http://myachillesrupture.com - An Achilles Tendon rupture is a serious injury and those of us who have gone through it share a special (I use that term loosely. LOL!) bond and this website is something I hope allows for more discussion and attention to this injury and the individuals who've suffered it.......and emerge from it with new perspectives on life and mobility.

This is a quick vid about adding 2 small details of site functionality to increase more contact and social aspects for the audience. Feedback is something I'm *ALWAYS* looking for.

http://myachillesrupture.com - This is my official review of a fitness product (Speedo Aqua Fitness Barbells) that I have been using over 6 months to assist in the continued strength building, balance and training from my Achilles Tendon rupture suffered on May 2nd, 2009.

If you found this review helpful, please let me know.
If you have any questions about this product, please let me know.
If you'd like to purchase this product, you can find it here: http://is.gd/dS2cF [disclosure: amazon affiliate link].

http://myachillesrupture.com - Wanted to show the newest product I plan to add to my fitness regimen. The Speedo Aqua Fitness Gloves are the products I plan to use. This is not an official review since I have not used them yet and don't review products I have not used for an extended period of time.

Speedo products are not new to me. I've had good luck with them so far and have no problem recommending them to you for specific purposes.

The following Speedo products [affiliate links] are the ones I've been using for several months and plan to review them shortly:
Speedo Aqua Fitness Barbells
Speedo Mirrored Sengar Swim Goggles
Speedo Optimus Swim Training Fins

I cannot emphasize enough how important the act of water resistance can be on the healing from an Achilles Tendon rupture injury and the subsequent range of motion and strength increases that you will gain by engaging in a deliberate and systematic program. The act of even walking in water or simply kicking your feet provides benefit not duplicated outside of the water. Don't over-think this. There's no need. There's enough benefit to go around! :)

http://myachillesrupture.com - Wanted to show you some added functionality to the website that I believe will lead to more cross-discussion and community building for anyone who's ruptured their Achilles Tendon, family members, caregivers and anyone who cares to understand this very non-mainstream injury and the mental toughness needed to return to mobility and the longterm goal of physical performance.

http://myachillesrupture.com - I was doing some research recently and came across an interesting link about a soon to be released minimalist footwear product that I'm pretty excited for. Merrell is a footwear and apparel company that has had a significant impact on individuals who enjoy outdoor activities and are concerned with performance. I'm also *REALLY* excited that Merrell is partnering with Vibram on their version of lightweight, versatile and efficient footwear. This is excellent! Collaboration with a prominent company is a much better move than trying to reinvent what is currently working very well.

I certainly don't consider myself an expert on barefoot or minimalist running, but I'm definitely onboard with the science behind it and have been a supporter of Vibram since I unboxed my Vibram FiveFingers Classics 5 months ago. As someone who is over one year removed from an Achilles Tendon rupture injury, my perspectives on fitness and physical performance have been adjusted and I'm much more open to trying different ways to obtain benefit for my entire musculoskeletal system. I've never been shy when it comes to being an active person, but a bit more emphasis on uneven surfaces is something I have quickly learned to embrace and build upon. I can imagine the future release of the Merrell product will lend itself nicely to being able to train outdoors as I've been able to do with my Classics and have thoroughly enjoyed thus far.

I've purchased Merrell footwear before and have been satisfied with the quality, fit and finish of the product and although I see a Bikila or possibly a KSO as my next VFF purchase, if the Merrell product stays true to my past experience, I expect them to be a great addition to the minimalist footwear options of my future. I enjoy the process of incorporating a new product into my evolving fitness regimen as well as providing feedback in the form of a review that is hopefully useful for anyone considering a purchase of the product in the near future.  

February 2011 is when the Merrell Barefoot Collection is scheduled for release. Keep your eyes open! I know mine will be. :)

http://myachillesrupture.com - I've had my Nike Free TR sneakers / trainers / shoes [Livestrong edition] for over 2 months and believe I have clocked enough workouts to provide a comprehensive review of the product.

Please let me know if you have any questions about my review or something I did not cover for this particular shoe.

http://myachillesrupture.com - Today was a day I was thinking about for the entire week since I was planning on getting in a long session of Cross-Training exercises. The day was perfect and I did some mountain biking, Nike Free training, Vibram Five Fingers training and some other track movements that felt great!

