[pct-l] PCT-L Submission

[alantcarpenter]

Strength and balance exercises for hikers

 

Near the end of my through hike of the Colorado Trail last summer, I injured
the peroneus brevis tendon which runs under my right ankle.  When I finished
the trail and after the swelling subsided, I visited a podiatrist who took
x-rays (negative) then ordered an NMR, which showed a small tear in the
tendon.  The podiatrist recommended surgery.   I visited an orthopedist, a
specialist in foot and ankle problems, who told me that either physical
therapy or surgery would be a reasonable route to a happier tendon.  I chose
PT.  Six sessions helped a lot, but 4 months after my injury in late
December, my right ankle still was not fully healed.  The podiatrist told me
during a follow-up visit that complete healing might take another 8 months.
This cast a pall over my plan of starting the PCT this coming April.  I
happened to relate this story to my friend Will Murray who is a triathlete
and trainer.  He suggested a regimen of exercises to strengthen my core and
lower body plus improve my balance.  I had been lifting weights at the gym,
but it was not getting me to the condition I wanted, namely, a happy ankle.
At first I was uneasy about Will's rather strenuous exercise regimen,
because I thought it might make my ankle even worse.  To the contrary, it is
amazing that after 10 days of following Will's regimen my ankle feels much
stronger and the lingering pain in my right ankle is just about gone.  I
will keep doing the exercises until I depart for San Diego.  Will created a
youtube video that shows the exercise regimen I am following.  I highly
recommend it.  Check it out   <http://youtu.be/0-gUPlM1-Sk>
http://youtu.be/0-gUPlM1-Sk

 

Alan T. Carpenter, Ph.D.

Land Stewardship Consulting, Inc.

2941 - 20th Street

Boulder, CO 80304

303.443.8094 phone

303.449.9514 fax

alantcarpenter at comcast.net