So I blew my achillies out two months ago and I just got cleared for physical therapy. I'm a long way out from any kind of exercise but I'm looking forward to it. I had a complete tear two days after I found out I had been drawn for AZ elk. Shortly after my surgery results were posted for AZ and it turns out all my NR points got used up for a bull tag. So I know I'm pushing it but it's my motivation to stay focused and get ready the right way. It's going to be hard with limited exercise routine right now but I need to starve about20 lbs off to ease the load on my legs. I ve been looking around and there is a local Crossfit Gym nearby and was planning on adding that to the routine when I'm healed. Do any of you guys do Crossfit and how does it fit into extended hunting excursions?
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Achillies recovery
- Thread starter ofdscooby
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I do workouts similar to crossfit on my own as part of my training. They are short and sweet and very effecdtive, but I also mix in plenty of cardio as well. At the end of the day, hunting is an endurance sport, and specificity still applies.
Crossfit is trendy and popular right now, but you've really gotta be very careful with the weight and the intensity especially trying to recover from an injury. if you go that route, use very light weights for the rest of the year to give your body time to adapt to the intensity and recover from your injury. Good luck!
Crossfit is trendy and popular right now, but you've really gotta be very careful with the weight and the intensity especially trying to recover from an injury. if you go that route, use very light weights for the rest of the year to give your body time to adapt to the intensity and recover from your injury. Good luck!
+1! Both my sons are heavily into it; hurt just watching them do what they do.
Google crossfit fails and they even hurt more.
lightbulbIMHO, the key is slow and steady recovery (physical therapy approved exercises/recommendations) and not re-injuring it! lightbulb
Good luck and have a speedy recovery ... on time for your hunt.
jmden
Well-Known Member
Eccentric step downs exercise--WHEN YOUR PT SAYS IT'S OK TO DO! My wife is a PT, so I can say that!
This has been a great (the best for me) rehab exercise after doing some damage to my R achilles. Eccentric movements are supposed to be very helpful for rehab in general. I do these on any stairs--the higher the step the more difficult it is. Start with a short step. I do a set of 20 at a time per leg/side and it is a quad burner as well as being a great core exercise and a great balance exercise. It (as least for me) was much more difficult to do properly than I first thought it was.
You'll see that this guy is doing a couple of things. 1) He's doing the eccentric movement slowly to stay in that eccentric motion as long as reasonably possibly. 2) He's balancing on the ball (forefoot) of his foot that's up on the step. In other words, keep that heel down as much as possible close to the step without putting weight on it while balancing on that forefoot. Keeping the heel down there will stretch that achilles more during the exercise.
One thing I do to make it harder than the video shows is to touch my heel to the floor, not my toes, and reach out with that heel as much as you can. Especially, reaching out with that heel stretches that achilles out while it's in the rehabbing eccentric movement.
My guess is you're far from this point and I'm not a PT, so do what your PT says to do, but you might ask them about eccentric movement at the proper time and this exercise in particular.
Right now you'll probably just be working on basic range of motion with that ankle. Don't overdo it too quickly and get hurt again--not even a trophy elk is worth that.
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Some excellent advice, and I challenge us all to incorporate these types of eccentric movements into our workouts even if we are not rehabbing ... if you watch the exact motion, how often do you do that when you're out hunting ... as in you've got a daypack or backpack on, maybe you're packing out quarters, and you come to a ledge of rocks, a fallen tree... anything in nature that makes a step like that, and you've gotta step down. And maybe you're stalking a herd of elk and you have to do that step down VERY slowly so you don't make noise and spook the herd.
The point is, that's a movement we're all gonna do countless times when we're out hunting, and it's those exact types of movements we all seem to neglect when we train.
Jmden, thanks for the video, great advice for all of us.
Thanks for the comments guys I want all the advise I can get especially from the hunting community. I'm looking forward toward recovery and want it to happen fast but know I have only one shot and doing it right. Statistically 4:100 re rupture again and I couldnt live through this hell again. Its hard because I want to know when will I be better I would hate to have to be a road hunter for my elk hunt this fall.
