Broken foot...

[BadMotherVaulter]

Well, I'm an idiot and i broke my right foot. (luckily i jump off my left.) I went from the wrong runway marker, took off from about 3 feet out, sank into the pole, then got rejected off the side where i landed on my feet, on concrete, and on the standard base. I broke two metatarsal heads. This is the first bone i've ever broken, and I broke it on January 13th. I've got one of those walking boots now, and have another 6 weeks in the thing. The orthopedic doc told me that in 10 weeks i could be up and jogging again, and vaulting soon after.

My question here is how long until you feel like you have a normal foot again? Since I've never broken anything before, i don't have the slightest clue on what to expect from this... And i'm sure some of you out there have had some experience. I was right at the 15ft mark in january when this happened, and I'd like to be back there by this summer, hopefully.

As for now, I've modified my workouts and i'm hitting them every day, working on core and upper body stuff for the time being.

And for fun, here's a pic of my broken foot's x-ray... the bone with the pointer on it is the first broken one, and the one to the right of it is broken too:

[KirkB]

... I've got one of those walking boots now, and have another 6 weeks in the thing. The orthopedic doc told me that in 10 weeks i could be up and jogging again, and vaulting soon after.

... how long until you feel like you have a normal foot again? ...

As for now, I've modified my workouts and i'm hitting them every day, working on core and upper body stuff for the time being.

Yikes ... but I do like your tag line!

So you need to keep your legs moving ... to prevent atrophy from setting in. The walking cast is good ... but if you're also on crutches then gradually put as much weight as you can on the foot ... and do as much stationary biking as you can ... to keep your muscle tone.

I guess the answer to your question is that when you can walk and bike without pain, then you're more-or-less back to normal ... and then you just have to wait it out for the bones to fully heal.

There's lots of gym work you can still do with the boot ... gymnastics I mean. You can also do weights, but highbar and rings are better.

Kirk

[BadMotherVaulter]

Yikes ... but I do like your tag line! Kirk

Why thankya. Speaking of sucking it up, I walked around on that foot for two days before finally admitting to myself it was probably broken, and i should probably go to a doctor.

Anywho, I don't have a cast, just the boot- so i can take that thing on and off as i please. And i do walk quite a bit with it, since i've been really worried about atrophy. It makes me walk mostly on my heel though, so i'm worried about what kind of muscular imbalance it's going to cause.

I only wish i had access to a highbar/rings. As it is, If i want to do Bubka's or anything, i have to do them on the crappy pull up bar in the gym with all these UFC-looking meat-heads wondering what the heck i'm doing.

[KirkB]

If it took 2 days before you went to the doctor, then it can't be all that bad. The boot is better than a cast, but as tempting as it might be, don't be taking it off to train - for fear of re-injury.

I forgot to mention that swimming is even better than biking to prevent atrophy - so you can take the cast off for that - if you're careful not to put any weight on it - even when turning at then end of each lap. Use a kickboard - to get more leg action and less arm action.

I wouldn't worry about the "muscular imbalance" of walking with a stiff ankle. That's the PURPOSE of the boot, so don't shortcut the healing process!

Funny that you should be worried about the football players (and maybe rowers) in the weight room. When I did my Hinge drill on the pullup bar with a cast on, one guy said to me "Wow! You must really be gung-ho!".

So suck it up!

Kirk

[BadMotherVaulter]

See, thats what i was thinking... and also why I didn't go to the doc right away. Everyone was telling me "oh, no way it's broken... you couldn't even walk, you'd be in tears right now, that foot would be the size of a basketball right now." So i just took their word for it. Then it wasn't getting better (it was actually getting worse, as in pain) so i broke down and went to the doc and sure enough there were two breaks. So i guess everyone else in the world is a big panzy and i'm basically superman

But i do have a pool at my disposal, there's an indoor pool at my apartment complex. I need to get a kickboard though. Other than that, I guess i'm doing just about all i can be doing. I'm hitting pretty good upper body/core workouts and some intense bike rides. I will try and add some more poolwork on top of that, and i need to be switching up my workouts more so i'm not overtraining a certain muscle group i guess.

Thanks for the advice so far though. When I finally do get back to vaulting, I'm going to be limited at first to short approaches and just drills, so that can only help me honestly. There's a lot of loose ends i'd like to try and get rid of in my form. I'd like to be a lot closer to the petrov model than what i am now. I tuck a bit, and like you say... there is no tuck!!!

[rainbowgirl28]

I think it's good to swim w/o the kickboard too, gets the core involved.

[BadMotherVaulter]

Here's been my workout for this week so far... i do some shoulder rehab exercises to keep my shoulders solid, i had an issue with impingement last year.

