myachillesrupture's posterous

The Question I'm Always Asked...

2011_1023_mar_getting_older

 

http://myachillesrupture.com - Almost 2.5 years ago is when my Achilles Tendon Rupture injury occurred. People continue to ask me, "Are you 100% yet?" Well, that is an easy answer to ask, but not so easy to answer. Mentally, I have been in a great place with the injury on a daily basis for a long time and that is a great place to be, but I do admit that if the prospect of doing something pretty extreme physically presents itself to me that I have no choice but to consider my past injury. Obviously the fact that I am not paid to be a pro athlete and having a family that relies on me to be mobile comes in to play as probably the main two motivations for evaluating the risk of things I might do prior to having gone through this injury. I certainly don't think everyone has to approach things the way that I do, but it's just more of a comment on where my head is at.

The one area that I feel is pretty interesting is the slower level of recovery after physically demanding exercises that I continue to face. As you can see from the image I used for this post, the number of different post-workout products I use is indicative of this; I actually have more items than this, but didn't want you to think I was a walking test lab of products. Ha! I struggle to determine if it's the reality of just getting older or if there are lingering effects from this injury. It is kind of odd since I don't feel pain at all, but more of a decreased level of stamina on most sessions of high impact exercise. I've said it before, it is a game of adjustments and I continue to try things out and use myself as the test subject. :p 

Lions RB Mikel LeShoure

http://myachillesrupture.com - I've said it before and I will say it again.... I AM a Detroit Lions fan. Yes, it's true.....it is VERY true. ;) That's my team and I have incredibly high hopes for them in the 2011-2012 NFL season. My cast was even the color of Honolulu Blue. LOL!

We had a setback in training camp today. Our second round draft pick, Mikel LeShoure tore his Achilles Tendon and is out for the rest of the year. I have been watching this guy for the past few weeks and it's a shame that this is how he has to start his promising pro career. Obviously, the position of Running Back is dependent upon foot work, speed, strength and power. The fact that LeShoure is 21 years old is a major advantage in dealing with this injury. Being that the team has a vested interest in his return for next season, I expect he will get incredible care and rehabilitation. I'd love to interview him in a few months. Lions PR, are you listening? :) I'll be watching to see how his explosiveness compares upon his return. It should be interesting.  

Get well Mikel!! We need you, man!!

Let's Talk

 http://myachillesrupture.com - I've been thinking about different ways to build a community around anyone who has suffered an Achilles Tendon Rupture. Support is critical as you go through the healing process of this injury. Many people cannot identify with it and that can be tough for the person living with this change in their life. I thought it could be an interesting idea to call people (in the US) on the phone OR participate in a skype session with anyone international or even in the US if you desire that option. 

Wherever I can help in this process is something I would be glad to do.

Let's talk.

BEST OF MyAchillesRupture.com

I thought I'd take a little time today to highlight some of the more popular posts I've written over the past year since I've been blogging on this site. There is no particular reason for this outside of it being just over one year in which I decided to set up the site discussing my injury and to shed some light on my experience(s) as well as create the opportunity for others to feel as though they are not alone in this very unique recovery and return to physical performance. 

For those new to the site, I'm very much appreciative that you've decided to stop here and have a read. Regardless of if you never had this injury or known anyone who has ruptured their Achilles Tendon, I hope to share an experience that many will be able to understand even though they may be unable to relate to. I have mentioned my reason(s) for creating this site, but I certainly feel the conversation is not over and value can be presented to those looking for someone to relate to; the idea of sharing a part of my personality and life is pretty humbling as well. Sharing my experiences, thoughts and having a two-way dialogue is especially useful for me because I am not a "center of attention" sort of person. I would much rather be the "behind the scenes" guy in the spirit of being part of something with a goal/result in mind. I truly enjoy the numerous private messages, emails and comments on this site, YouTube, Facebook and Posterous. 