I don't remember all the details but one of my hunting buddy had an ACL surgery a few years ago and was using some kind of support to help him and prevent/reduce re-injuring it. It might be a hunting boot space challenge but perhaps there is something out in the market for your situation.
Good luck on your recovery.
Well I almost 7 months post injury and I was signed off by my doctor yesterday. I'm down 8-10 pounds and looking forward to upcoming hunts. I was able to jog with my kids at their jog-athon's on Friday and that was a big deal for me personally. My go to routine has been getting on the stair-master with an old pack with 50 pounds of weight and going for about 45 min. I have also been doing a lot of squats in different styles and just focusing on whole body exercises instead of beach muscles. I'm looking forward to this November I have two AZ hunts one desert mule deer and a late bull rifle hunt in Payson.
seattleman1969
Well-Known Member
How long were you in the cast? how much muscle mass have you lost off of your calf?
In 2005 I had a full rupture of my right achilles tendon and I still (10 years later) have a 5% mass imbalance between left and right. I was in the cast for 6 weeks and in a walking boot for another month. It took me the better part of a year just to be able to walk normally again (Without a noticeable limp/hitch).
Listen to and communicate openly with your PT. Don't try to "man up" and definitely do not overdo it unless you want another injury. I am a former Naval Rescue Swimmer and amateur triathlete and thought I knew better. I tried to do exactly that (take on too much too fast) and ended up blowing the meniscus in my left knee due to the severe imbalance of strength and support. About a year after having my left knee scoped I blew my right meniscus and had to have it scoped.
Crossfit is a bad idea right now. You are still in the window of re-injury and adapting to the imbalance and weakness of being immobilized for so long. take it slow be consistent with your PT.
As far as the elk hunt goes, find a friend or an outfitter with horses. Be very careful and provide your ankles and knees plenty of support. Be overly conscientious.
Good luck and get well!
In 2005 I had a full rupture of my right achilles tendon and I still (10 years later) have a 5% mass imbalance between left and right. I was in the cast for 6 weeks and in a walking boot for another month. It took me the better part of a year just to be able to walk normally again (Without a noticeable limp/hitch).
Listen to and communicate openly with your PT. Don't try to "man up" and definitely do not overdo it unless you want another injury. I am a former Naval Rescue Swimmer and amateur triathlete and thought I knew better. I tried to do exactly that (take on too much too fast) and ended up blowing the meniscus in my left knee due to the severe imbalance of strength and support. About a year after having my left knee scoped I blew my right meniscus and had to have it scoped.
Crossfit is a bad idea right now. You are still in the window of re-injury and adapting to the imbalance and weakness of being immobilized for so long. take it slow be consistent with your PT.
As far as the elk hunt goes, find a friend or an outfitter with horses. Be very careful and provide your ankles and knees plenty of support. Be overly conscientious.
Good luck and get well!
I was in a splint for 6 weeks and the walking boot for a month and half. I don't do anything without my PT's permission but also encourage him not to hold back on me my left calf is still probably 10% smaller as well and I'm lacking just a little in strength but I have noticed through all the training the stamina in the left leg is better than my right. When I get up after sitting for awhile my feet hurt like nothing I've ever expierenced but they loosen up after about 2 min of walking and I'm fine.
seattleman1969
Well-Known Member
Sounds like deja vu'!
The weekend after I got out of my walking cast, I went and did a hike in the high country around Whistler, BC (Like i said I jumped in too fast and tried to do too much) and after about 5 minutes of walking it was pain, ever increasing until we took the gondola back down to the valley. You'd think I would learn but no, I continued until I injured myself again.
Anyway, sounds like you have a plan, just remember during your hunting trip, you are going to be affected, be cautious, take it easy, rest when you feel you need to, and have a good time!
Wishing you rapid healing and much success.
