Day 10 Of Grade 3 Ankle injury

By: Dr. Terry Weyman

Well, Yesterday I got my MRI. You know its bad when the Radiologist is waiting out side of the MR scanner with a look on her face like "you did it good this time". She waved me into her office and said "I have not seen one this bad in a long time!" Great, just what I wanted to hear!

Complete Tear of the Anterior Tablofibular Ligament (main lateral stabilizer)

Avulsion fracture and partial tear of the deltoid Ligament (main medial stabilizer)

Partial tear of the Peroneal tendons (Both of them), partial tear of the Posterior tibial tendon

Partial tear of the calcaneal talar lig

6 bone contusions including a subchondral fracture of sustentaculum tali

Well, is that all? Here is the good news. I was able to go back to work on day 3 and put in a 12 hour day. I have cut my work days to just Mon, Wed and Friday so I can recover on the off days (tue, thur and weekend). Its a compromise I made. I need to work, I love my patients and I love what I do. So, if I am going to work, I need to work on recovery as well. I am not going to lie, this is hard. It will take alot of effort. Most people would take the time off, lay in bed as prescribed and take the 12+ weeks. I need to go to work for mental as well as to pay bills, but more importantly, I would go crazy staying in bed for that time!

It takes a lot of work, to heal and work. You have to combat the extra stress you are putting on the joints by standing with tissue recovery therapy to equal it out. The injury wants to heal and scar up. I NEED it to heal and scar up. There is a fine line between pushing through and ending up with permanent damage and pushing through and being ok in the end.

So far, what I am doing is working and I have a lot of people to thank for it. I am surrounded by other health care professionals with the same vision, they too work with high level athletes who, at times, can't rest the way they should.

On work days, here is my regiment. Are you willing to do what it takes, to get where YOU want to go?

Wake up early, take my supplements of proteolytic Enzymes, joint and bone care, omega 3 and Vit C. I repeat this process 4-5 times a day

Laser and light vibratory percusser to stimulate blood flow after supplementation and relax foot, coupled with light, non painful, passive ROM

Compression sock and boot. I can only walk when I have BOTH on.

Lunch time, more supplements, I head to the hyperbaric chamber for an hour. Inside I follow my Laser protocols for bone injury and ligament/tendon repair

Acupuncture, then light PT with passive ROM

Compression socks and boot back on for my after noon.

Chiropractic Adjustments to keep my pelvis and back aligned with my altered gait (don't want any new patterns to form) as well as keeping all the nerves to my ankle decompressed and firing

Evening, more acupuncture, followed by RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation)

Good meals during the day, give the body what it needs

Before bed, more supplements to allow healing to take place while I sleep

Kinesio tape (see photo) before bed to aid in lymphatic drainage at night and to reduce over night swelling

That is during my work day, during my off days, I do the same thing, but add, Home Marc Pro use http://www.marcpro.com/ (use promo code GOTCSI). I do this to flush fluid through my ankle and foot. I want circulation to flow, capillary dilation/formation to happen and debris to be flushed out. This is a tool every athlete should have and it has helped tremendously. I am using the Marc Pro for 45 min every other hour while at home on top of the acupuncture, hyperbaric and laser work.

The world of Injury recovery is fascinating and their is so much out there. When injured, care for your body as it cares for you. Don't sit on the couch, make healing a full time job. Your body will thank you down the road and you will be able to continue your life after you heal. Its a lot of work, but worth it!

Dr. Terry Weyman is the owner of the Chiropractic Sports institute, for more information go to www.gotcsi.com