial strengthening of my lower legs. I continued to ice my Achilles and began massaging it with Arnica massage oil. Massaging helps to eliminate scar tissue buildup from surgery and diminish the scar itself. I begin deep water running as soon as my cast was removed, transitioned to the Arc trainer four weeks later, and three weeks after that started running. The goal was to regain leg strength and flexibility, with no impact (deep water running), and then build some lower leg strength with cardio. The Arc Trainer provided the initial strengthening with controlled symmetric motion that would not allow overcompensation from the stronger leg or even other muscles.
Thirteen weeks after surgery, early one morning with very nice spring like weather (2-22-2011), I could not stand it any longer. I went out in a brand new pair of running shoes, my Garmin and complete optimism (and a prayer!) and went on my first run; a little over six miles. The next day when I limped into my physical therapist’s office with a smile, he just shook his head articulately exclaiming, “Are you going to listen to anything I tell you?” He told me he only wanted me running three miles every other day. Even though I had done a good bit of conditioning, he was right! During week 13 post-op I started back doing lunges.
The next week (14 weeks post-op) was a mix of four mile runs, deep water runs, and Arc-Trainer workouts. In addition, I added seated and standing two feet calf raises. My ankle swelled some and other areas of the foot were just as sore as the Achilles. Even though I could have done a little more mileage I remembered the reason I had to have surgery was because I didn’t take it easy when I was in pain. There is going to be some pain after surgery, especially when you begin to run again, but this time I learned to stop training runs before the pain became significant. Once I started back running, over the next few weeks I dealt with swelling and soreness in my foot and even would have some nighttime pain. But each week it was almost measurable that those things were improving.
Sixteen weeks post-op, I could do one leg calf-raises with medium discomfort. My daughter said she wanted to go on a run with me. I told her I was planning to go six miles since the day before I had ran six. The weather was perfect and six quickly became eight, and since we went over by a quarter of a mile, honestly she reminded me of one of my favorite distance running buds I trained with for longer runs when she said, “We can’t stop on 8.24, let’s go ahead and do nine!” Of course if you are going to run nine she said, “we might as well run ten!” And ten it was. But I was pretty sore at mile eight. The next day I had to take off and report to my physical therapist for Hivamat and EMS treatments, and as well to be chastised for running ten miles!
The Achilles pain subsided around week 16-18, but soreness developed where it attaches to the Calcaneus bone (heel). This persisted for a few weeks and was due to a tight Achilles. As I continued to run and stretch this pain also became less within a couple of weeks. I continued with a good bit of calf-muscle work; 3 sets of two-leg raises twice a day from week 16-19 post-op and began a more extended workout of seated raises twice a week. I always stopped if there was significant pain.
Eighteen weeks post-op I paced my daughter Kelsey at a 5K. She ran faster than I expected but I had enough miles in the week before to finish with her in 22:43. The Achilles held up and we even ran a 1.5 mile cool down which wasn’t painful. The next morning I ran 8 miles and that was a bit much. There wasn’t much pain while running, but 24 hours afterwards I was a little concerned with the pain and iced and massaged the Achilles. This is how it goes, you begin to feel good running as if you are back to your old self and the next day the pain is a reminder to; “Take it easy, be patient, don’t run every day!” That week I ran a total of 20 miles and the week before that I ran 35 miles, which proved to be too much.
My surgery was 20 weeks ago this past Monday and the previous Saturday I raced/ran my first 5k. I ran a 21:17 on a course I’ve never ran faster than a 19:52. The really good news is that I was able to walk pretty good the rest of the day, and even the next day fairly pain free. I believe I will be able to start back with some speed work next week, (Ahh! Speed work!).
The repaired Achilles does remain a bit stiff and it will take several more months for it to completely stretch and feel normal. But it is working for me without the pain I once suffered. Yesterday I ran ten miles with the Achilles-pro brace which really helps control swelling and pain. Running is becoming fun again!
I have to end this with saying; the pain I once ran with from scar tissue buildup in my Achilles is no more! And people always question if they did the right thing, especially when they are recovering from elective surgery. I am certain that surgery was the best thing for me and I must give a lot of credit to my doctor, Doctor Jamie Burrows at Mississippi Sports Medicine. Also I have to give credit to my physical therapist, Wayne Jimenez at Medicomp, who convinced me to be patient, at least as much as I was going to be!
