Sports Medicine 101: How To Approach Exercise After You Have Had Surgery On Your Achilles Or Plantar Fascii
If you have recently had surgery on either your achilles tendon(s) or your plantar fascii (the muscular tissue and tendons that run underneath the bottoms of your feet), then you may be worried about returning to your exercise and sports routine. As a previously active athlete, it can be tough to return to your routine, especially since you cannot jump right back into it and run a couple of miles a day. Here is how you should approach exercise after having surgery on these particular tendons and muscles.
No Exercise until Your Stitches Have Been Removed
It goes without saying that you probably should not even go for a walk while you have stitches in place. While it may drive you crazy to sit, lay down or meander about with the help of crutches or a wheelchair, right now that is what your doctor expects so that your body can begin to heal and allow the tendons and tissues to heal. After you get the stitches removed, your orthopaedic surgeon may suggest or prescribe some orthopaedic shoes to support your feet so that you can take short walks.
Attend All of Your Physical Therapy Appointments
Physical therapy after foot and ankle surgery is extremely important. Achilles tendons that needed repair could snap or tear again if you are not under the guiding eyes and hands of a good physical therapist. Plantar fascii may heal incorrectly, or not receive enough proper stretching to function as they should. For these reasons, you should attend all of your physical therapy appointments as scheduled, and in time, you may even be allowed to use the treadmill at the the therapist's office to help rebuild foot strength for running. This is why the branch of sports medicine was developed-- to help athletes (like yourself) get back into shape after injury or surgery.
Workouts Using Just Your Upper Body
If you are going stir crazy waiting for your feet to heal so you can work out, there is no reason you cannot work out your upper body. Recovery from Achilles and plantar fascii surgery should not be viewed as a setback in your exercise routines, but rather an opportunity to beef up your upper body. You may find that while you are waiting for your feet to heal, you can still get that endorphin rush from working out your upper body with weights and upper torso cardio equipment.
For more information, contact a company like Tedder Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center.