The only marks left from surgery
When the surgeon said 4 weeks on crutches, I never thought I’d survive it. But the day finally came! Fortunately time has flown by and 2 weeks of purely walking is also nearly complete, marking 6 weeks as of Sept 22. I always assumed I would be ready way early, but 4 weeks was almost the perfect amount of time. The big progress I am going to make is once I can start exercising again. My new workouts and warmups, designed by Dan Pfaff and the coaches at the World Athletic Center, are great at rehabilitating injuries and getting you back on track fast! (Full pun intended)
One thing I did learn quickly was what can be done on crutches. I probably looked like quite the character hobbling around the gym, but curls (for the girls..) and bench happen to use very minimal hip. Go figure!! Now for anyone that knows me, or any high jumper for that matter, they know that upper body is not exactly my forte. But every day I am getting closer to 225 lbs, a goal I’ve had since the days of 135 lbs being tough! After what feels like a long competition season away from lots of lifting, my bench is back up to the strongest it has ever been. Fortunately I do have a bit more leg strength than upper body strength, but it is looking like I won’t get back into olympic and power lifting for weeks still.
So if I haven’t been able to lift, what have I been up to? Great question. Aside from finishing off my degree, I also received some good news today. I am happy to announce that I am finally allowed in the pool! As long as I am in the deep end and not doing anything fun. But seriously, physio’s prescription today included pool running, light biking or elliptical, minor hip strengthening and ROM. Definitely a step in the right direction. However, the number 1 priority is finals. Being that I can’t train right now, we decided it was best to try to get my remaining 3 classes completed and out of the way. I am taking them online and one of the perks is the ability to schedule your finals whenever you want. I will be officially done finals forever (with a few remaining assignments) by the end of September. Very exciting!!
Barshim jumping 2.43m. Second highest jumper ever!
Mistakes and Things I Did Right:
The two biggest mistakes I have made are not enough massage (ironic for a massage therapist to make that mistake) and way too much sitting. Between video games, studying for finals, and not being able to walk, I have sat a lot. This has tightened up my hip and slowed the recovery process a bit. Usually I try to work from a standing desk when I can, but it is not possible with a hip injury. The correct way would have been to spend more time laying down or in a reclining chair. An increased need for massage comes hand in hand with all the sitting, along with the reduced range of motion in my hip. I am not allowed to flex my hip past 90 degrees or internally rotate it at all. Between not walking (flushes and loosens the body) and not being able to stretch, soft tissue work is critical.
On a positive note, I have done a few things really well. I pre booked 1-2 physio appointments per week, starting about 4 days after surgery. That has been really helpful, and my physio is amazing! (Thanks Daysha!!) This has kept my body from moving in the wrong direction as best as possible. Plus I am still covered under my parents for one last semester, so I made sure to use it all up! One of the other things that went really well was enjoying my time off. Usually injuries throw me into a grumpy, frustrating mood. But this time I used it as a relaxing vacation from work and track, getting a much needed mental break from it all. However, I am very ready to get back onto the track. I can’t wait!!
