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Military Muscle: Steps to bounce back from Achilles tear

Q I had surgery on a torn Achilles tendon in September. What exercises — at what intensity — should I focus on to safely get back into the swing of things and start running again?

A There normally would be a scheduled post-op walk-to-run progression program as part of your rehabilitation, determined by your doctor and physical therapist. It usually begins two or three months after an operation.

If you’re past that point or unsure what to do first, start with an easy pace. Then try this every other day:

• Walk five minutes, then run one minute. Do five sets of this; in each successive set, reduce your walk time by a minute and increase your runtime by a minute. Don’t move to the next phase until you can complete five sets without pain, swelling or stiffness.

• Perform two sets of the walk/run; walk for five minutes, then run for 10 minutes.

• Once you can complete those with no pain, run for 15 minutes. Add five minutes to each run; for extra strengthening, add low-impact plyometric exercises.

• Apply ice to the injured area after each workout. Focus on your calf muscles with toe raises and runner’s stretches.

Q What are some good core-strengthening exercises?

A There are many, but here are two that you may not have tried yet.

• Do two to three sets, 30 repetitions each, of give-and-take with a medicine ball. Lie on your back and have a partner stand near your shoulders. Hold your arms above you toward the medicine ball. Your partner should hold the ball a few inches above your hands. Keeping your arms straight, crunch upward, take the ball, go back to the floor and crunch again, delivering the ball back to your partner’s hands. Use any weight between 4 and 8 pounds.

• Do 10 sets of TRX and medicine ball push-ups (Check the June 8 issue of OFFduty in the Watch List “Gear Scout” section for a picture of the TRX Force Kit trainer.)

Hang the TRX Force Kit and adjust the nylon straps as long as they’ll go, putting your toes into the straps.

Place two medicine balls in a position where you can place a hand on each one and perform a push-up. Having a hand on each of the medicine balls, come into a suspended push-up position. Lower your chest to the medicine ball level for each push-up.

Fitness trainer and retired naval flight officer Bob Thomas is the director of the Navy Wellness Center in Pensacola, Fla. Got a question about your workout? Send it to OFFduty@militarytimes.com.