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! :)

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 know that crutches have been in use throughout various societies for thousands of years, but outside of evolving from wood to aluminum, don't you think it's time for a major overhaul of this ubiquitous piece of medical equipment utilized everyday for leg injuries? Enter Mobilegs into the list of options. This product has an impressive set of offerings: soft underarm saddles, curved legs, adjustability from 4' 9" to 6' 4", the ability to handle weight up to 300lbs., soft handgrips with ergonomic features like a natural wrist angle, and a high-traction rocker foot.

After rupturing my Achilles Tendon (May 2nd, 2009), I was on crutches less than 3hrs later and had my ER-issued aluminum crutches near my side for the next 3mos (surgery, cast and several weeks in to physical therapy). We were best friends, but it wasn't always a good relationship. :) It's not rocket science to adjust the hand positioning on traditional crutches. The main issue for me was the occasional times in which much of my weight was on my underarm/arm pit region. I have a strong enough upper body (many people given crutches may not...) to support myself adequately on crutches, but again, there are times when you may want to lean onto the crutches and it's just not the most comfortable position for very long.

  Random facts I like about the product:

• Manufactured in Minneapolis, MN USA
• Sustainably conceived and manufactured
• Competitively priced
• Aesthetically pleasing 

I'm not so sure the average person thinks about injuring themselves in order to rush into the use of a mobility aid like the Mobilegs, but it's good to know innovation is taking place to bring options to the masses that can lighten the load of an already heavy situation. :)

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**