Here is me trying to get my heels down at the 5 inch mark from the wall. The right almost gets down, but the left, as you will see, is far worse. I chose 5 in because that seems to be a golden standard on youtube. I have contemplated getting a release to correct this. Do you think it can be achieved through stretching alone?
It's my performance in the gym that is especially disheartening for me. I have people who want me to come with them and I am apprehensive because of this. I know I can't squat and thus shy away from invitation.
I might give them a go, but I doubt they would rectify inches of bad dorsiflexion like I have.
I've taken TBikes idea to the test and created a 2 inch platform using a mat and 2 2.5lb plates and tried some squats. I couldn't find anything else for the left leg, so i let the heel come up on this side. Keep in mind my right ankle is far more mobile than the left, so I imagine I'd need more than 2 inches of platform for it, but the 2 inches worked pretty well on the right side. I tried ass to grass squats, keeping the back straight, and made a pathetic attempt at a one legged squat, which I was able to perform for 15 repetitions prior to LL. This is my first attempt at doing them, so I am going to incorporate them with raised platforms into my leg workouts and see what I can accomplish.
I believe I've found a good way to finally get my squats in, though I won't be seen at the gym like this. I found a can of fish to use under my left heel and like magic I am able to squat to full depth with my back upright. You can see how far up the left heel needs to be for me to be able to squat normal, and keep in my this is unweighted, and thus why I am so disheartened about this. It's probably closer to 3 inches up because the salmon can is 1.75in high
Regarding the shoes, I highly doubt there is a model available that will leverage me 3 inches high at the heel. I know that it'd be extremely hard to walk in. I think I am condemned to forgo squats and other similar activities in the public eye, and use plates at home to do them. The peculiar thing about all this is that I am unable to feel a stretch in the calf. This leads me to believe the limitation resides in the Achilles tendon and it doesn't even allow for the calf to be activated, or I've just lost sensitivity to the feel of a stretch in the muscle. I can feel extreme tension in the back of my heel where the tendon is and the string under my foot is under extreme tension as well. The only way I can see those tensions being alleviated is through surgery.
Just looking at their website, and the heel is 3.3cm, which I consider extremely high under normal circumstances. But for my case I need something in the 5-7cm range.
http://www.vsathletics.com/store/VS-Athletics-Weightlifting-Shoe.html
It's in my signature- 6cm
I don't think it was the choice of doctor since everything pertaining to the lengthening appears to be in order. I think this is just a corollary to lengthening 6cm, which on tibiae is quite a bit (it's the maximum you'd ever want to go). Physio in India was lackluster, and maybe I could have done something to have achieved a better prognosis. Perhaps a Paley level of physio would have improved the outcome, but I don't know what level of stretching could reverse this effect. It's one thing to stand all day to get the heels to go flat, but getting additional dorsiflexion requires active stretching and there's only so much of that you can do in a day.
P.S: I've yet to see videos like mine from anyone who went to the top flight doctors showing a normal range of dorsiflexion after 6cm on the tibiae. If that were to occur, then I'd be more willing to place blame on my doctor's care. I imagine even Paley's tibia patients have dorsiflexion far from the normal range after LL, but this is pure conjecture on my part. I am swaying more in the direction of getting the release the surgeon in Canada is offering me, as he assures me it will not be damaging and will enable me more than I currently am. I don't want to spend a lifetime being unable to run or squat properly, so the risk is worth it in my opinion. Worse case scenario, I will be confined to walking and swimming like I currently am.
Yeah, I appreciate the advice, but it's not going to happen. I am extremely paranoid over my movements as it is; doing a squat in full store view isn't going to cut it. I'll probably buy the shoes you suggested and if they don't help I'll eat the cost or try to wear soles inside of them to further improve the heel height.
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