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Broken ankle. out for 4 months (training advice needed)

Original Post
habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40

i broke my ankle and tore a tendon bouldering(in a gym!!). Now the doctor says i shouldnt climb for about 4 months.
I was thinking i might be able to go to the gym and climb easy toprope routes. but i doubt they wil let me climb with a cast on.
i have a project board, and the training routine that it came with.
does anyone have any other routines they like. anything to keep me motivated to train?!?!?

Chris Plesko · · Westminster, CO · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 485

I climbed in a gym in a boot/cast and it's fairly common here in Boulder. TR only (for me anyway) and it's certainly a workout without getting weight off on both feet but it's better than nothing.

Take your time. Ankles take a LONG time to heal. 4 months may be highly optimistic for bouldering again (landings).

H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95

I just had surgery to re-attach my achilles so I feel your pain. I am non weight bearing till March. I have been doing about 160 pull ups on my finger board in sets of 20- 1 set of 20 with a 35 pound pack on jugs, 20 on sloper, 20 on medium finger hold and 20 with my old ice axes. After the last rep on each I try to hold/lock off for 20-30 seconds. I mix in abs and legs in between sets. I do that twice.

On other days I am using my bowflex.30-55 reps depending on excerise. I can still do some leg excercises so I am getting full body workout. But no cardio and no real climbing or skiing till the spring time. Hoping to at least get some snow climbs in late in the season. Trying to watch what I eat as well so I don't become a huge blob!!

Good luck with healing!

Brigette Beasley · · Monroe, WA · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 275

The whole time my sprained ankle was in the boot, I was in the gym climbing on one foot. Boy, did my core get strong!

habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40

Thank you guys! i was really bumming it. but now that i dont feel like the only one here injured i cant wait to get in the gym with one good leg!

habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40
Chris Plesko wrote: 4 months may be highly optimistic for bouldering again (landings).
i think im going to stay away from bouldering. its not worth the risk for me. i love route climbing. not much of a boulderer.
Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Had a cast over the pins and screws in ankle. That stayed for 3 painful months, so I started my rehab after it was off. DO NOT skimp on your physical therapy opportunities. I quit once I thought I was mobile enough and it took a year to get full strength and flexibility again. Was climbing rock 2 months after the cast came off, so a total of 5 months for my old body to make it back.

Brie Abram · · Celo, NC · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 493

I broke my ankle in J-Tree in 2003 without health insurance. Never got real physical therapy. I never regained full mobility. When I squat deep, that heel lifts off the ground even today. Please start doing rehab on it as soon as you're able, and stick with it for a long time.

timt · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 50

I shattered my heel 6 months ago in a lead fall and it is still too weak to climb....p.t says maybe 2 more months, so i feel your pain.
Graham at Cilogear sent me a little pouch he made that attaches to a crutch that holds misc. things in a pocket on 1 side and has a mesh pocket on the other (perfectly holds a beer). Figured i would pass it and the karma on to another climber on crutches. Assuming you are on crutches, I would be happy to pass it on to you with the contingency that you do the same once you no longer need it. Let me know if you want/need it & i'll send it on.
tim

Jim Davidson · · Fort Collins, Colorado · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 20

I agree with PT - get all you can afford, do what they say with full and consistent committment. Long ago I only had a sprained ankle but it was a bad one, and swimming was GREAT for it and my body. The three good limbs got a heck of a workout, and the bad leg fluttered behind weakly, but the flexing and hydrostatic pressure of the water helped. Check with your doc & PT first of course. Currently I am recovering from tibia breaks and thrashed ACL. Pool work (walking & swimming with other limbs) is real good. Hope you recover well.

Caleb Cerling · · Boulder, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 55
Chris Plesko wrote:Take your time. Ankles take a LONG time to heal. 4 months may be highly optimistic for bouldering again (landings).
+1 For this. I had what the doctor said was the worse sprain he had ever seen. I was lucky and only had to spend about a month and a half in a walking cast. It took at least 3 months for all of the swelling to go down and it's been about 7 months now and I still have some pain every now and then. Do your physical therapy as much as you can stand it and then a little bit more. Good lucky with your recovery.
no1nprtclr · · Front range Colorado · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 55

Broke my ankle 1st day of August. Still has some swelling and at times tender. I've been climbing, but mostly in the gym. Did one lead so far on rock. But it's taken a lot more time than anticipated. I've not tried ice yet, when I go outside and kick some trees, it feels funny and kind of tingly. I go back for another set of x-rays end of January to find out if things are totally fused. Mobility isn't too bad, but I try and stretch it everyday. Good luck in healing up.

