Having broken my ankle and had my ACL reconstructed and having that go along with already not being the most mobile person in the world before both those issues came about, it would probably be an understatement to say that there are some serious holes in my mobility game. Coming out of my year of surgery, I have started to take proper form, mobility, recovery, etc. a lot more seriously, instead of just going HAM all the time and dealing with the (often painful) consequences afterwards.
Despite my efforts to clean up the imbalances in strength between my right and left legs, I had been starting to see some favoring of my right leg creeping into my squat videos. Some days worse than others, certainly worse with multiple reps. The other major problem that I've actually been trying to deal with via the ostrich-head-in-the-sand approach was my complete inability to squat properly without the help of oly lifters. Deep down I've known that this was a dumb decision, but after a year and a half of rehab, I really just wanted to feel "normal" and do powerlifting training for realsies instead of feeling like a permanent bench-only candidate.
My back issues have catalyzed me jumping full on into this corrective programming, but originally I committed toes in. I heard about Performance Care first through a friend, but then again on a podcast that I respect a lot. Two points of recommendation was enough to get me on their website checking things out and I decided that hey, it couldn't hurt to try.
As I was going through their week one baseline testing, one of their "tips of the day" emails sent fear and trepidation shooting through my body. "You should be doing these without belts, knee sleeves and lifters". Belt, ok whatever - I'm fine with beltless work. But knee sleeves and, most importantly, lifters? Oh geez.
So I did the rest of my testing in my inov8s. And then started my week two workouts in them as well. Knee sleeves I've been doing my best not to wear, but on days where my knee feels a little sad, I've been rocking the single rehband. For this week's (W3) front squats I actually went with SBDs as I decided with my back feeling wonky, I wasn't willing to go naked knees too. Progress, not perfection.
What I quickly noticed (well, re-noticed - I already knew this from knee-hab) was that air squatting or back squatting in inov8s was an exercise in instability. Essentially, I became this creaky, unstable creature doing something vaguely resembling a squat. Given that my hips were on fire, I felt they were part of the problem, but wanting to know more I posted a video on the Bulletproof Facebook group asking for the designers' perspective. What they immediately noticed was my ankle mobility - or lack thereof. Not all that surprising considering my history. But what they suggested was different than the mobility/physical therapy road that I've been on for the last 18 months or so. What he suggested was that I go see a guy about adhesion release.
So I check out the website and decide to give them a call. I was initially a bit skeptical as the first thing the receptionist tells me is the price for the initial visit (higher - not surprising, assessments typically are) and that there is no treatment on first visit. I've been to a lot of assessments, but this is the first time I was getting told that there would be no treatment. Here is the part I actually super respect - she got the doctor to call me, and he explained the what and why behind that. The fact that he took the time to call and explain it to me was what pushed me on board, and I booked an assessment for the next day.
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