Achilles Tendon Injury

Update:  4 Days After the Injury

Less swelling but the bruising's more vivid

3 Days After the Acute Injury:

Swollen like an elephant's foot.

I was afraid it was a ruptured or torn achilles tendon at first but after seeing a chiropractor, I was told it was only an achilles tendon sprain.  The swelling and inflammation has gotten worse but I think this is just a sign of healing.

For those wondering how I got this injury, it was mostly due to a lack of warming-up prior to intense plyometrics and also lack of support in my Vibrams Five Fingers as well as landing on the front half of my foot rather than my entire foot.  The downward pressure driving my heel down with nothing below to support it led to a strain on the achilles tendon.  This is what I think anyways.

Epic from "Beastmodal Domains" believes there is an inherent risk in doing plyometrics at such a high volume.  He points out that the inventor of this exercise said the maximum number of reps should be 4 sets of 10.  I had done 5 rounds before I was injured, which means I had already done 75 reps of box jumps at 24" in addition to 115 lbs push presses and toes-to-bars.  (I was doing the CrossFit Games Open 12.3 WOD when I got injured.)

The Beastmodal Domains article on the association between high-rep plyometrics and rupturing of the achilles tendon can be read here.


3/14/12 Update:

I am SOOO grateful that my injury was not so severe that I needed surgery!  Thank the sweet Lord! I will never be so careless with my body again.  You only get one...

Garage Gym Hero — Ben Smith

Continuing on the theme of athletes whom I admire...
I had to make a post concerning an elite CrossFit athlete.

Now most people would point of Chris Spealler, Mikko Salo, Rich Froning (for males) or Kristin Clever, Annie Thorisdottor, or Camille Le Blanc-Bazinet (for females).  However, I actually like the little known Ben Smith since he looks like your average joe but he's a phenomenal athlete, who doesn't even work out at an affiliate and his trainer seems to just be his buddy from high school.

He does most of his WODs and PRs at his parents' basement and I believe he's only 21 yrs old.  He occasionally does his WODs at a globogym where the bystanders clearly have no idea wtf this guy is doing.

For such a seemingly small fellow, he lifts tremendous weight efficiently.

This is one of my favorite WOD videos because it incorporates tough gymnastics moves (anyone who has done HSPU and toes-to-bars knows how much it takes out of you) but also requires lots of strength to squat snatch 185# that many times, quickly in a WOD for time.

Here, Ben PRs with a 270# snatch and he does it with beautiful form.  Most guys sacrifice form when they aim for PRs but not this guy.

(This is where I want to be...the last time I tried for a PR for the snatch I got 155#; granted it was my first time trying for a PR but I was still rather disappointed.  I'm sure now that I've refined my form I can do better next time though.  I'm sure I can at least hit the 185#.)