Ten week post-op, my doctor released me to my physical therapist with the caution, “Do what he tells you and take it easy.” He approved of using of the Arc Trainer but didn’t want me to run for four or five more weeks. Those instructions were given February 2, 2011. The following three weeks I worked out on the Arc Training a total of 16 times burning a total of 19,366 calories. The swelling continued and the soreness was slightly worse after workouts. However, simply being on my feet all day also caused similar soreness. The cardio workouts in February kept my body weight in check and aided in the initial strengthening of my lower legs. I continued to ice my Achilles and began massaging it with Arnica massage oil. Massaging helps to eliminate scar tissue buildup from surgery and diminish the scar itself. I begin deep water running as soon as my cast was removed, transitioned to the Arc trainer four weeks later, and three weeks after that started running. The goal was to regain leg strength and flexibility, with no impact (deep water running), and then build some lower leg strength with cardio. The Arc Trainer provided the initial strengthening with controlled symmetric motion that would not allow overcompensation from the stronger leg or even other muscles.
Thirteen weeks after surgery, early one morning with very nice spring like weather (2-22-2011), I could not stand it any longer. I went out in a brand new pair of running shoes, my Garmin and complete optimism (and a prayer!) and went on my first run; a little over six miles. The next day when I limped into my physical therapist’s office with a smile, he just shook his head articulately exclaiming, “Are you going to listen to anything I tell you?” He told me he only wanted me running three miles every other day. Even though I had done a good bit of conditioning, he was right! During week 13 post-op I started back doing lunges.
The next week (14 weeks post-op) was a mix of four mile runs, deep water runs, and Arc-Trainer workouts. In addition, I added seated and standing two feet calf raises. My ankle swelled some and other areas of the foot were just as sore as the Achilles. Even though I could have done a little more mileage I remembered the reason I had to have surgery was because I didn’t take it easy when I was in pain. There is going to be some pain after surgery, especially when you begin to run again, but this time I learned to stop training runs before the pain became significant. Once I started back running, over the next few weeks I dealt with swelling and soreness in my foot and even would have some nighttime pain. But each week it was almost measurable that those things were improving.
Sixteen weeks post-op, I could do one leg calf-raises with medium discomfort. My daughter said she wanted to go on a run with me. I told her I was planning to go six miles since the day before I had ran six. The weather was perfect and six quickly became eight, and since we went over by a quarter of a mile, honestly she reminded me of one of my favorite distance running buds I trained with for longer runs when she said, “We can’t stop on 8.24, let’s go ahead and do nine!” Of course if you are going to run nine she said, “we might as well run ten!” And ten it was. But I was pretty sore at mile eight. The next day I had to take off and report to my physical therapist for Hivamat and EMS treatments, and as well to be chastised for running ten miles!
The Achilles pain subsided around week 16-18, but soreness developed where it attaches to the Calcaneus bone (heel). This persisted for a few weeks and was due to a tight Achilles. As I continued to run and stretch this pain also became less within a couple of weeks. I continued with a good bit of calf-muscle work; 3 sets of two-leg raises twice a day from week 16-19 post-op and began a more extended workout of seated raises twice a week. I always stopped if there was significant pain.
Eighteen weeks post-op I paced my daughter Kelsey at a 5K. She ran faster than I expected but I had enough miles in the week before to finish with her in 22:43. The Achilles held up and we even ran a 1.5 mile cool down which wasn’t painful. The next morning I ran 8 miles and that was a bit much. There wasn’t much pain while running, but 24 hours afterwards I was a little concerned with the pain and iced and massaged the Achilles. This is how it goes, you begin to feel good running as if you are back to your old self and the next day the pain is a reminder to; “Take it easy, be patient, don’t run every day!” That week I ran a total of 20 miles and the week before that I ran 35 miles, which proved to be too much.
My surgery was 20 weeks ago this past Monday and the previous Saturday I raced/ran my first 5k. I ran a 21:17 on a course I’ve never ran faster than a 19:52. The really good news is that I was able to walk pretty good the rest of the day, and even the next day fairly pain free. I believe I will be able to start back with some speed work next week, (Ahh! Speed work!).
The repaired Achilles does remain a bit stiff and it will take several more months for it to completely stretch and feel normal. But it is working for me without the pain I once suffered. Yesterday I ran ten miles with the Achilles-pro brace which really helps control swelling and pain. Running is becoming fun again!
I have to end this with saying; the pain I once ran with from scar tissue buildup in my Achilles is no more! And people always question if they did the right thing, especially when they are recovering from elective surgery. I am certain that surgery was the best thing for me and I must give a lot of credit to my doctor, Doctor Jamie Burrows at Mississippi Sports Medicine. Also I have to give credit to my physical therapist, Wayne Jimenez at Medicomp, who convinced me to be patient, at least as much as I was going to be!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Ten Week Post-Op Achilles Debridement/FHL Tendon Transfer
The last time I blogged, I had just had my cast removed (1/5/2011) and was placed in a walking boot. I began deep water running 1/8/2011 which was a huge boost of confidence in the process of recovery. As I continued to go to the gym six days a week and twice a day on four days, I almost always would hear from different people at the gym about their leg injuries. I also would hear occasionally from different people that probably didn’t run as much as I had or didn’t exercise as much. Many often, unintentionally were a bit discouraging in the things they would say. Things such as, “It’s hard to ever get it back,” or “When you are older it is just hard and you may never get it back,” It only fueled my determination. I know no one was trying to be disheartening, but more than likely just talking from their own experiences or maybe they knew someone else that never got back to doing what they enjoyed. My expectation, even today, is to run a personal record in a one of the various distance races I run within the next year.
