Returning to peak fitness after serious injury

[BestestBrownies]

Hoping for some advice as don't seem to be getting the results I want fast enough and feeling quite despondent about it.

I badly broke my leg 2 years ago. I was fortunate to have an amazing surgeon who pinned and plated it all back together, but it has taken up until a few months ago to rehabilitate to the point that I can walk normally (without limping).

I was a fit size 10 when I broke my leg. Now I'm a size 16 and fucking miserable. I feel like I'm in the wrong body and am desperate to get back to my former fitness.

As far as exercise goes, I walk the dog daily for 45 mins first thing in the morning, sometimes walk him again at lunchtime for another 45mins (but mostly DP does it then). Have joined a club/gym and go swimming approx. 3 times per week (30 lengths in 20 mins). Go to a badminton club one night per week and play for around 2 hours.

I went to an indoor ski slope yesterday to see if I could do it and pleased to say I can, although could only manage 1.5 hrs before the muscles in my injured leg felt sore.

Has anyone here successfully returned to their previous form after a serious injury? How did you go about it? How long did it take? Any help/advice welcome. Thanks

Hi Bestest. Didnt want this to go unanswered. Slightly different, but I have just had a double bunion correction which almost completely immobilised me for 3 months, with another 3 of limited walking (i.e. I can walk to do what I need to do but I cant just "go for a walk"). So far it looks like a reasonable result, albeit my feet are never going to be perfect. Also, it's a bit frustrating as I feel my consultant keeps moving the goal posts in terms of what is possible at this stage of recovery. Anyway, long story short, after 5 months, I am now about 1 month away from being able to start running training again. I used to be a reasonably competitive trail runner and was at pretty much peak condition before the op, but I have no idea of how my feet and muscles will adapt. It'll be a slow road back anyway

The thing that has saved my sanity during this 6 months has been weight training. Although I now look a bit ridiculous due to flabby lower body and jacked upper body, at least I feel like i'm getting somewhere.

What sports/ training were you doing before the accident?

Hi Johnny

Apologies for the late reply. I had given up on getting any responses to this and started another thread in chat for traffic.

Sorry to hear you've found yourself in the same boat recently, but well done for maintaining your upper body at least. When I went to a sports physio, she explained that my lack of balance was because the micro muscles in my leg (esp. below the knee), needed to regenerate. I'll be honest and say it's not exactly a painless process, but it's very difficult to judge what the right amount of pain is IYSWIM? It's a case of being scared to overdo it and going backwards in the recovery process, but wanting to do enough to start seeing real results.

Before my injury I was very fit. Playing squash and badminton, swimming (with weights), and the occasional pilates class. I would run on a treadmill if I couldn't get a partner for squash, but I hated that and would really have to force myself to do just 5K.

I tried to do a body pump class a few weeks ago, but my ankle swelled up and hurt for 3 days afterwards, so I took that as a sign it was maybe too much too soon.

What I took away from the responses on my other thread is that I mostly just need to be patient and accept that it's going to be a long, slow road back to full fitness.

Maybe we could check in here and support one another?

Hi Bestest,

I can totally relate to your post, missed your other thread in Chat.
I too used to be really fit despite having a recurring lumbar disc problem over the last three years. I got pregnant and continued with Crossfit during my pregnancy with no issues. Then I had DS and really struggled getting b/f established so I was sitting in all sorts of weird positions trying to get him to latch. This kicked off my back and right sided sciatica to the extent that I had two spinal injections to get it to settle. I was trying to manage this, work, a baby who wouldn't sleep and get back to all the exercise i was doing before which was just impossible. In the end I was walking, doing a TRX class and Pilates which was all I could manage. Two weeks ago my disc prolapsed to the extent that I required emergency surgery and now I'm reconsidering my approach to exercise entirely. I'm certainly not as toned as I was, particularly thighs and bum, (my knees even got massively fat towards the end of my pregnancy - had no idea that could actually happen!), but I need to make sure that this operation has a good result. Realistically I will not be lift proper weights for a year post op so my intention is to focus on Pilates initially, mathwork and equipment, with walking and then progress back to TRX as able. I need to get back to being strong but in a very controlled way.

The irony is I am a physio and Pilates instructor so have seen it from both sides. Whereabouts was your fracture? Have you had a movement screen as in what's your squat like, balance like etc? If you can ski for that long and play badminton it sounds like you are doing really well but getting weight off is slow and you may feel like you are wearing a fat suit but it will come. You don't mention diet at all, what are your eating habits like?