Oh, what a difference a year makes. 12 months ago, I was laid up on the couch in a cast. Today, I have 365 days worth of recovery stories. This is my end-of-year recap.
Category: Managing injuries
Achilles Recovery: My 6 Month Snapiversary
For half a year, I have been recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. The gunshot snap. The boot and crutches. The long, painful, drawn-out healing process. Here’s how strategic healing, positive mindset and proper preparation made the first six months of my recovery go smoothly. When you are 53 and doing athletic things, you wonder… Continue reading Achilles Recovery: My 6 Month Snapiversary
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 21 weeks
Time heals all wounds. As I approach the five month mark in my Achilles recovery, I am happy report many more skills that have been added to my movement rotation. This post reflects on balancing the equation between safety and progress. May 18, 2025 As fast as my recovery may seem to the outsider, it… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: 21 weeks
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 4 months
I've officially passed the four-month mark since rupturing my Achilles tendon at the gym. It was an awful disruption in my existence. To commemorate my resilience and commitment to healing, I did something I've missed since that fateful day. I flipped! April 16, 2025 If you don't know me, I'm an adult gymnast who started… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: 4 months
Week 16 Achilles recovery: PT is coming to an end
In the past month, my biweekly physical therapy was reduced to once a week. At first, it was my March work schedule that limited my time. In April, it seems I've reached plateau. PT sessions have become, shall we say, too easy. Now what? April 9, 2025 Last week, I found out what was going… Continue reading Week 16 Achilles recovery: PT is coming to an end
Week 15 Achilles Recovery: Addressing Ankle Impingement
In my recovery week 9 post, I had spoken to the surgeon about my progress and the limitation at the front of my ankle that I had been enduring for the better part of a year. This is the follow-up story to that problem. April 8, 2025 Long before my Achilles ruptured, I had been… Continue reading Week 15 Achilles Recovery: Addressing Ankle Impingement
The mental toll of Achilles injury
It's been over 3 months since my Achilles tendon rupture. This is a reflection on the quest to balance fear and progress through long-term injury recovery. March 26, 2025 Not too long ago, all of my posts were about the progress I was making at the gym. I’ve celebrated the baby steps and the big… Continue reading The mental toll of Achilles injury
Coping with Bronchitis During Achilles Rehab: Essential Strategies
I've now passed the 12-week mark since my Achilles was repaired. It's been three whole months! Time flies, even when you're limping along. Though progress has been great so far, rehab has stalled this past week. Recovery has taken on a whole new meaning. On Thursday a week ago, I went to work as usual… Continue reading Coping with Bronchitis During Achilles Rehab: Essential Strategies
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 10 Weeks Post-Surgery Progress
It's been ten weeks since the surgeon put my Achilles tendon back together again. This article shares exercises I'm working on, strategies for pain and fear management, and my comeback progress.
Achilles Tendon Recovery: 9 Week Post-Surgery Follow-up
As I heal from this surgery, my ankle and foot are slowly waking up. There are lots of expected ouchies that I'm dealing with. And, the one issue that I believe to be at the root of the rupture is now in full focus. February 20, 2025 I had my nine-week follow up visit to… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: 9 Week Post-Surgery Follow-up
Recovering from Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Personal Timeline
I thought I'd share the highlights and milestones in each phase of my recovery so far. I'll keep updating this as I continue healing. I won't lie: this healing process is long and grueling. I have worked very hard to keep progressing safely. Because of that work, I have consistently felt at least 1% better… Continue reading Recovering from Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Personal Timeline
Achilles tendon recovery: 8 weeks post surgery
Here's an update about my progress and trials 8 weeks after Achilles tendon surgery. February 12, 2025 I know that 8 weeks is a fraction of time when it comes to Achilles tendon recovery. I’ve made great strides (pun intended) in that time. In the same breath, I realize just how far I have to… Continue reading Achilles tendon recovery: 8 weeks post surgery
Collagen, Exercise, and Hormones: My Path to Recovery
Around your 50s, you hear the buzz about using collagen to maintain a youthful appearance. After my Achilles tendon ruptured, I was more interested in it's ability to keep my body strong. This is a deep dive into five studies that examine the effect of collagen, exercise and hormones on our muscles and tendons. After… Continue reading Collagen, Exercise, and Hormones: My Path to Recovery
Achilles Tendon Recovery Week 6: Balancing Progress and Safety
At six weeks post-surgery, my recovery is going very well. When I compare my progress to some of the published protocols, I've been slightly ahead of the curve. That begs the question, am I progressing too fast? Am I risking re-rupture down the line? January 29, 2025 Read about my Achilles tendon story from the… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery Week 6: Balancing Progress and Safety
Achilles Tendon Recovery: Best Practices for Healing
Healing from Achilles tendon repair surgery is no fun. But, it is manageable. In this post, I'm sharing the best practices that help me stay centered and keep my progress moving forward. Recovering from an Achilles tendon injury is a long, arduous journey. In my last post, Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress, I shared… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: Best Practices for Healing
Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress
It's now five weeks after the surgeon repaired my Achilles tendon. Here, I'm sharing what I have found to be my next steps in a long recovery process. Read to the end for some pro-recovery tips. January 23, 2025 At my four week follow-up last Thursday, the surgeon gave me the okay to hobble a… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: Five Weeks Post-Op Progress
Achilles Tendon Surgery: Healing With Apolla Performance Socks
Rehabilitating from an Achilles tendon rupture is a long, arduous process. What has really helped in phase two of healing are my Apolla Performance socks. January 20, 2025 The short history: On December 15, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. Completely and definitively. On December 18, the surgeon put me back together, just in time for… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Surgery: Healing With Apolla Performance Socks
Achilles Tendon Surgery: Four Weeks Post-Op Progress
Four weeks and one day after my Achilles tendon repair surgery, I returned to the doctor for my second follow up. Spoiler: it went really well. January 18, 2025 Earlier this week, I posted Achilles Tendon Rupture: What Can I Do? It looked at the progress I've been making and how I've been inserting myself… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Surgery: Four Weeks Post-Op Progress
Achilles Tendon Recovery: What Can I Do?