Since 1/8/2011 I have been in the pool 20.5 hours deep water running, averaging six hours a week and likely burning 1,000 calories an hour. In addition I’ve continued upper leg strengthening twice a week on the multi-hip flex machine. I’ve continued with upper body workouts twice a week and ab work five days a week. The cardio work in the pool has allowed me to maintain the same weight as my race running weight. I also have been going to physical therapy twice a week to have scar tissue massaged and to get Hivamat Treatments. Hivamat treatments are my favorite and are about the best thing ever for tendon pain! I have read that it is important during this time to have the scar tissue, which is a result of surgery, massaged.
During the last four weeks, it took less than a week for me to make the transition from the day my cast was removed to walking in the walking-boot without crutches. I stayed in the walking boot for three weeks removing a heel lift each week allowing the Achilles to slowly stretch. The swelling continued during these four weeks but over the duration, it definitely got better.
On 2/2/2011 I returned to my Doctor for my 10-week Post-Op visit. Honestly, because I had only been out of the walking boot for a week, I had experience new pain for three days prior to this visit and being the hypochondriac that I am, when the doctor came in, I said, “I may need another MRI to see if I haven’t pulled things apart.” He laughed and upon examination, he said, “It looks really good!” He went on to say, “OK, I am going to turn you loose now, but be careful.” He also said to wait a few more weeks to run.
I knew the scar looked exceptional well and also that I probably had some flexibility in my ankle just from the deep water running. However, now I am beginning dorsiflexion exercises and two-feet calve raises and eccentric calve lowering. Finally, some calve work is now allowed! I was so ecstatic that when I left the doctor’s office I went to the gym, hopped on the Arc Trainer and had a 30 minute workout that burned 649 calories. Yesterday, (the day after 10-week Post Op visit) I burned 1,246 calories on the Arc Trainer and 1,191 today. The Arc Trainer is the most run-fit machine in the gym. I’ll stay on it for another two to three weeks and likely will be ready to start running with 4-5 mile runs a day. I also wear custom orthotics in my running shoes while exercising on the Arc Trainer.
Of course there will be no running until I regain 95% of dorsiflexion (being able to pull my toes toward the shin of the leg).
Less than two weeks ago I ordered a Bauerfeind AchilloTrain Pro Achilles Tendon Support specifically for use on the Arc Trainer and as needed during my first few weeks of running. It is designed to provide therapeutic support and maximum comfort. It’s a compression support sleeve that features a profile insert that provides uniform pressure and a local massage effect during movement. It comes in 5 sizes and by far exceeds anything I have ever used for any running injury. The cost was $104, but it really works as advertised, keeping the swelling down during workout and fairly pain free!
Dr. Burrows of Mississippi Sports Medicine did my surgery and though he is only 32, Dr. Burrows completed a fellowship in Foot and Ankle surgery and absolutely won my confidence and has proved to be the right doctor for my specific injury. Across the street is my Physical Therapist, Wayne Jimenez of Medicomp, who is a triathlete and runner with many years of experience. What Wayne really does well is massage the scar tissue, not always a pleasurable experience because the Achilles is going to be sore during the treatment. It really is an important component of recovery that also helps to minimize swelling.
Probably my favorite one page Protocol for the complete recovery of this surgery from day one to several months Post-Op is Doctor Farhad O. Moola of the University of British Columbia. Here is the link to that Protocol: http://orthodoc.aaos.org/drmoola/Achilles%20Tendon%20Repair%20Protocol.pdf
Since 1/8/2011 I have been in the pool 20.5 hours deep water running, averaging six hours a week and likely burning 1,000 calories an hour. In addition I’ve continued upper leg strengthening twice a week on the multi-hip flex machine. I’ve continued with upper body workouts twice a week and ab work five days a week. The cardio work in the pool has allowed me to maintain the same weight as my race running weight. I also have been going to physical therapy twice a week to have scar tissue massaged and to get Hivamat Treatments. Hivamat treatments are my favorite and are about the best thing ever for tendon pain! I have read that it is important during this time to have the scar tissue, which is a result of surgery, massaged.
During the last four weeks, it took less than a week for me to make the transition from the day my cast was removed to walking in the walking-boot without crutches. I stayed in the walking boot for three weeks removing a heel lift each week allowing the Achilles to slowly stretch. The swelling continued during these four weeks but over the duration, it definitely got better.