*SUNDAY*

15 mins bike, increasing resistance, 3.9 miles.
3x12 Dumbbell Bench on exercise ball, -30lbs
3x10 Hammer Pull-downs, -50lbs
3x10 Cable Rows, -42.5 lbs
3x10 V-ups
3 Sets Planks

*MONDAY*

Shoulder Rehab, both shoulders.
2x10 Oblique Twists, both sides, -30lbs
3x10 Push-ups
3 Sets Planks
2 Sets V-ups

then...

30 mins bike, increasing resistance, 8.0 miles.
3x12 Shoulder Press on exercise ball, -22.5lbs
3x10 Pull-ups, wide grip, 50lbs assistance
3x10 Dips, 50lb assistance
3x15 Back extensions, body weight only
3x10 Straight leg lifts
3 more sets of planks

*TUESDAY*

Shoulder Rehab, both shoulders.
3x10 Push-ups
3 Sets Planks

then...

30 mins bike, increasing resistance, 8.56 miles
3x11 Bench Press, -105lbs
3x10 Bench Leg Lifts
3x12 Hammer Bicep/Lat Pulldowns, -50lbs
3x10 Straight leg lifts
3x12 Standing Shoulder Fly, -5lbs
3x3 sets Bubka's

*WEDNESDAY*

30 mins bike, increasing resistance, 8.7 miles
3x12 Hamstring machine
3x10 Straight Leg Lifts
3x12 Quadricep Extensions
3x10 V-Ups
2x15 Shoulder Rotators (rehab)
3x4 sets Bubka's

*THURSDAY*

2x10 Oblique Twists
Shoulder Rehab, and that's it... resting day.

*FRIDAY*

Rest...

*SATURDAY*

30 min bike, i.r. 8.8 miles
3x11 Wide Grip Pull-ups, -50lbs assistance
3x10 Straight Leg Lifts
3x12 Dumbbell Shoulder Press, -22.5 lbs
3x10 V-Ups
3x12 Cable Rows, -42.5 lbs
11 Bubka's

[KirkB]

No swimming?

Kirk

[BadMotherVaulter]

No swimming?

Kirk

Nah, not yet... I'm not being much of a champion about it.

I have this horrible, awful aversion to swimming. That's a sissy excuse, I know, but there's not much more I hate in this world worse than swimming (roller-skating and ice-skating come close though.) I'm one of those people with zero buoyancy, so when i jump in a pool i sink straight to the bottom... and when i swim freestyle, i can't bring my head far enough out of the water to get a breath.

But... this week, i'll get in there and do my best. As much as I hate it...

[KirkB]

I have this horrible, awful aversion to swimming. That's a sissy excuse, I know, but there's not much more I hate in this world worse than swimming ... I'm one of those people with zero buoyancy ...

I can appreciate your dislike for swimming ... I'm not very keen on swimming either ... but if you like PV, then suck it up!

Honestly, swimming with a board solves your buoyancy problems ... it keeps your head above water ... and allows you to work the legs only. You don't need to swim for upper arm conditioning ... that's not your problem. Your problem is your broken foot. Use the chinup bar in the weight room for your upper body ... and suck it up there too ... no excuses!

Kirk

[BadMotherVaulter]

I can appreciate your dislike for swimming ... I'm not very keen on swimming either ... but if you like PV, then suck it up!

Honestly, swimming with a board solves your buoyancy problems ... it keeps your head above water ... and allows you to work the legs only. You don't need to swim for upper arm conditioning ... that's not your problem. Your problem is your broken foot. Use the chinup bar in the weight room for your upper body ... and suck it up there too ... no excuses!

Kirk

Okay. Ya talked me into it. Now where do i get a kickboard for home use? Might have to nab one from the YMCA
And yessir, I'm busting some rear in the weightroom all i can for now.

Haha, i miss having someone push me. I need to hire someone to just come yell at me in the weightroom/gym. I think they call those people 'trainers.'

[KirkB]

Okay. Ya talked me into it. Now where do i get a kickboard for home use? '

They're typically made of foam, and sold in stores near beaches ... or a WalMart type store. Some are inflatable. Evansville looks a little land-locked on the map ... and not very far south ... so this time of yearyou might have to hunt a bit. But if you want to make one, it shouldn't be too difficult ... maybe go to a home improvement store and find a suitable piece of foam insulation material ... a couple inches thick ... and cut it down to size ... maybe 1 foot by 2 feet. Anything that keeps you afloat will work.

i miss having someone push me. '

Keep logging your progress on here ... we are your conscience ... and we will be happy to embarass you if you don't suck it up!

Kirk