Tag Archives: exercise

Why do we need rewards to look after ourselves?!

The world, , , , , , , , , , ,

After my recent ankle arthroplasty I struggled with the expected pain, a lot of it but it was bearable. I was working hard at my physio and doing more, she told me I would obviously experience more pain but it really wasn’t feeling right, she told me to persevere but I don’t think she really understood how much pain I was in. I may have a low pain threshold but I have a very high pain tolerance. I experience a lot of pain, I just get on with my life but that doesn’t mean it’s ok or that I’m ok with it! It’s hard to know where to draw the line, how do you know, when you’re rehabilitating, how much pain is too much pain? I was pretty much told, I should keep exercising but absolute agony was the line at which I should stop!

Speaking to a colleague about his painful knee has had me thinking. He was injured 4 months ago and because he didn’t make a fuss when he first went to A&E he’e been through months of pointless pain, finally culminating in an MRI that concluded he needed surgery. He’s been thinking he should have made more of a fuss, if only he’d limped into A&E stating he was in agony, he would have had an MRI within days and surgery so much sooner. Those of us that don’t complain so often don’t get what we need.

I’ve been wondering if I was experiencing more pain than I should have been but my physio said it was fine, to be expected.
I was beginning to think I would be in pain for the rest of my life and I was beginning to get to used to the idea that I may never run again. Disappointed, doesn’t even begin to come close.

I saw my surgeon last week and he had a different opinion, I should NOT be in so much pain. Steroid and local anaesthetic injection on board and…I’m pain free, I can’t quite believe it!

When my physio said “repeat this exercise 20 times or more”, I do it 60 times and she says “good”, to be honest, I don’t think she was used to patients actually following through with their exercises but I’m so desperate to get better I thought the more I did the better and she seemed to agree…I can’t help wondering I shouldn’t have been doing so much exercise, I guess there’ll be no way of knowing.

Anyway! Today, on a totally pain-free ankle, I (with more measured advice from another physio) tried running for the first time in 5 months, it was for 1 minute at a time and I’m so excited that I didn’t feel any pain. This is the first time for many years I’ve run with no pain!! So excited, it’s unreal!

I have promised my husband I won’t push it. I will stick to 1 minute at a time for 2 weeks and increase it so slowly I’ll feel like I’m running backwards! But the hope is, I will be back running properly within a year!

My husband knows I’m likely to want to push myself. For starters, I got on the treadmill earlier and said to myself I’d to 2 x 1 minute stints, I ended up doing 5… it’s not don’t any damage and I’m still pain-free but I really cannot push it! I cannot risk needing more surgery.

We started talking about whether I need an incentive…for every week I’m “good” and stick to the slow build up plan, is there anything that would help me stay focused? We discussed all sorts of things but it occurred to me, what more incentive do I need than to look after my health?

Why do we always need incentives? When people are giving up smoking, it’s suggested they put the money they would have spent on cigarettes in a jar so that they can spend it on a big holiday or some new clothes, there has to be something to aim for. It’s the same with people trying to lose weight, for every pound, there has to be some material reward. Reducing the chances of long term life limiting illnesses just isn’t enough!

Our health gains are intangible and it’s like they’re just not enough.

I’m so proud of my 60-something mum who has just completed a couch-to-5k program and has done a couple of Parkruns, being one of the fastest women in her age category! That’s what I want to be doing in 30 years time, but I won’t be if I don’t look after my bones and my joints now, what more incentive do I need?!

Seriously, if I want the best chance of avoiding further surgery and to be running in my 60s, I need to take it slow and steady so that’s what I’m going to do, no other incentive necessary!

I'm taking on a challenge, 1 step at a time!

Fibromyalgia, , , , ,

Some people, more than others, constantly set themselves challenges…there may be no reason for this, other than, “just to see if I can”! For me, it’s been running. I started running as a teenager and have done it ever since. At uni, I was not up late at night partying, but when suffering from insomnia I would go for late-night runs to clear my head or just for something to do! I’ve enjoyed many-a 10k race, tried a multi-terrain type thing that was a giggle and done a couple of half marathons.