On 2/2/2011 I returned to my Doctor for my 10-week Post-Op visit. Honestly, because I had only been out of the walking boot for a week, I had experience new pain for three days prior to this visit and being the hypochondriac that I am, when the doctor came in, I said, “I may need another MRI to see if I haven’t pulled things apart.” He laughed and upon examination, he said, “It looks really good!” He went on to say, “OK, I am going to turn you loose now, but be careful.” He also said to wait a few more weeks to run.
I knew the scar looked exceptional well and also that I probably had some flexibility in my ankle just from the deep water running. However, now I am beginning dorsiflexion exercises and two-feet calve raises and eccentric calve lowering. Finally, some calve work is now allowed! I was so ecstatic that when I left the doctor’s office I went to the gym, hopped on the Arc Trainer and had a 30 minute workout that burned 649 calories. Yesterday, (the day after 10-week Post Op visit) I burned 1,246 calories on the Arc Trainer and 1,191 today. The Arc Trainer is the most run-fit machine in the gym. I’ll stay on it for another two to three weeks and likely will be ready to start running with 4-5 mile runs a day. I also wear custom orthotics in my running shoes while exercising on the Arc Trainer.
Of course there will be no running until I regain 95% of dorsiflexion (being able to pull my toes toward the shin of the leg).
Less than two weeks ago I ordered a Bauerfeind AchilloTrain Pro Achilles Tendon Support specifically for use on the Arc Trainer and as needed during my first few weeks of running. It is designed to provide therapeutic support and maximum comfort. It’s a compression support sleeve that features a profile insert that provides uniform pressure and a local massage effect during movement. It comes in 5 sizes and by far exceeds anything I have ever used for any running injury. The cost was $104, but it really works as advertised, keeping the swelling down during workout and fairly pain free!
Dr. Burrows of Mississippi Sports Medicine did my surgery and though he is only 32, Dr. Burrows completed a fellowship in Foot and Ankle surgery and absolutely won my confidence and has proved to be the right doctor for my specific injury. Across the street is my Physical Therapist, Wayne Jimenez of Medicomp, who is a triathlete and runner with many years of experience. What Wayne really does well is massage the scar tissue, not always a pleasurable experience because the Achilles is going to be sore during the treatment. It really is an important component of recovery that also helps to minimize swelling.
Probably my favorite one page Protocol for the complete recovery of this surgery from day one to several months Post-Op is Doctor Farhad O. Moola of the University of British Columbia. Here is the link to that Protocol: http://orthodoc.aaos.org/drmoola/Achilles%20Tendon%20Repair%20Protocol.pdf
Sunday, January 9, 2011
7 Weeks Post Op Achilles Surgery
Finally I gave up the 'scoot' device for wheeling around my leg while it was in a cast. The scoot really is the way to go rather than use crutches, especially if you can't be still like me. I made it to the gym six days a week and sometimes twice which I'll describe below what all I was doing. However, I would not have been able to go to the gym and do some of the workouts on crutches. I would have been unable to do upper legs at all because I was in a cast that required no weight bearing. The scoot facilitated doing legs on the Multi-Hip Flex machine and I was able to work both legs.
So far my training 'recovery' plan is working. I have been able to control my weight and maintain my race weight or actually a pound below. Below is the typical weekly workouts I was doing.
Monday: noon 45 min. - 1 hour cardio on the Windjammer (650-950 calories burned)
after work 5pm full upper body workout on machines and free weights
abs 3 x 30 crunches, 3 x 15 football crunches
Tuesday: noon 45 min. - 1 hour cardio Windjammer (650-950 calories burned) after work 5pm 5 x (15,12,10,10,10) knee-lifts; 6 x (15,12,10,10,10,10) kick outs on Multi-Hip Flex machine. plates on this machine are numbered 1-16. Start with knee lifts 5-9 plates and continue with 10-16 for the kick outs.
abs 3 x30 crunchers; 3 x 15 football crunches.
Wednesday: everything is the same as Monday's workout schedule.
Thursday: everything is the same as Tuesday's workout schedule.
Friday: noon 45 min - 1 hour cardio on the Windjammer (650-950) calories burned)
If I skipped a cardio workout on a weekday I would get it in on the weekend along with an extra ab workout.
Using the Windjammer (Cardio Arm Machine) for the first seven weeks Post-Op I burned 27,659 calories in 31 hours in 35 visits.
Yesterday was the first day I went back to the pool for a one hour deep water running session. I was able to complete 24 laps which was near my maximum pool workouts that I was doing after the PRP injections this past September. The upper leg workouts I am sure contributed to the ease of a good intense pool workout. Getting back to the pool for a very good deep water run was euphoric, especially the first one being at a Pre-Operation level. The water is very invigorating for the whole body and my Achilles felt fine. In fact the bottom of my foot was the only part that experienced some temporary soreness.