It's important to remember no matter what stage of your Achilles Tendon rupture injury, healing, rehabilitation and subsequent quest to return to your desired physical performance to limit the time spent on plateaus. Don't worry since we all reach a plateau in our training sooner or later. :) Don't rush and be smart.

http://myachillesrupture.com - No matter where you find yourself on the path to healing and physical performance following an Achilles Tendon rupture injury, each of us can embrace and apply the idea of adjustments on our quest. What do I mean by this? Well, let's assume you have been given the clearance by your surgeon to begin a program of formal physical therapy or some sort of deliberate range of motion and exercise protocol. You will undoubtedly find yourself being pretty robotic for the first few weeks. Part of this is reversing the effect of muscle atrophy and the "forgetfulness" of your muscle memory. Part of this is fear. Embrace the fear. Accept the fear. Don't let the fear block your ultimate goal though. Now that you've safely corralled your fear and have realized that your muscle memory *WILL* get back on track, channel your thinking and energy into a systematic plan of increasing your range of motion while paying attention to what your body is telling you. It's essential to not possess the exact mindset you utilized prior to your injury because it will not be compatible with your current physical state. It takes time and you would want to be more cautious than careless since inducing some sort of setback would not be a wise thing to do. Patience (for many of us...) is a difficult characteristic to express when things are going well, but even more of a challenge during times of injury, healing and physical rehabilitation.

Let's talk about adjustments. Inevitably, you will arrive at a plateau in your respective movements. Whether you are doing VERY EARLY range of motion movements or a prescribed set of "active" stretches, the lesson I'd like to leave you with is the idea that you CAN slightly tweak a movement for some added benefits. I was reminded of this when I went for a walk earlier this evening at a local park. I was walking around a blacktop track and would alternate on the track and off the track on the very uneven grass terrain. This track was in the middle of a park with plenty of trees and far from level surfaces and THAT is the type of thing that can positively impact your muscle memory and allow for gains to be made. You don't want to remain on a plateau for too long. The body gains no useful benefit from this prolonged action and you may even be setting yourself up for injury because you are not allowing your dynamic musculoskeletal system to be challenged in a reasonable manner. The key to this is to listen to your body and ensure you have an understanding as well as a consistent ability to perform the baseline movements within your physical therapy protocol. Next, attempt to make a minor adjustment within the movement(s) and the idea of making a note (as in, use a hardcopy/analog notebook or your cell phone) of these adjustments so you can keep a running tally of this to determine the benefits seen or the possibility of making other minor adjustments. It's essential that you be systematic if you intend on yielding benefits that go beyond the default.

Keep in mind that there is no specific "rule" for introducing adjustments into your protocol. I simply wanted to present the idea because I think it's worthwhile, I believe in it, have done it and was given the assurance from my surgeon and physical therapist that fine adjustments do provide benefit to the body and mind-body connection.

If you have any questions or need for me to clarify anything I've written in this post, feel free to leave a comment or connect with me in any of the other ways that I have setup.

**photo, courtesy of Sami Taipale**

http://myachillesrupture.com - I recently bought my first Camelbak. This hydration pack (70oz/2L) will primarily be used for mountain biking and day hikes, but is versatile enough to be used during any family outing as well.

This video is of my first impressions and I'll do complete review in a few weeks when I have used the product enough to offer more details and a worthwhile opinion.

As I continue to recover/gain strength from my Achilles Tendon rupture injury, I look for smart and functional products that are high value and enjoy giving my impression of these products. I will never recommend something I have not used myself and will always give the pros/cons of said product.

Do you have a Camelbak Cloud Walker or any other Camelbak? I'd love to hear about it.

http://myachillesrupture.com - Recently saw an interesting product known as The Strassburg Sock (http://www.thesock.com/) that is a low-cost solution for providing effective relief from plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis and tight calves. I don't use nor have I ever used this product, but found it to be interesting and could see how someone may find it to be effective in certain situations.

During my Achilles Tendon rupture recovery and subsequent physical therapy, the fascia (underside of the foot) was VERY sore from being immobilized for so long. I used a roller to help loosen mine up. That, along with PT massage/manipulation helped me very much.

Have you used The Strassburg Sock? I'd love to hear about it.