My name is Ikenna Enechukwu, and in 2023, I achieved my dream of making it to the NFL, but my journey was derailed when I fully ruptured my Achilles tendon during preseason training camp. The recovery process required me to restrengthen my lower body from the ground up, starting with the toes. I gravitated toward toe socks as a way to regain balance and strength by allowing my toes to splay. However, when I saw how the toe socks currently on the market were lacking the attention to detail and durability that serious athletes like myself demand, I started the journey of creating a brand that does just that.
The average athlete is usually focused on the standard compound movements, and sprint drills are mandatory for developing athleticism. Those exercises are the bare minimum to be competitive at any league. However, if an athlete wants to reach the next level and become an above-average athlete, they need to start incorporating functional movements training and small muscle strengthening. I followed this progression and kept a strict routine during college, which rewarded me with an opportunity to play in the NFL. However, my lack of attention to the small details of training and recovery was exposed in my first NFL training camp.
My Rookie Year
There I was competing for an Atlanta Falcons roster spot as a defensive end. The first foot issue of the season came when I removed my cleat after practice and discovered a bloody stain at the tip of my team-issued sock. Apparently, my toenail of my index toe had stabbed my big toe. I was annoyed, but I had to shift my focus towards the next long camp day. This was just the tip of the iceberg.
At the end of the next training camp practice, I accelerated out of my stance and felt a small pop. I didn't think much of it and finished the rest of practice. When I got to the locker room, my ankle had swollen, and I was walking with a limp. I noticed the pain was radiating on my Achilles tendon, and it was soft to touch. I feared that I had torn it. The athletic trainers got me an MRI that same day, but the diagnosis came back as mild tendinitis. They told me I would be fine but should take a few days off. I was young and hungry for a spot, so I didn't want to sit out too long.
Looking back, I couldn't have been more naive. I definitely did not understand at all what the consequences of an Achilles tear were. However, as an undrafted free agent, I only understood the consequences of not practicing for too long, which was getting cut, and I was not interested in that reality, so I returned to practice after 3 days off.
I got the stiffest ankle tape treatment possible and strained through practice. I survived and had my mind set on the next off day where I could get more rest. I was just one more practice away from a physical break. I didn't let the injury affect my effort and I gave it all I had. Then came the very last play of the period. I wanted to end the practice with a great play that the coaches could remember. The play call was a 6-man blitz and I exploded off the line for an atomic bull rush. Suddenly, I felt an intense impact in my left calf. I assumed one of the blitzing linebackers must have stepped on my leg. (The film revealed that no one stepped on me.) The pain was intense but familiar so I refused to slow down and finished my charge by tagging the QB's hip. I wanted to get up to celebrate but I simply could not put any pressure on my leg.
The Aftermath
After being carted off the field, the trainer performed the Thompson test (also known as the calf squeeze test) and delivered the heartbreaking news that my Achilles was actually torn this time. Just like that the trajectory of my career and life had permanently changed. I was placed on injured reserve but was told I had to do my rehab elsewhere. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions but was determined to make a comeback.
The Recovery
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body, so naturally it has one of the longest recovery timelines. In the first days after surgery, I could not move anything in my left foot. After a few days, I finally got my toes to wiggle. So when I say I did my rehab from the ground up, you should know I'm not exaggerating.
It was hard being away from the team, but I had found a great rehab facility that coincidentally had four other athletes recovering from an Achilles tear, and one of them was the doctor himself. Before I could even talk about plantar and dorsi flexion, I had to restrengthen my toes and my arch muscles. This type of training was very boring compared to the sprinting, jumping, and lifting that I was used to, and I couldn't wait to get back to it. However, training the small muscles of the foot is not fancy, but it is the prime example of the small things that have a huge impact on everything else.
Toe Socks
As my rehab progressed, I eventually got introduced to toe socks by another NFL player at the gym. He explained all the benefits, and I was sold. I got a pair off Amazon and loved them. They felt very comfortable, and my feet felt more alive than ever in them. However, there were some issues with the brand. They were cotton, so they got sweaty and hot fast. The material was thin and lacked cushion on the sole that I was used to in traditional athletic socks. And honestly, they were just an ugly design.
The injury afforded me time to go back to school and complete my Master's in Business Administration from Rice University. I was always interested in starting a business, and the gaping hole in the toe sock market presented a perfect opportunity to solve an actual issue for a population including myself. I began researching and sketching designs. I learned everything I could about socks to the point that I awarded myself a degree in sockology.
After two years of prototyping and with input from professional athletes and trainers, I created the best toe sock for athletes. The first batch of crew socks will be launching at the end of this month and I couldn't be more excited to share this product with all the people who really need it for their feet!
The business school resources were very useful, but the support that I got from friends, family, and even strangers was truly invaluable. Being a solo founder is difficult, but a great community and support system made it possible for Soleramic to come to life. The journey taught me that everything matters, and that includes everyone in my circle.
I personally want to thank you for reading to the end of this blog, and I hope my story inspires you to stick to the process that will make your dreams come true. Never forget the small details! The small things might not seem important now, but I promise that they will grow exponentially and you will benefit from your hard work.
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