A couple of folks asked a question on my last post. Was I OK? Well, when the first question was asked, the answer was yes.
But things change . . .
As some of you noticed, I haven’t posted in a while. Part of that is just having the Muses leave me. I’m busy with other things. Also, sometimes it just seems as if I’ve written just about everything there can be written about going barefoot.
That’s not quite true, since I still need to finish up describing my trip Out West last June. But, as I said, Muses.
However, I was still putting out my Saturday Comics, if nothing else. I was kind of proud of those. If you look at their URLs, WordPress automatically increments the number at the end if I repeat a title, thusly: “saturday-comic-225”. That meant that that last one was my 225th comic, for 225 weeks without a repeat, either. But I was running out of new comics (or at least halfway decent ones) and then, on November 22 I realized that I’d forgotten November 18 and having ended the streak somewhat removed that impetus.
Also, I really don’t get a lot of readership (sorry, folks). That last comic has gotten 109 hits total. The one before it, 77. (Yes, I realize counting can be wonky, and yes I realize that subscribers don’t show up in the counts, I think.)
But the barefooting community is supposedly a lot larger than that. The “Barefoot Is Legal” Facebook group has over 14,000 members. So it’s a bit demotivating, but I was fine. I was still doing all sorts of stuff barefoot. Bought myself a bicycle, got barefoot-friendly pedals for it and am up to about 150 miles on it.
But then something did change.
It’s Achillin’ Me
On Sunday I was playing tennis as I always do and managed to rupture my Achilles tendon. I was charging the net, doing a SABR. It stands for Sneak Attack By Roger (Federer), but for me it’s a Sneak Attack By Robert and it’s kind of fun to do. Of course, Roger is ~25 years younger than me, and that seems to make a difference.
It was weird when it happened. It felt like my shoe had slipped off of my heel and then I tripped over it. Except . . .
Except of course I wasn’t wearing any shoes in the first place. (Oddly enough, it took me a second to remember that!)
So I crawled over to a bench and started going into shock (a little bit—really sweating and very low blood pressure) and got driven to the Emergency Room where they X-rayed it and confirmed my suspicion and got it splinted and told to call an Orthopedic Surgeon in the morning.
And I’m still waiting—first available appointment for even a consultation is Friday. Grrrr.
Oh, and in that picture, that belt you see is the front belt of my usual hiking fanny pack. Turns out that when you use crutches you don’t have any hands available for carrying stuff. Who knew?
The doctor in the Emergency Room thought maybe I shouldn’t have been playing tennis barefoot (except I’ve been doing it for over 15 years).
And all I could think was, “What? People who wear shoes never rupture their Achilles tendons?”
So, I’m on hold for a bit. Maybe after a bit I’ll even get bored enough to write some new blog entries.
Ahcuah 
Best wishes for a complete and total recovery. And you posts, even during periods of boredom, will always be welcomed!
Maybe this would be a good time to write a book on the history of barefooting? You have all this wonderful material on your website, but when the website goes, it all goes. I was thinking that if you died, I couldn’t use you as an expert witness (not that I can afford to go to court or anything now, but someday . . . ), but if I had your book, it would still help as a resource. The alternative is to archive your website and track down the newspaper articles etc. myself.
Unfortunately, Muses.
OUCH!
I ruptured my achilles back in 1996, while playing basketball. I went up to the free throw line, looking for a pass, it went elsewhere, so I started moving down the lane, when on my first step, I felt what felt like someone hitting the back of my lower leg with a 2 x 4, and I heard what sounded like a shot gun going off. As I was falling to the floor, I looked around to see who kicked me, but there was no one in that immediate area. I knew right then that it was my achilles.
The ER doc was an idiot, who had no clue how to diagnose it, and had to wait until the ortho on call returned his call.
This happened on a Saturday, I saw a surgeon on Monday, and had the surgery the following day. That doesn’t happen that quickly now, thanks to insurance making you jump through hoops for pre-approval!
I had actually called 12 surgeons that Monday morning, and most told me that the next available appointment was weeks if not months away! I hung up the phone after my 12th call, and had no idea of what to do. That’s when the phone rang, and it was a doctor’s office calling. I didn’t recognize the name, but they asked for me, and said that they heard of my accident. Turns out, my father in law was in their office that morning, and told the other doctor in the office about what happened to me. The lady on the other end of the phone said that they had an opening at 3 that afternoon, to see the doc., and he had an opening on his surgery schedule for the following morning!
My one bit of advice to you is, LISTEN TO YOUR MEDICAL TEAM (including the PT and others working with you), because you are now more prone to rupturing it again, and if it happens a second time, it will happen a third or more times!
Thanks for the advice. I also worry it was caused (or helped along) by some of the medications I take.
Regarding Physical Therapy, I managed to slice a finger tendon back around 1996 or so. It was surprising how frozen that finger (and the ones near it) were after that little activity. So, I appreciate the importance.
Good luck on your recovery. I’m in a bit of the same boat you are*. I just had a knee arthroscopy, and I’m on crutches for a few days, too. And I also have come to realize that it’s a pain trying to carry anything, especially something to drink. Travel mugs to the rescue.
* I understand your problem is likely much worse, with a much longer recovery. I should be off my crutches in a few days. Good luck. Hope you get back on your feet soon.
Thanks for checking in. That really bites about your Achilles. Hope you recover soon…and get your spirits back as well.
I broke my small metatarsal in my right foot while twisting my ankle running on an uneven trail (a common injury among shoe wearers as well). Still waiting for an appointment with the orthopedic doctor! But, the foot is actually all better, even better than before it broke – I strongly suspect I had injured it decades ago while wearing shoes, since there used to be a bump where it broke – that is before that break 3 years ago. not the bump is the same as on the left foot, normal that is.
