This week was 24 miles of running and 18 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.
I got PRP injections in my right ankle on Tuesday afternoon, and so spent the next two days trying not to move very much so the platelets could settle in the right place. Then I carefully started resuming activity.
It is amazing how sluggish even a few days of couch potato can make one feel.
My right ankle is screwed up in multiple ways, with a torn posterior tibial tendon AND torn ligaments. The doctor agreed with me that the torn posterior tibial tendon (which is now really two parallel tendons) was healed and working just fine as is, so no need to mess with it. So we just injected the ligaments.
I was expecting it to be really really painful, per my past experiences. But, it ended up just being pretty painful. My doctor said that there's always a careful balance in how much numbing he injects. He can't inject too much because it dilutes the PRP. But if he doesn't use enough, the procedure is too painful to be tolerated. He's using slightly more numbing than he did 7 years ago, which meant the procedure was much easier than I expected.
Which was a good thing, because they had no squeeze balls. In the past, when I got PRP, they handed me a squeeze ball. So I showed up this time and asked for my squeeze ball. And...no more squeeze balls, due to Covid 19 concerns (since the squeeze balls would be shared between patients, and are hard to disinfect). Bummer. I just bunched up a corner of my sweatshirt in my hand and that worked decently well.
The PRP will take about 2.5 weeks to kick in (and that was my experience in previous sessions). My ankle is already slightly more stable, but that's just due to some residual swelling in the joint effectively stabilizing stuff.
I was a bit disappointed to learn that my doctor thought I needed two sessions. But...if that's what it takes. My next session is scheduled for exactly 4 weeks after the first set. Then hopefully I'll be done.
Dailies
Monday: 7 "miles" of pool-running and upper body weights/core. Foam rolling at night.
Tuesday: 8 miles, including six 90 second hill repeats up a 5% incline with 3 minute recovery. Followed with leg strengthwork, streaming yoga, PRP injections into my ankle, and crutches.
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Wednesday: Couch potato.
Thursday: Couch potato.
Friday: Upper body weights/core, 2 "miles" of pool-running, and gentle streaming yoga. Foam rolling at night.
Saturday: 4 miles easy (8:57) plus streaming yoga and 5 "miles" pool-running. Foam rolling in afternoon.
Sunday: 12 miles, structured as the first 8 miles averaging 8:40 pace, the next 2 averaging 7:38 pace and the next 2 averaging 6:56. Followed with leg strengthwork and streaming yoga. Doubled back with 4 "miles" pool-running and foam rolling in afternoon.
I'm kind of amazed how easy it is for you to get PRP. I only know one provider in our area who does it (and we have pretty robust healthcare services here due to two major medical schools with extensive research facilities), and he is kind of by-the-book about it. I wish it was more mainstream! Sorry you have to go back, but it sounds like your ankle is kind of a hot mess so I'm sure you need it.
ReplyDeleteHot mess is right :)
DeleteWe actually have a ton of options for getting PRP here. Everybody wants in on it. I'm guessing it's because we have a lot of older athletes with excess disposable income :)
The practice I get PRP at has 4 doctors - all doing nothing but prolotherapy, PRP, and stem cell stuff.
Just got my first PRP in my shoulder. Do you think that resting other body parts after helps at all? Or is weight training and cycling on your legs okay?
ReplyDelete