Today marks the start of my next phase of rehabilitation... Shockwave therapy. After 3 more weeks of strengthening and physio prescribed exercises the pain is settling at around a 4/10 no matter what I am doing with exercises. My soleus and ankle are getting stronger in my bad leg. I can knock out plenty of bent leg calf raises, etc. But the pain during the exercise stays the same. Today the physio said was the right time to start Shockwave Therapy. She was happy with the strength building work and said there's enough strength in the weaker muscles now to be able to distinguish the positive impact of doing so. Shockwave treatment will consist of 5 sessions over 5 weeks. I had the first session today.
ESWT or Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy is for treating longer term chronic soft tissue problems such as tendinopathy. It uses a machine to send thousands of shockwaves through the tissue to trigger the body's healing response and cell regenration to the area (tendons are notorious for poor blood flow which is why they take so long to heal). It feels like a mini pneumatic drill when you are having the treatment. It tends to hurt more where the tissue is thinner (such as around your heel bone). But is acceptable, having had much more painful treatment in the past.
Given it's insertional, it means she has to tread carefully around the heel and ankle bones as it can get rather painful (as I found out when she went across my heel bump and bursa which are still inflamed. That said you can certainly feel something going on inside the tissues with this.
A video of what the treatment looks like is here:
I still am not allowed to run for at least another week, with the Physio saying that she wants to get me through 2 sessions first before easing back into running. It needs time to start to heal as a result of the treatment. Though Physio insisted that I keep doing the strengthening work, and rolling the calf muscles, etc throughout though.
I'm already feeling a little benefit, even after just a couple of hours, but Physio said the healing aspects will continue for days after.
She also said the treatments are cumulative, meaning that the weekly treatments build upon each other and the healing carries on much longer after the sessions finish (for up to 12 weeks, in fact). I'm hopeful, certainly as I'm getting frustrated at the time it's taking to return to running. I can feel a little despondency creeping in. I'm struggling to train in any meaningful fashion at all and am having to have a few words with myself. It's stressful at work, it's stressful with family and I've been neglecting the spin bike (because I detest it). I'm giving myself a kick in the ass to make the time to get on the bike as I need to start building the cardio base again.
Fasting is going well enough, and a little weight is slowly starting to move. I know this will come off faster once I get into the training at intensity habit back into me. It's simply a shitty time of year to do it. I do need to though. If nothing else, for my own sanity.
I'm missing being outdoors (even with the weather as crappy as it is presently). I'm having to recommit to get back in the saddle and start stretching myself again. I know I will feel way better when I do.
The other thing I'm noticing is my mood. It's slowly coming back after approaching it the last two weeks with working on better gut health (probiotics and prebiotics) as well as ZMA (Zinc and magnesium) supplements to support my testosterone. Given I'm heading into the end of my 40s, I need to focus on avoiding the male menopause.
This means pushing weights again, as well as ensuring I'm getting enough minerals to support my hormones.
I've been feeling less than my driven usual self the last few months and, as a guy at a certain age, it's important I look at how I support my Testosterone levels. Healthy levels impact your mood, your motivation, your weight, your bones health, your recovery, etc and just want to ensure that I support myself here as naturally as I can.
This means pushing weight training, HIIT (high Intensity Interval Training) sessions into what I'm doing each week (excellent for this), as well as getting the right minerals essential to natural production.
I'll let you know how I get on though don't expect to be 'roid-raging' any time soon. It's just focusing on natural and easily neglected things in my life that can make the small changes I feel that I need. I'll be sure to update you on the shockwave, training and general progress. Thanks for reading
コメント