The bottom of my foot has its strange moments of soreness, likely because that is where the tendon was harvested. The more I am on my feet the more my foot swells. Even if I go out to eat and my foot is under a table, the swelling is worse. I'm am trying to prop it up a little more each day.
After the cast came off this past Wednesday (6 weeks and 3 days Post Op) I am now in a walking boot with three heal lifts. I am suppose to use crutches for another week as I wing myself from those and remove one heal lift each week. So at 10 weeks post-op I should be out of the walking boot, and walking normally.
Of course I am planning my recovery plan, four weeks at a time. I expect to get most of my cardio done deep water running now for the next 4 to 8 weeks.
It definitely gets better. But if you go through Achilles surgery you will still question if you did the right thing. Not being able to run is about the most depressing thing I've experienced in a long time other than running and always being in pain. But when I attended the Mississippi Track Club Banquet a week ago and saw all my running friends, that did a lot more for the psyche than anything else in a while. I also saw Mary Cathrine at the Y and she asked, "Have you lost weight?" As she asked the question, I knew it was a compliment which made me feel good about working out to keep the weight off. I also went to watch friends finish the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Seeing so many friends and familiar faces made me feel at home. It also reminded me that one day, I hope, I will experience that indescribable feeling of crossing another marathon finish line.
So far my training 'recovery' plan is working. I have been able to control my weight and maintain my race weight or actually a pound below. Below is the typical weekly workouts I was doing.
Monday: noon 45 min. - 1 hour cardio on the Windjammer (650-950 calories burned)
after work 5pm full upper body workout on machines and free weights
abs 3 x 30 crunches, 3 x 15 football crunches
Tuesday: noon 45 min. - 1 hour cardio Windjammer (650-950 calories burned) after work 5pm 5 x (15,12,10,10,10) knee-lifts; 6 x (15,12,10,10,10,10) kick outs on Multi-Hip Flex machine. plates on this machine are numbered 1-16. Start with knee lifts 5-9 plates and continue with 10-16 for the kick outs.
abs 3 x30 crunchers; 3 x 15 football crunches.
Wednesday: everything is the same as Monday's workout schedule.
Thursday: everything is the same as Tuesday's workout schedule.
Friday: noon 45 min - 1 hour cardio on the Windjammer (650-950) calories burned)
If I skipped a cardio workout on a weekday I would get it in on the weekend along with an extra ab workout.
Using the Windjammer (Cardio Arm Machine) for the first seven weeks Post-Op I burned 27,659 calories in 31 hours in 35 visits.
Yesterday was the first day I went back to the pool for a one hour deep water running session. I was able to complete 24 laps which was near my maximum pool workouts that I was doing after the PRP injections this past September. The upper leg workouts I am sure contributed to the ease of a good intense pool workout. Getting back to the pool for a very good deep water run was euphoric, especially the first one being at a Pre-Operation level. The water is very invigorating for the whole body and my Achilles felt fine. In fact the bottom of my foot was the only part that experienced some temporary soreness.
The bottom of my foot has its strange moments of soreness, likely because that is where the tendon was harvested. The more I am on my feet the more my foot swells. Even if I go out to eat and my foot is under a table, the swelling is worse. I'm am trying to prop it up a little more each day.
After the cast came off this past Wednesday (6 weeks and 3 days Post Op) I am now in a walking boot with three heal lifts. I am suppose to use crutches for another week as I wing myself from those and remove one heal lift each week. So at 10 weeks post-op I should be out of the walking boot, and walking normally.
Of course I am planning my recovery plan, four weeks at a time. I expect to get most of my cardio done deep water running now for the next 4 to 8 weeks.
It definitely gets better. But if you go through Achilles surgery you will still question if you did the right thing. Not being able to run is about the most depressing thing I've experienced in a long time other than running and always being in pain. But when I attended the Mississippi Track Club Banquet a week ago and saw all my running friends, that did a lot more for the psyche than anything else in a while. I also saw Mary Cathrine at the Y and she asked, "Have you lost weight?" As she asked the question, I knew it was a compliment which made me feel good about working out to keep the weight off. I also went to watch friends finish the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Seeing so many friends and familiar faces made me feel at home. It also reminded me that one day, I hope, I will experience that indescribable feeling of crossing another marathon finish line.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Three weeks Post Op
My surgery, November 22, 2011, included debridement of my Achilles as well as a tendon transfer. Debridement is a procedure that removes scar tissue from the Achilles. My Achilles also had enlarged four-times its normal size near in the area of damage so my doctor reduced the size of my Achilles in that portion. The tendon that allows my big toe to bend was harvested from the bottom of my foot and placed inside my Achilles.
