I'm not the most patient of people. In fact, as I mature like a fine wine (get old), my patience is thinner than ever. Three things are guaranteed to piss me off in this world... - People talking to me like an asshole
- People not thanking me for yielding to them coming the other way (albeit in a supermarket, in a car or on a trail)
- Recurring injury issues
While the first two annoyances can often bring out a sarcastic ' you are fucking welcome' from me (and on a bad day I can often entertain the thought of going postal on particularly rude douchebags), the last is the one that has me swearing over and over (in both my head when the kids are around, and out loud when on my own).
My battle with Achilles, ankle and peroneal problems has been well documented and the journey continues both in its frustration and in how I'm adapting to what is happening. I was reminded watching the Olympics today where one of the favourites - GB's Katerina Johnson-Thompson pulled up in the 200m (Heptathlon) with a serious looking Achilles injury. Something she has been battling with this year. My first reaction?... she is going to be pissed.
For me, I have invested heavily in sorting my own long-standing issues out. I'm even using fucking laser beams (see previous post) to help treat it (which I think it is in a roundabout way). My Ankle swelling has dropped (it was constantly a little swollen) but it now feels kitten weak. Not only that, but I'm having referred pains from my ankle, my under-heel (Plantar) all the way up through my calf, ITB, hamstring and into my Piriformis. Basically the entire length of my left leg. And it's painful.
A fact made worse that while I'm meant to be on holiday (a staycation that basically involves me doing a bunch of unfinished shit around the house, while still working on my business things), going up and down stairs thirty times clearing out my loft, and shovelling a Ton of gravel from the front of the house to the back, have set it off a treat.
This has made me realise that I need to first give it a little time off. No running for two weeks. About the only thing I'm going to do is on the exercise bike and some walking during that period.
This will bring me to a point where I go away for a week (where I will do my best to not run at all) and depending on how it feels at that point, will start to work on building strength, flexibility and functional mobility back into the area.
This is the boring-as-shit work that I have to do to really get beyond this problem if I want to tackle something epic.
So what's the plan here...
1. Rest it, laser beam it (LLLT), massage it for 2 weeks
2. Start on the spin bike and elliptical cross trainer for 2-4 weeks from next week. Zero impact training.
3. Book a physio appointment to get a new rehab/strengthening plan
4. Strength, mobility and flexibility plan for 6-8 weeks
5. Ease back into running in about 3-4 weeks' time (will know more after taking some professional advice though)
To give you an idea of some of the delights that await me in rehab, I can look forward to:
Ankle rolls and drawing the alphabet with my feet (I fucking hate this exercise btw)
Alfredson protocol for achilles
Foam fucking rolling
Deep tissue massage / cross friction massage
PNF Stretching
Muscle Energy Technique (if available)
skater lunges, hopping, bouncing, bounding (when strong enough)
Soleus stretching and strengthening
Ankle stretching
Banded foot eversions & inversions (thousands of the fucking things)
Outer, central, inner small-stepped calf raises
General stretching and rolling from glute to soleus
It's a moving target right now, but I have time on my side. Despite nobody ever in the history of mankind enjoying rehab work, it's crucial that I use the next few months to build proper function and strength back in my ankle/achilles and lower leg generally. A stitch in time saves nine... and may just stop me going postal in a supermarket aisle.... eventually.
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