Juan

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

It's the stretching and range of motion exercises that I should have continued but skipped after first 3 months. Should have kept it up, as my recovery took about a full year. Still have a very tight ankle, and thin skin over those screw heads and chunk of titanium.

habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40

thank you all again for your advice. i wasnt going to go to physical therapy once i get my cast off. but after all you have told me. i deifinatly will do pt

habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40
timt wrote:I shattered my heel 6 months ago in a lead fall and it is still too weak to climb....p.t says maybe 2 more months, so i feel your pain. Graham at Cilogear sent me a little pouch he made that attaches to a crutch that holds misc. things in a pocket on 1 side and has a mesh pocket on the other (perfectly holds a beer). Figured i would pass it and the karma on to another climber on crutches. Assuming you are on crutches, I would be happy to pass it on to you with the contingency that you do the same once you no longer need it. Let me know if you want/need it & i'll send it on. tim
yea. ill defiantly take it and pass it on. this is my first time on crutches and they suckkkkkkkkkkkk
H BL · · Colorado · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 95
timt wrote:I shattered my heel 6 months ago in a lead fall and it is still too weak to climb....p.t says maybe 2 more months, so i feel your pain. Graham at Cilogear sent me a little pouch he made that attaches to a crutch that holds misc. things in a pocket on 1 side and has a mesh pocket on the other (perfectly holds a beer). Figured i would pass it and the karma on to another climber on crutches. Assuming you are on crutches, I would be happy to pass it on to you with the contingency that you do the same once you no longer need it. Let me know if you want/need it & i'll send it on. tim
.... That's what I need! I'm on crutches till March!!!!!!!!!!!!
habla · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 40
Harold Lampasso wrote: .... That's what I need! I'm on crutches till March!!!!!!!!!!!!
i agree. give it tell him. all be able to be walking around again in a month
Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

I can tell you what NOT to do...sit around eating food, drinking beer, taking pain pills and feeling sorry for yourself for 2 months.

Needless to say my fitness isn't top notch as I roll into 2011.

timt · · Wheat Ridge, CO · Joined Jan 2006 · Points: 50
Bryan Jeffrey wrote: i agree. give it tell him. all be able to be walking around again in a month
if that's what you want bryan, i'll send it his way. p.m. me & i can pass it on to you harold.
+10 for karma on your part for sending it his way.
Mark Wyss · · Denver, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 255

Bryan, If your in climbing for the long haul, stick with science and the advice your docs give. They might not climb, but fractures and soft tissue injuies are ultimately all the same, no matter the sport. Give it time.

Not being patient enough, getting stir crazy at the house, and being active just to have someting to do isn't the way to go. I have done the aformentioned and now regret it. If the tissue hasn't had time to heal fully, you will just keep pulling it apart. A book or two you may want to check out while your on the shelf is Climbing Training for Peak Performance by Soles and Crosstraining for Endurance Atletes by Guisado.

Hope your better soon.

Smokemonkey · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 5

I broke tib/fib, metal plates and the whole nine yards 3 years ago...best advice I have is to stay active. Pullups kept me somewhat sane and actually help my climbing when I got back at it. Recovery was about 4 months and I was back to about 75 percent. I went to pt twice, got the details and rehabbed at home. Stretching and movement as tolerated in the cast was good.

Balance was an issue once in soft cast and then back in shoes...work on stabilizer small muscles, using veedoo board or even a skate board. I did a lot of single leg squats while still in both hard and soft cast, this kept my leg muscles active.

Lastly..and I cannot say this enough ....take your time and do not push it.. I did and ended up back in surgery because I wanted to get back to normal way too soon. Good news is within 1 year I was back running 5 k with no issue and more importantly CLIMBING!!

Good luck bro...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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