Since I have never had surgery, the day of surgery was actually bit of a breeze. I was home eating breakfast at 10:30am; friends were calling, and my daughters were taking care of dad. The nerve block lasted for a while and the pain medication did its job!
Day 2: By the time Tuesday night rolled around, I “hit the emotional wall” of reality. It all sunk in. Not only would it be a long time before I ran again, but I would not walk until next year, 2011. I sat at my computer and begin to search for “Recovery from Achilles Surgery”. I came across a running blog, “The running world according to Dean”. That’s Coach Dean, a very young 54, Dean who has set numerous course, track and stadium records en route to more than 100 career victories in track, cross-country and road races over 35 years of racing. He has achieved Masters All-American status. Coach Dean had entered his own 10-week post Achilles debridement surgery update on the day of my surgery. I found Coach Dean’s blog the day after he wrote the update, as my running world was darkening for me. Nothing else could have made me feel better that night than to read Coach Dean’s blog.
Anyone with Achilles problems should read Coach Dean’s blog (coachdeanhebert.wordpress.com). He provides great details regarding his Achilles injury, the surgery and prognosis of recovery. He has several books out on running and coaches all ages. Reading that Coach Dean was on an Alter-G treadmill at 10-weeks post-op running at 85% body weight was encouraging. Even the fact that he began walking 6-weeks post op was also encouraging.
By Wednesday morning, my body was buzzing to do something other than sit around. I went to the gym and actually had an excellent upper body workout. Thursday was Thanksgiving and by Friday I wanted to try cardio. My first cardio workout was on the Schwinn Windjammer, which is a cardio machine for the arms or as I like to think of it, a bicycle for the arms with adjustable resistance. It worked so well that I am riding it six days a week. My workouts on the WindJammer are between 45 minutes to an hour burning between 650 to 900 calories. Last week I managed to burn a little over 4,800 calories in six workouts.
I am also cautiously using a Multi Hip plate loaded machine that I am very familiar with for my upper legs. My doctor has warned me to be very careful. Though it is for hip flexors, it has a padded bar that can be used for knee lifts, and kick-outs. No part of the lower leg is used. I have to use extreme care to ensure the calf is not flexing, and to ensure proper clearance from the floor for my cast when working the recovering leg. I am using this machine three days a week and going through the entire stack of plates starting out with 5 sets of knee-lifts and five to seven sets of kick-outs. I have been a fitness instructor for ten years and would not be doing these exercises unless I was extremely familiar with the machines.
In addition, I continue with my regular upper body workouts and am now doing abs five to six days a week.
My biggest fear while not running was that my body fat would increase and I would lose all of my cardio endurance. At three weeks post-op, I have not had to change my prior running diet very much. I was accustomed to running 42 miles a week and lifting weights. At three weeks post op, my weight is three pounds below my race weight and my body fat is likely between 7% and 8%. Until I am able to start deep water running, and begin burning calories with my legs, I will continue my cardio workouts on the Windjammer.
The cast will come off in three weeks, and then I’ll begin the transition in a walking boot. This past August and September, all I could do was deep water run. I found that deep water running (five days a week for an hour a day) also kept my body fat pretty close to the same percent I had when running. I even found I could do long runs, recovery runs, and even a bit of a speed work in the water. I also found 12 weeks in a 25 meter lap lane got extremely old!
So what is all the fuss about maintaining race weight and body fat? I simply use it as a base to know where I am fitness wise. The whole point now of not gaining weight and maintaining some fitness is if I gain 15 pounds and try to start back, I am pretty sure other body parts (knees, ankles, hips, joints) all could end up becoming a problem running again. In my last seven years my body weight never fluctuated more than 5 pounds.
The thing for now that concerns me as far as healing, is the fact that I love to rock. So I hope I am not rocking stitches loose or anything else! My first post-op visit to get the stitches out was this past Wednesday. My doctor came in the room and sat with his nurse and asked, “Where in our post op handbook did you read, “You should change your own splint?” I felt like this was confession time more so than a doctor visit. He removed the stitches and said everything appeared to look good. I did get a sneak look at the underwater treadmill at Mississippi Sports Medicine. It looks like it will be a blast to ride. For me, new exercise machines are like an amusement park so I usually can’t wait to ride.
As I have told a couple of friends, the biggest problems so far were a reoccurring cat dream, and a tornado. The third night after surgery, around 2 a.m. I was dreaming well. I vividly remember a 25-pound cat sitting near my feet, in my front yard. As I was standing it attacked and latched on to my foot with claws sunk in and kitty wrapped tightly around my leg. I awoke with my splint tangled in the sheets and apparently I was kicking them violently to get the cat off of my leg, which in turn made my Achilles hurt.
