New teeth and barnet at the same time - 3 for the price of 2??
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New teeth - possibly although Iām having dentures made currently
New barnet - nah - still got all my hair
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Show off!
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Apparently you can get your bum and lips made bigger there too 
Maybe some other parts
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Been a while since Iāve updated re my back. There was a massive fubar at the Drās surgery, where they had confirmed that their own physio had referred me straight to the specialist. I didnāt hear anything for ages then before we went to Chamonix I had a letter saying Iād been referred to wider NHS physio WTF!
I raised a complaint and got a very apologetic call from their complaints manager. Turns out the specialist disagreed with the physio and rejected the referral but nobody had told me at all. 
They have escalated with the specialist but Iām not holding my breath but the surgery have been amazing with their follow up since!
In myself, itās been really up and down, manageable some days and very painful and debilitating the next. Last week from Tues to Thurs was terrible. Mon night I tried running with the club but walked after 6km, I felt very bad and could barely move. However, I did drop my bike Mon lunchtime and Iām sure that banged me up and stretched some muscles much more than Iād realised.
So today I had my NHS physio session at hospital, I was there 90 mins, so it was no quick āin and outā. Lots of strength tests, nerve tests and questions about lifestyle, aspirations etc. I actually felt like the lady was really listening and she said āwe donāt get many your age that have this background ā (assuming she didnāt mean old and tired 
).
She said there is something quite major going on but absence of a specialist banging down the door, letās try to build up in blocks, essentially from nothing. She did confirm that even though painful, the nerve and muscle pathways are all working.
She wants lots more cross training, walking and cycling as well as running when I can but easy easy easy for now. I have a strength program and she sheās got me into a 6 wk āback strengtheningā class they run Friday afternoons, that starts 12th Sept.
Whatās hitting me very very hard is the mental slump and feeling pretty worthless again. I said to Mrs FP, in some ways it was easier when I was having all the surgery, because at least then we were working to some kind of planned outcome. I feel in limbo now and time is a ticking for this old man. 
anyway 
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āLets try again. Say after me: Iām REALLY angry. Spitting feathers. And bang that fist on the table.. Yes, thatās better, you are starting to sound pretty cross .ā
Hope things go well with the back 
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Calf went ping 2km into an easy run after work last night 
Had to stop immediately and hobble home (left Garmin running, hobble pace is 13m45s per km apparently)
Not an injury I have ever had before, although appreciate others here have shared a few horror stories about recurring/ slow healing calf injuries.
Still sore this morning, think a few days of rest and TLC are in order.
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Fruity. I am your man.
Is it Gastro or Soleus?
Any idea on the Grade?
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@APM i donāt want to overegg it, itās probably only a mild strain. But it was instant, I felt a sharp tear and there was no way I could have carried on running. Today I can walk OK on it so itās a lot better already. Wonāt be running for a while though. I suspect soleus but hard to be sure. Feels deep, central / lateral , worse with knee flexed.
Any words of wisdom from your calf rehab?
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Plenty!
Itāll calm down in 2-3 days, so you can largely walk without a limp. You can obviously swim and cycle at this point, although be careful cycling against big resistance.
No stretching at this point, although volteral can help.
When youāre able, make sure you do some strength training. Appreciate your hip injury, but for me I have to strengthen glutes (as calves overloaded due to poor glute activation and strength). So clamshells, bridges, deadlifts, sumo squats, goblet squats, calf raises, bent calf raises. Obviously start low reps on the last two.
Take a look at your running shoes too. If theyāve had it, buy some new ones and pay attention to rockers and drop height.
Finally, if you think youāre ready to run (for light grade 2, takes me 4-6 weeks), give it another week.
If you can, on your first run back, try and do it on the treadmill.
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They all sound like characters from Lord of The Rings except Bent Calf Raises who is an East End villain
but thanks - appreciate the advice
I hope based on rate of improvement overnight itās going to mend quite quickly, will Google some of those exercises
I deliberately mix up my run shoes but last night was in a pair with a very low heel stack so maybe that was the cause, also legs were a little battered from running in the hills last week
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I ādidā my Gastroc the week after Kat Matthews injured hersā¦ so Spring 2024. It was an instant stop could hardly walk.
Took all summer to recover and spained it again in Oct/Nov. It still causes problemsā¦ pretty sure its the cause of an achilles problem Ive had all year.
I suspect it was weak glutes that didnt help
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Iāve lost count, but think Iāve torn both soleus muscles (and one gastro) a combined 20 times plus.
Oddly, no other chronic persistent muscle tears.
Iām some ways itās not too bad an injury, as you can do other stuff. On the other hand a nightmare if youāre a serious runner.
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Iāve been struggling with a sore left Achilles. About 8 weeks ago I did a very gentle jog, with a walking warm up and stretches and after 15 mins it got achy. So I stopped immediately. Since then Iāve been resting it and doing some strengthening work, but it doesnāt seem to be getting better. Iāve been doing some heel drops and lots of lower leg stretching. Has anyone else got any magic bullet exercises that might help? A massage gun has been suggested by someone but not sure if that would be appropriate. Any advice would be gratefully received as itās starting to get really frustrating.
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I have had some success with isometrics, but Iāve zero idea if they would help in your situation.
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Did a fair bit of walking today including Paddington to Euston, it was ok. Calf getting better quickly. Think it was more if a warning flag than a proper injury, need to work out what to do / not do , to stop it going thermonuclear any time soon though
26000 steps & it actually feels better for it I think, wouldnāt risk running yet though
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Euston to Cheapsie and then to Mayfair for dinner. 1/2 mile to hotel
A paltry 12600 steps 
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What a moron, didnāt listen to the good advice above. Calf was feeling much better after 5 days without running so decided to risk parkrun. Knew this was a dubious decision and deliberately didnāt time it , and told myself if calf started hurting Iād stop and walk.
Was aware of it throughout and ran with a short and slightly awkward stride, it was ok-ish though, right up until the finish shute. Then must have had a rush of blood to the head and picked up the pace to hold position, no idea why, but anyway it went ping again & now Iām hobbling. Not quite back to square 1, but definitely set it back a couple of days
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Maaaaaate!
I would say I told you, but a man in your profession should know better.
Seriously, give it 3-4 weeks.
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