When you suffer a life-altering injury, you have choices to make: to do or not to do. Four weeks after rupturing my right Achilles tendon, these are the choices I am making to recover well. January 12, 2025 In response to the title question, the answer is: I can do a lot. Even sporting a… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: What Can I Do?
Overcoming Achilles Injury: My Return to the Gym
On one regular Sunday FUNday, I ruptured my Achilles tendon on a tumbling pass at the gym. Three weeks later, I returned to the gym to take back my life, one hobbling step at a time. When you endure an injury that requires surgical intervention, it seems to overtake your life. Everything you do is… Continue reading Overcoming Achilles Injury: My Return to the Gym
Achilles Tendon Recovery: From Cast to Boot
This is the ongoing saga of my recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon in December. Two weeks post-op, this is how I'm doing. January 2, 2025 It's my first post in 2025 and already the year is starting off...interestingly. Two and a half weeks ago, I completely ruptured my right Achilles tendon at gymnastics. I… Continue reading Achilles Tendon Recovery: From Cast to Boot
Managing Risk as a Geriatric Gymnast
Why do I keep coming back to the gym after dealing with so many injuries? This article gets into that very question. This is the continuing saga of me breaking myself. Again. The first major foot injury from the gym starts here. This time, I completely tore my Achilles tendon at the gym. I was… Continue reading Managing Risk as a Geriatric Gymnast
Navigating Post-Surgery: Tips for First Day Recovery
Getting through the first night and day after surgery is one of the toughest parts of the early healing process. Here's how I managed the early obstacles. On Tuesday, I wrote Sometimes, You Break Yourself…Again, which told the story of rupturing my Achilles tendon at the gym. On Wednesday, I wrote Pre-op Hell and Surgery Heaven,… Continue reading Navigating Post-Surgery: Tips for First Day Recovery
Pre-op Hell and Surgery Heaven
Wednesday, December 18, 2024 On Sunday, I completely ruptured by right Achilles tendon. (Read Sometimes, You Break Yourself...Again for that story.) Today, my surgeon repaired it. This is my reflection of the ordeal. I saw the orthopedist on Monday afternoon. He listened to my story, watched the video of the event, and said "yup, that's… Continue reading Pre-op Hell and Surgery Heaven
Sometimes You Break Yourself…Again
Gymnastics is fraught with risk. Anyone who participates knows this. Once in a while, the risk catches up with you. No matter how careful you are, sometimes you break yourself. This is the start of another long road to recovery. December 15, 2024 I rise and shine, ready for another Sunday FUNday at Flipper's Gymnastics.… Continue reading Sometimes You Break Yourself…Again
Rebuilding Confidence: How to Overcome Fear After an Injury
Coming back from a physical injury is a great feat. Conquering the mental fallout is like winning the Olympic gold medal. This article chronicles the steps I took on the long road to overcoming fear. Trust the process. I’ve written a lot about managing fear and the effects our Lizard brain has on our ability… Continue reading Rebuilding Confidence: How to Overcome Fear After an Injury
Sometimes you break yourself, part 8
I'm approaching the end of week seven post-fifth metatarsal break and the foot is healing, slowly but surely. My follow-up appointment was on Friday morning, just two days before the end of the seven-week mark. Another set of X-Rays were taken and unfortunately, it didn't look that much different from the one taken the week… Continue reading Sometimes you break yourself, part 8
Sometimes you break yourself, part 7
It's been a couple of weeks since my last update. I'd been putting it off until this week's doctor's appointment, the anticipation of which was a source of anxiety and a bit of dread. I finally returned last week to the gym, not to flip, but to coach. It was good to breathe the air,… Continue reading Sometimes you break yourself, part 7
Sometimes you break yourself, part 6
I've been back to work for a week now, and I have to say in the middle of week four, I am exhausted. The boot saga continues.
Sometimes you break yourself, part 5
Healing a broken bone takes a long time. Intellectually, I know this. Emotionally, it's a whole other story.
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