On another night a tornado was reported to be 8 miles from my house and heading directly for it. I thought I could hop on one leg through my garage. This worked the first three steps until I landed on the electrical plug of a power saw and came crashing down.
If you are a runner, post surgery is dramatically emotional. You just don’t think you’ll ever run again, even if it's corrective surgery. I've had the opportunity to talk to Jerry Keywood who had Achilles surgery two years ago and came back strong as a runner. I also by chance got to talk to Joey Poole who dealt with a six month heart condition that he overcame in 2007 to again compete in triathlons. Both of these guys are my inspiration. No matter what you go through in life, it’s always great to talk to someone that has already been through it.
Next up is getting this cast off my leg the first week of January.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
We must walk before we run
I'll never forget when I was teaching a cycle class in 2004 and a local artist that came to my class regularly commented, "Those who can, do! And those who can't, teach! And those who can't teach, teach gym!" Just before class begin, I was being a bit condescending about my life and the fact that though, I like all others early in life, had aspirations of having some very important prestigious life; I'm just a cycle instructor at the local YMCA. His comment momentarily confirmed the insignificance I felt my life had become. I worked as a Civil Engineer during the day, but teaching cycle was how I chose to spend my free time. Of course that momentarily feeling of meagerness proved to be wrong, as in the following years I would meet many people from all walks of life in my class. Each person came because they wanted to change something in their life. Many shared their own adversities with me. They would tell me how the class was helping them to conquer their mountains, whether it was fitness objectives or learning to be consistent in training. Many participants indicated that my cycle class had helped them to alleviate an attitude of "quiting".
Today, three days after Achilles Tendon Surgery, I write, because I can't run, and those who can do. I hope you enjoy and that you understand it is as much about life as it is running. This has always been my mentality, because I didn't start running until my father's last two months with Alzheimer's. Running was something new, a bit of therapy as I chased ambulances every two weeks to an emergency room the final two years of my father's life. He died three weeks before my first 5K.
Running became a way of life over the next seven years. I lived for weekend road races like a season ticket holder with box seats. The camaraderie with friends was as important as the runs.
Last year I went to an Orthopaedic Surgeon a few weeks before I ran the New York City Marathon with pain in my right Achilles Tendon. My diagnosis was Chronic Tendinitis. I paid little attention to the problem, probably too little as I continued to run races January through May in 2010. My race times were OK, but the pain grew worse each week. The speed work continued to help me be consistent in races. I loved more than anything running 400 meter repeats and they always improved my 5k times. However, I was walking with more of a limp, as icing and stretching became a more time consuming part of my daily routine.
My last decent race was the end of May, "8K on the Parkway" and I had a 6:33 pace. I was a bit surprised because I had already switched to using an arc trainer in the gym two weeks prior to the race to give my Achilles a rest from pounding the pavement. I was only running twice a week. The race was on a Saturday and the following Sunday afternoon, I decided if I am going to ever get faster, I needed to go hit the track again. I ran that evening ten 400 meter repeats at a 5:20 pace. By the time I was trying to complete the second lap of a mile cool down after the workout, I could barely walk. I knew then, I had done more damage than I was going to recover from by merely taking off a few weeks from running. The following 12 weeks I spent an hour a day in the pool deep water running five days a week. It would help to keep at least 75% of my cardio going. I was searching the Internet and trying everything in the world for Achilles injuries. I started doing eccentric calf raises (or lowing actually) that is the doctrine of Achilles Tendinitis recovery prescribed by most well known sports clinics world-wide. By September I wanted surgery but two more doctors indicated I should try autologous blood injections or platelet rich plasma (PRP) first. In September I had this procedure done in Houston, Texas. I was told not to run for six weeks but after three weeks and already spending 12 weeks in the pool, for my sanity, I had to hit the pavement. I felt a little better for the next few weeks, but as my body allowed me to increase my miles and I was able to return to a bit of speed work test (6:20 mile), the injury felt as new as the day I left the track in May. Finally I was convinced if I am to run pain free or even walk without a burning pain in my Achilles, surgery is my only option left.
As I searched for blogs on my injury and the rehabilitation of it, I found many blogs where others struggled also through rehabilitation to get back to something they love. I also found that after a few months, people no longer blogged about their injury/recovery. I don't know if they simply gave up, or actually healed completely and stopped blogging. I haven't found a blog yet where a person indicated they fully recovered from this type of injury.
A close friend encouraged me to blog about my running and injury and so "Blog One" is here. I know we all like to blog when life is good; it's normal. We like to tell our story when things are getting better. But to be honest, sitting home on Thanksgiving day in a bootcast hoping to at least walk again by January is not my idea of a blogworth blog. In fact as I write not only do I think about all the races I am missing, but I wonder if I'll ever even place in a race again. It just seems so distantly impossible. The only thing I do know that life has taught me is, trust God, trust professionals, and when you can run, do!