My healing action, based on discussions of barefoot runners and others who had the repetitive type stress fractures common among those who believed running in minimalist footwear was the same as barefoot running. So their minimalist footwear was able to deceive them into thinking they weren’t putting more strain on their feet, rather than less.
Anyway, luckily, I worked at the University and was off for 2 months each summer and the injury happened the first day of my break, so I simply stayed off my feet as much as practical (after hiking 1.5 miles back home from where it broke). Anyway, a month later, I walked the 4th of July 5K with my dog, who was getting too old to run the whole distance without slowing me down, so this time slowing me down was desirable. And the break continued to get better and better, and as I said, now better than before.
and a final shameful plug, here is the “final” report from that experience:
http://barefootrunning.com/?p=9312
Have fun (as usual)
Relax, relax, relax, and heal well
Oh, that reminds me. When they looked at my X-rays, the doctor said I had a chipped 5th metatarsal (on that same foot). But it wasn’t swollen, and it wasn’t hurting, even when she pressed on it. To make sure, I asked if it was a stress-fracture and the answer was no, it was a chip separated. She also said the ortho guy might do something to it at the same time.
It’s still not swollen, and I have no recollection of it ever being swollen, so I have no idea when or where it could have happened. But it sure as heck has never affected my going barefoot.
I am just SO glad to see you here again, and SO sad to see you partially immobilized (is that even correct? My English has gotten a bit rusty). I know what it’s like to be on crutches – due to my week knee I had my right leg plastered “ankle to chin” only too many times in my life. The worst thing I remember, apart from not being able to carry a mug of tea, was… well, using the toilet. I’m a woman, you know, and with one leg concrete stiff and heavy as a log it was kind of an acrobatic workout 😉
Muses. That’s something I understand, too. But when it comes to statistics, i.e. how many people come to see what’s new in Bob’s barefoot life, versus how many get registered at bigger “barefoot sites” – don’t forget about one thing (or two): people sometimes register and forget (there are Sunday drivers and there are one season barefooters) but still make idle numbers at those sites, and the other, more important thing, is that your blog is… Well, I won’t beat about the bush – your writing is for intelligent people. There, I said it. You are scientific and thorough, staying clear of cheap sensation, and by that I DON’T mean boring (or I wouldn’t have read all of your blog including all of the comments). I like your sense of humor exactly because it’s so, SO far away from today’s world’s favourite “look how I lost my pants and tripped over my shoes” kind of humor.
In the end of this elaborate panegyric I just wanted to say that I’m not a psychofan (besides, I live hundreds of lightyears away, in a land almost nobody has heard of, so not to worry), I simply like and respect you for the gigantic amount of work you’ve put into this blog, and even if you choose to write once a year – I will be here to read it.
Get well soon and Merry Christmas 🙂
PS. Winter is something awful. I have to wear shoes when outside, but I take them off when driving, because I no longer feel comfortable using the three pedals when shod (you know – I can’t FEEL anything). And maybe I’ve found something to amuse you – have you seen those?! http://www.coolthings.com/nakefit-adhesive-foot-pads/
Sorry if it’s old news.
Well, let’s just say that your English is way better than my Polish. (And “immobilized” was exactly correct.) BTW, my German ancestors came from a town that’s now in Poland: Drawsko Pomorskie.
Regarding Muses, maybe Boredom can be a new muse.
On the footpads, I have some (not as elegant as the ones you link to, though). My thought was to use them to annoy the shoe police. “But I do have footwear on!” But then it would require that I wear them and not be barefoot . . .
Drawsko Pomorskie… So the world really IS just a small town.
I wrote “week knee” and can’t stop laughing now, but sure, I believe your Polish is worse…Thank you 🙂
(All right, but you certainly don’t have those: http://www.grassflipflops.com/).
Hope you have a quick recovery! Not being to hike will probably bring your muses out. Take care.
Dear Bob, I’m very sorry to learn about your accident. I was rather puzzled because the Saturday Comic didn’t change, and I was hoping that it would be only a temporary pause.
I wish you patience, because that injury takes some time to mend.
Un abrazo, amigo.
Machi
I wish you a complete recovery without further trouble, and may the muses find you again! I love re-reading your hiking reports and I certainly hope you can go on with that next year.
I once had achilles tendonitis after a long downhill hike. I treated it with diclofenac and fortunately the problem didn’t occur again.
I also used to have pain in the knee.
I think that switching to a forefoot walking style, especially soft in the knees, while going downhill, improved my muscles and lessened the strain on my tendons, so these problems didn’t come back, I just learned to walk with less impact since I’m not relying on “emergency shoes” for downhill sections any more. It certainly takes concentration so half of it is mental, but at least I’m not in pain, just exhausted!
Dear Bob, I wish you a speedy recovery! You know I always follow your posts, but I read your blog (as many others) via RSS, so I’m not sure you count me in the visitor statistics (unless I decide to comment).
I think you count as one of my “Follows” on my Stats page.
BTW, yesterday the blog had 744 views. Almost all were looking at Dual Survival: Dave Canterbury Apologizes from nearly 5 years ago. So far the current posting is at 141 and “What a Card” is at 61.
Hope you recover well and have nice holidays and a good start into 2018.
I check here for updates about once a week, so that may not be a lot of page hits, but I read every article. Thank you for all of this.
And the worst part of this is that you have a plaster cast so you only have one bare foot !!! (at the moment)…….love reading your articles , hope to read lots more