Obviously, each of us has a story to tell about our lives and the numerous interests we possess, but in regards to rupturing my left Achilles Tendon on May 2nd, 2009, I hope you get a sense of my desire to share this life-altering event with you and the importance I place on never taking life for granted because it can change in an instant. I'll let you be the judge if I did a good job at that. Here are some of the highlights:

The Surgery Route and why I Selected It -- The option for surgery may not be for everyone, but I felt it was a wise choice on my part and I provide more insight to that decision in this post. 

An Approach To Goal Setting -- Having an injury that impacts mobility is significant in how it can alter your life. I mention my thoughts on the importance of goals and give a shout-out to Chris Brogan.

Questions To Ask Your Surgeon -- This post is an important one as you perform your due diligence to determine if the surgical right is right for you. 

Heel Lifts -- To Heel Lift or not to Heel Lift? This post addresses this piece of equipment one may use during the healing/recovery phase of an Achilles Tendon Rupture.

What Immobility Aid Is Best...For You? -- If you pick the surgical route or not, immobility is a major part (differs on your doctor's protocol) of this injury. Knowing your options for how to be somewhat mobile if you insist on it can be an important piece of reality to consider. 

Ways of Seeing The World -- This injury can easily reset your perspective on life. 

This should be enough to keep you busy for a little bit, at least. :)

As usual, I am open to any and all questions regarding my experience with this injury, surgery, healing, physical therapy and continuous improvements on my physical performance.  

To a Hopeful New Year, 2011

 
http://myachillesrupture.com - Wishing everyone a Happy New Year, 2011 as it quickly approaches. When you are able to step out of yourself and evaluate a period of time in your life, there are many lessons to be learned. Time and Patience are two very crucial characteristics to apply and learn from when dealing with an Achilles Tendon rupture injury. 

As an aside, I am open to your suggestions on topics you'd like for me to discuss as I mentioned in the video. I'm a one-man show and any assistance within the area of content would be greatly appreciated. :)

Be safe and best of luck in the New Year, 2011!

Cartwheels & Chairs

 - http://myachillesrupture.com 
I'm two weeks into my Capoeira class and wanted to share some thoughts while I was doing some movements in the class. I'm just over 18mos post op from my Achilles Tendon rupture injury and feel very fortunate to be as far along in this lengthy healing process as I am. I won't be running any marathons anytime soon, but I'm enjoying the process of improving and learning. Practicing Capoeira came at a very good time for me and I look forward to gaining more experience within the art form. Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things; you just might enjoy them. :)

Detroit Piston, Jonas Jerebko

Act_jonas_jerebko

http://myachillesrupture.com - It's certainly no secret that I'm a fan of the game of basketball. In fact, my Achilles Tendon rupture injury occurred while playing that great game on May 2nd, 2009. I love the college and pro game and a recent news story about my favorite pro team has recently developed. 

Jonas Jerebko sustained a partially torn Achilles Tendon last night when my Pistons got dismantled by the Miami Heat. My team CANNOT catch a break!! Man! This was going to be Jerebko's 2nd year and I really liked how his game was developing. The kid had ridiculous energy and had a nice rookie season last year. He was also the second Swedish-born player to be drafted in the NBA.

Best wishes to him for surgery that is scheduled for this Friday and the subsequent healing/rehabilitation that will take place for the next few months. 

2 Useful Sites

 
http://myachillesrupture.com - Wanted to share two useful sites I recently found that I see parallels to my Achilles Tendon rupture recovery and hope you notice the benefits of the information on these two sites to assist you on your quest to mobility and improved physical performance. 

The first site is: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08...

The second site is: http://lifehacker.com/5629498/top-10-...

If you have any questions regarding an Achilles Tendon rupture injury, surgery, recovery, physical therapy or anything else, feel free to let me know. I am 16mos post-op from this injury and continue to learn/improve with each month that passes. 