So I end this one with the rewrite of Robert Frost's Poem, "Stopping by on a Snowy Evening", which tells my current story as I poetically see it for now.
Stopping Why, on a Running Evening?
by (David Shumate)
Whose running shoes these are I think I know.
That used to run through the village though;
They will not like me stopping here
While this cast keeps still my toes
My little IPod must think it queer
To stop without a running trail near
Between the walls of my warm home
It sits and charges all alone
The shoes and laces question their fate
No this is not a mere mistake
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of ticking clock while lying awake
For now I must resign to retreat
But I have marathons left in me,
And miles to run before I sleep,
And miles to run before I sleep.
Today, three days after Achilles Tendon Surgery, I write, because I can't run, and those who can do. I hope you enjoy and that you understand it is as much about life as it is running. This has always been my mentality, because I didn't start running until my father's last two months with Alzheimer's. Running was something new, a bit of therapy as I chased ambulances every two weeks to an emergency room the final two years of my father's life. He died three weeks before my first 5K.
Running became a way of life over the next seven years. I lived for weekend road races like a season ticket holder with box seats. The camaraderie with friends was as important as the runs.
Last year I went to an Orthopaedic Surgeon a few weeks before I ran the New York City Marathon with pain in my right Achilles Tendon. My diagnosis was Chronic Tendinitis. I paid little attention to the problem, probably too little as I continued to run races January through May in 2010. My race times were OK, but the pain grew worse each week. The speed work continued to help me be consistent in races. I loved more than anything running 400 meter repeats and they always improved my 5k times. However, I was walking with more of a limp, as icing and stretching became a more time consuming part of my daily routine.
My last decent race was the end of May, "8K on the Parkway" and I had a 6:33 pace. I was a bit surprised because I had already switched to using an arc trainer in the gym two weeks prior to the race to give my Achilles a rest from pounding the pavement. I was only running twice a week. The race was on a Saturday and the following Sunday afternoon, I decided if I am going to ever get faster, I needed to go hit the track again. I ran that evening ten 400 meter repeats at a 5:20 pace. By the time I was trying to complete the second lap of a mile cool down after the workout, I could barely walk. I knew then, I had done more damage than I was going to recover from by merely taking off a few weeks from running. The following 12 weeks I spent an hour a day in the pool deep water running five days a week. It would help to keep at least 75% of my cardio going. I was searching the Internet and trying everything in the world for Achilles injuries. I started doing eccentric calf raises (or lowing actually) that is the doctrine of Achilles Tendinitis recovery prescribed by most well known sports clinics world-wide. By September I wanted surgery but two more doctors indicated I should try autologous blood injections or platelet rich plasma (PRP) first. In September I had this procedure done in Houston, Texas. I was told not to run for six weeks but after three weeks and already spending 12 weeks in the pool, for my sanity, I had to hit the pavement. I felt a little better for the next few weeks, but as my body allowed me to increase my miles and I was able to return to a bit of speed work test (6:20 mile), the injury felt as new as the day I left the track in May. Finally I was convinced if I am to run pain free or even walk without a burning pain in my Achilles, surgery is my only option left.
As I searched for blogs on my injury and the rehabilitation of it, I found many blogs where others struggled also through rehabilitation to get back to something they love. I also found that after a few months, people no longer blogged about their injury/recovery. I don't know if they simply gave up, or actually healed completely and stopped blogging. I haven't found a blog yet where a person indicated they fully recovered from this type of injury.
A close friend encouraged me to blog about my running and injury and so "Blog One" is here. I know we all like to blog when life is good; it's normal. We like to tell our story when things are getting better. But to be honest, sitting home on Thanksgiving day in a bootcast hoping to at least walk again by January is not my idea of a blogworth blog. In fact as I write not only do I think about all the races I am missing, but I wonder if I'll ever even place in a race again. It just seems so distantly impossible. The only thing I do know that life has taught me is, trust God, trust professionals, and when you can run, do!
So I end this one with the rewrite of Robert Frost's Poem, "Stopping by on a Snowy Evening", which tells my current story as I poetically see it for now.
Stopping Why, on a Running Evening?
by (David Shumate)
Whose running shoes these are I think I know.
That used to run through the village though;
They will not like me stopping here
While this cast keeps still my toes
My little IPod must think it queer
To stop without a running trail near
Between the walls of my warm home
It sits and charges all alone
The shoes and laces question their fate
No this is not a mere mistake
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of ticking clock while lying awake
For now I must resign to retreat
But I have marathons left in me,
And miles to run before I sleep,
And miles to run before I sleep.
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