It may well be a short road to travel, compared to what it could have been (four to five weeks for a calf tear away from the tendon, as opposed to three months for a tear away from the bone), but it is no less frustrating a road to be on at this time of year. I tore my left calf muscle away from the tendon on 29th May, eleven days ago, whilst climbing An Teallach. Foolishly (with hindsight) I carried on to bag the two summits, rather than head straight back down the slopes. I further exacerbated the tear by driving three hours home afterwards.
The recovery process started two days later, Thursday 31st May, with a visit to the Physio at my gym, where the seriousness of the tear was confirmed and the recovery prognosis made...I was under strict orders NOT to engage in any exercise for the next week...a week feels like a life sentence to someone like me!!! I was also told to forget any chance of Munro bagging for the next month at least...ruining my plans to climb eight Munro's on my week off and also putting paid to my hopes of attending Skye with the Caberfeidh Munro Baggers on the 22nd of the month!!
However, a week is a long time in recovery world.....
During the course of that first week I avoided stairs at work, wouldn't walk any quicker than was comfortable, did all my stretches...basically did what I was told (for a change). Then came my first target...the gym on Tuesday 5th June. I was told that I could attempt the exercise bike, so long as there was little resistance, and to stop if there was any pain. I managed 30 minutes at level 12 on the bike and threw in some light weights also...and thankfully there was no adverse reaction.
On Wednesday 6th I attended my 2nd session of Physio, armed with my positive news from the previous days gym attendance, and got the biggest (and rather pleasant) surprise imaginable...The tear in my calf, sizable that it was a week ago, had almost entirely healed already!! In it's place was a large knot of scar tissue that would still require a lot of care and attention over the coming weeks...but the good news is that I am at least a week ahead of schedule in my recovery...meaning that Skye on the 22nd is now a realistically viable target!! I returned to the gym for a 2nd session of 30 minutes on the bike, level 12, following my Physio visit, and again showed no adverse reaction afterwards.
Thursday 7th June saw my third visit to the gym in as many days...and I had cleared it with my Physio to be able to up the ante slightly...another 30 minutes on the bike could be followed by some work on the cross trainer...so I duly managed 30 minutes on that also at level 12. Positively there was no adverse reaction from the extra work out so my spirits remained high...
Friday 8th June and I was back in the gym for a fourth day in a row...this time it was 30 minutes on the cross trainer (level 12) some weights and then 30 minutes on the bike (this time at level 14)...then rather daringly I attempted 10 minutes on the climber (level 10)...slightly ahead of schedule but everything had gone fine up till now...and have had no adverse reaction to it thus far!!
I am not foolish enough to think that at some stage there will not be a setback, but thankfully it has not happened yet. I have been sensible enough to cancel all my previously planned walks between now and 22nd June...Skye is the target after all...and intend sticking to realistic targets of progress (barring the occasional extra push to test myself) until I am satisfied that I will be fit enough, not only to attend the Skye jaunt but, to participate fully in the planned climbs!!
I now have thirteen days till departure for Skye...I will update my progress prior to then...fingers remaining crossed until then xx
Sgurr Dearg 22/06/12
Sgurr Dearg 22/06/12
Sgurr a Mhadaidh 23/06/12
Bla Bheinn 24/06/12
Good to hear you're on the recovery John.
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