injury update

Yesterday morning's visit to the physio was quite revealing to say the least.  After an X-Ray, another ultrasound scan and some prodding, poking and manipulation (by three different doctors) we now know what the problem has been.

It all started when I fell down the stairs at home four weeks ago.  I mentioned it on the blog at http://thoughtsofanultrarunner.blogspot.com/2011/10/welcome-back.html.  Apparently I definitely injured my achilles tendon as mentioned before but I also picked up a stress fracture of the calcaneal (heel bone).  Apparently X-Rays often don't show stress fractures until they start to heal - a couple of weeks (or more) after the original injury.  More details about that at the virtual Sports Injury Clinic.

So, lots of rehab then for the rest of the year.  Eccentric calf stretches and massage with Deep Heat for the achilles.  Lots of rest for the stress fracture which means walking around as little as possible and when I do walk I've got to use a sorbothane heel pad (or similar) in my left shoe.

I am allowed to cycle though.  Yippee.  Looking forward to that (not).  So, at least I'm able to maintain a modicum of fitness for the rest of the year and beyond.  I'm back at the physio on 21 December (the day after I get back from Italy) and then, hopefully, I'll have some idea about returning to training.  At this stage I guess I won't be able to resume full training until February.

Which means changing any racing plans I may have been considering for the first half of 2012.

Shit.

the first steps to stronger shoulders and upper back

Woke up this morning ... and there was no electricity supply to the house.  Nothing worked.  No lights, no switches, nothing.

Phoned the generating company and they said they'd send an engineer out.  Meanwhile I went for a run.  It was still only 7.00am but it was a wonderful morning.  Sunny, cold and foggy.  A great and peaceful time for running.

Shortly after I returned home the engineer arrived and went to the sub-station which I can see from the kitchen window.  Fifteen minutes later the electricity came on and he departed - shortly afterwards I received a text letting me know the problem had been repaired.

A blown fuse in the sub-station (again !!)

For the past week or so I've been looking around (books, websites, etc) for strength and flexibility exercises for my shoulder and upper back.

One source has been the Virtual Sports Injury Clinic website.  Particularly this page for flexibility and this one for strength.

Also found some good stuff on Ultra Fitness Training, the site set up by William Sichel and Shaun Brassfield-Thorpe.

Brian MacKenzie ahas some useful stuff on his site too.

RunningPlanet.com has some good things too.  On this page.

Now all I've got to do is integrate it into my normal stretching and strength training routines.

I haven't started looking at races for next year yet but I will start doing that in the next day or too.  Meanwhile if you haven't read about my last race yet - here is the report from Llandudno.