It takes work to heal- Complex tear of Ankle

Dr. Terry Weyman

Ever wonder how the professional athlete comes back from "major and career ending injuries faster than the regular person"? Its because the hard work that make them the top 1 percent of all the athletes does not stop when they leave the field. They are willing to do what it takes to get where they want to go. You would never hear a Pro say "I don't have time to rehab, or, if my insurance doesn't cover it, I can't do it, or, my favorite, I can't do all of that, I have to work for a living". Professional athletes realise something, their body is their most valuable asset and without it working in perfect order, they can't go to work. They can't make money or live the life they want to live. Well, this journey I have taken to heal faster, but functional, has shown me many things. One, it takes a lot of work and time. Second, the money spent is far less than the money that I would lose in the long run with a bum ankle. Third, Anyone who values their body can do it!

As many of you know the standard for this kind of injury is bed rest with a cast for 2 weeks, then non wt bearing crutches for the next 4 weeks, then build into wt bearing and begin rehab to get the range of motion back. This is the standard that most Doctors (MDs and DCs) as well as Athletic Trainers and PTs go by. HOWEVER, when talking to colleagues of mine who work with NFL, MLB and Pro Cycling teams the rules change. Why, because their clients HAVE to get back to work and they can't have residual weaknesses. Why wait for scar tissue to build up then go to a PT to break it down in an attempt to get movement? Instead, under close watch, rehab the joint under light load and allow the scar to build in a functional manner.

MY days:

As you know I am back to work 3 days a week. M-W-F. These work days are long so I am using tue and thurs to recover and rehab. HOWEVER, to get through a full day requires extra work. I start my day on my Marc Pro for 45 min (http://www.marcpro.com/ Promo code: gotcsi) Then I eat breakfast and take my subacute supplements. I lather Traumeel on my leg (LA MDs are injecting Traumeel into joints now), put on my compression socks and walking boot, grab my crutches and head to the office. At the office I am not using the crutches to go from room to room but when I leave for lunch I use them. During my lunch hour, I hop in the Hyperbaric Chamber with the Erchonia Cold Laser and do the protocols for bone and ligament repair. More Traumeel, then sock back on and boot. Eat/supplements and its back to the office for my afternoon patient load. At the end of sometimes a 12 hour day, I get adjusted by one of my CSI Doctors, Dr. Amir Mahmud, to pull out the kinks from my altered gait and to restore neurological flow. Afterwhich I seek out my Acupuncturist, Dr. Shari Philips, who is kind enough to stay late. After an hour of Acupuncture its home for some Ice, rest and light Marc Pro. Finish up my paperwork from the day, take my Joint reconstruction supplements and then Kinesio tape my ankle for bed.

On Tue and Thurs the fun really happens. After breakfast, I go to the local pool and begin my exercise routine. Each day I add a little.

1. I swim 8 laps, adding one lap per day. 25 meter pool
2. Walk the width of the pool (competition regulation size) 10 times. Each day I
move 6" down towards the shallow end. I started with the water at shoulder level
Now its chest high. Each day adds a little more body weight to foot. I want
NO pain! I walk slow, concentrating on perfect gait.
3. Balance 30 seconds eyes open, 30 eyes closed on "bad leg". Same as #2, move
each day alittle more towards shallow end. NO PAIN
4. Walk backwards 5 times, same rules as 2.

Repeat 3 times.

I dry off and head to the hyperbaric for an hour of Hyperbaric (HBOT) therapy with the laser. Then Today I added something new. I paid a visit to the Neurotropia Brain Training Center. They work alot with the REDBULL athletes. What their machine does best is work with athletes who have anxiety and how to increase hand eye coordination, but it also helps "remap" the brain after injuries. What does this mean? When ever you have an injury there is a mental component that goes with this injury. Hence, the fear of return to play, guarded gait, lack of fight and overall fear of reinjury. I wanted to start work on this component now and not wait till its deep seated. The initial test showed I had some effects already, so I am glad I began when I did. (Gotta work on getting this technology over to CSI!)This process took another hour.

After lunch, I went home, rested and iced. Then Before Dinner, I was at it again, using a vibratory percusser to loosen the lower leg muscles to create blood flow to the foot. I went back on the Marc Pro for 45 min, then Kinesio tape for the remainder of the night.

That is my week. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO ALL OF THIS? Don't forget I have 2 young boys, sole income provider for my family and I am still working. Its because of ALL of this that I must do what I am doing. I don't have time and can't afford to be down, Plus, I AM WORTH IT. The money I am spending I will get back by being back to work full time in a short amount of time.

Make sure you are willing to do what you don't want to do, so you TOO can achieve what you want to achieve!

This is my schedule for the next two weeks. I will continue to work 3 days a week. My plan is to go back to full time (5-6 days a week) at week 5! OH did I mention because of the healing that I have witness, CSI has just purchased a HYPERBARIC CHAMBER!.

Want to learn more about this amazing tool and its uses, research HBOT therapy, mild hyperbaric Chambers. I have used it on numerous high level athletes with amazing results, now, it will be available to everyone at CSI.

Dr.Terry Weyman is the clinic Director at CSI, for more information go to http://www.gotcsi.com/