Haglund's Deformity

http://myachillesrupture.com - Today's, post revolves around a condition I was completely unaware of prior to communication with a person who's story will follow this brief introduction. The condition I'm referring to is Haglund's Deformity and you can check out Wikipedia's definition for more extensive detail. This condition can be synonymous with the frequent use of high heel shoes [previous post I did specific to these shoes]. I've touched on footwear selection before and the importance of making informed choices so you can minimize your chances of injury.
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Here is D.L.R.'s story with bold portions as my emphasis:

I would like to share with you what happened to me:   Although this condition is called a "deformity", I wasn't born with it, it developed.  Up until a few years ago, I was very, very normal.  In my teens and twenties, was very athletic with basketball, volleyball and ran track (high jump, long jump, triple jump).  I did aerobics 3-4 times a week and was quite active.  This problem for me actually only started about 4-5 years ago.  Initially, the family doctor thought that I had developed arthritis in my ankle (which made logical sense given that it had been broken twice in my younger days - very athletic in younger days!)  I was told to take Advil.  Time passes.  I now discover that the back of my heel hurts even more and a little bump is now there.  Return to my family doctor.  He says that the little bump is nothing to worry about.  Great.   More time passes.  That little bump continues to grow and now is starting to affect how I walk.  Turns out that I would have had bursitis, the bursa calcified and that was what the little bump was.  I can no longer do aerobics because I can't properly move the heel or put that much pressure on my foot.  Even just plain walking became painful.  I begin to rely on regular use of Advil, because the pain is so unbearable.  Eventually, I get a referral to the surgeon (waited 9 months for that appointment!) and then am put on the short list for surgery (waited only 2 1/2 months) to receive the corrective surgery on June 11.   And Canada has Government Health Coverage.  I waited 11 1/2 months just to get the surgery!

That brings me to my current circumstance.  Although I should be able to 100% weight bear with my boot on, I can manage a little bit in my house and back yard, but need to rely on crutches with longer distances.  I had another follow up appointment with my surgeon today and I can now start physiotherapy.  I also can now wear compression stockings and start to make the transition out of the boot.  I am so looking forward to being able to walk.  With all of my other leg issues, never has rehab ever taken this long!  There is nothing that I have ever experienced that can relate to this.  It is my right heel, so I can't even drive!  I have to rely on my handsome chauffeur (aka my husband!) to drive me everywhere.  But thankfully, Will is a very understanding man.  My surgeon has really not given me much guidance as to where progress goes from here. He assures me that the healing process is complete and that I now just need to build strength in the leg.   Pretty much told me to just gradually work my way out of the boot.  No time line.  My PT Initial Assessment is booked for this Thursday afternoon.  I'm hoping for better guidance.  I'm also hoping to be able to return to work very soon.  I also work in an office environment, although lots of walking is involved in my job.  I don't see surgeon again for 2 months - that's mid October!

My advice to everyone, especially women, if you begin to notice heel pain, see your doctor.  If you notice a bump on the back of your heel, don't let the doctor brush you off -- I'm living proof of what happens when they tell you "oh, that's nothing to worry about" -- and I naively believed him.  I have been thinking what might have been if the family doctor actually would have treated my condition instead of letting the problem escalate to where I couldn't even wear shoes or walk without pain.  I sometimes wonder that if I had been treated properly, I wouldn't have even needed this surgery.  I have also always worn very good quality and well fitting shoes.  And you'll never catch me wearing flip-flops!
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Thank you D.L.R. for sharing these personal details as well as your advice for anyone who may be in the early stages of Haglund's Deformity as well as the reminder that *EACH OF US* is ultimately responsible for our medical care although we are very much trusting of the medical community to provide us with appropriate counsel and targeted actions that serve our best interests.

If anyone reading this story has suffered from Haglund's Deformity, knows anyone who has or is a health care practitioner who's been involved with patients, I'd really appreciate your input. 

Challenge Convention!


http://myachillesrupture.com - This video explains my thoughts on the idea of challenging conventional wisdom when it comes to physical activities that one can perform when they are rehabbing from an Achilles Tendon rupture injury. There's no need to believe that you *MUST* have a certain brand of gear or that you *MUST* follow the same routine each time. The idea is to do something and avoid plateaus in your training/workouts because remaining on a plateau for an extended period of time is not a useful place to be.

I said all of this to really just translate into HAVE FUN! :)