For the last few years I’ve found running harder and harder. It’s never easy to go for a run when it’s cold or raining but even in the good weather my body has complained, my hips ached, I’d get sharp pains in my ankles, my head throbbed no matter how hydrated I was and at times it feels as though ever cell in my body was crying to stop. Instead of the exhilaration I used to experience, when returning from a run I’d just feel exhausted. My brain was willing but my body was not. I’ve had breaks, thinking I just needed to rest for a bit but every time I went back to it, I just couldn’t get going.

Since I was a teen I’ve dreamt of running a marathon, would I have to give up on running before I’d realised my dream?
Last year, many of you will know, I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia. This is a chronic pain and fatigue disorder that I will need to manage for the rest of my life. Good news, a key part of management is exercise! Bad news, “grading” and “pacing” are not words I’m used to when it comes to running! Connected, or unrelated I’ve also had a lot of other medical problems recently that have put spanners in the works BUT… I have had to learn…

Grading – This involves starting at a very low manageable level of exercise, i.e. 5 minutes of walking per day for a week or 2 (depending on residual fitness). The idea is then to build up very slowly, 1-2 minutes at a time and this is then maintained for a period of time. Gradually other exercises can be added in (of particular value in fibro are things like warm water swimming or yoga).
Pacing – Pacing involves doing the same amount of activity each day, no matter how you’re feeling. The hard bit for me is that when I’m feeling good I want to run and run, which (with fibro) means I’ll pay the price within hours. Even just running a bit further than planned, my joints and muscles ache and the fatigue feel unmanageable. On bad days it’s easy to feel that exercise just isn’t possible but studies have shown that even though symptoms may increase, if appropriate limits are set, it is possible to repeat the performance from the previous day.

I am not someone to give up without a massive fight!
I was referred to a specialist clinic and I went with my long list of questions… at the top? “Will I ever be able to run a marathon?” To be honest, the physiotherapist was not forthcoming with a promising answer but she could see I was enthusiastic, wasn’t going to give up without a fight and she didn’t want to put a dampener on things so she suggested 2 years may be a time scale I could work to.
So, with grading and pacing in mind, October 2018 in my goal.

In Novemeber 2016 my GP referred me to the gym. I started walking for 5 minutes on the treadmill and using the cross trainer and resistance machines to improve my fitness without putting strain on my joints. It was really hard making all the effort to go to the gym just for 10-15 minutes exercise but I had to keep my eyes on the goal. Gradually I added in 2 minutes jogging, increasing it bit by bit, listening to my body and working within my limits. Each increase, my instincts would say “push yourself”, I then have to be strict with myself and make the increase smaller than I wanted – literally 1 minute or 0.2km/h at a time. It’s been really hard.
Pacing has been a tricky one, I’ve hit and broken through “the wall” many times as a relatively fit and healthy individual. I have fallen into the trap of thinking that was all I needed to do with fibro. Unfortunately, after the wall, there’s a 20 inch thick concrete block, then a steep mountain crag, if you do manage to push yourself through all those, there is then a crevasse… So, even when I’ve wanted to do more, if my plan says to repeat the previous day, that is what I do.

So, working carefully, the treadmill and cross trainer have got me to the point of being able to jog for 30 mins. I registered with Parkrun, a free weekly 5k run organised across the world.

Joining the 500 other runners I felt that excitement/nervousness I’d experienced previously at much bigger races and it felt good! I promised my husband I would “plod” round. I was drawn along with the crowd but I was determined not to be driven by striving for a PB or specific time. I must admit when I received my time by email I was quite excited… That is not the point, the point is, I did it, I jogged/ran the whole thing and I really enjoyed it! Yes I ached afterwards but that’s not the end of the world, I did all my usual warming up and cooling down and I can safely say I have not felt any unmanageable adverse affects!
Fibro aside, I’m really hoping none of my other health problems get in the way! My next goals will involve running further but increasing it very slowly. I’ll keep you posted.
I’d love to hear if anyone else has set themselves any goal or challenge, fighting against the odds!
 

What NOT to do at the gym

The world,
  1. Leave sweat on machines – if you sweat, it’s going to drop off, be polite, wipe it off. 
  2. Drop free weights from a height – the loud clunk makes people’s heads turn, yes, but we do not think “wow, look at him lifting big weights”, we think “what an idiot using weights that are too heavy for him”. 
  3. Wear clothing that are too tight – it’s very unpleasant to see biceps bulging out of clothing just wear the next size up, it’s not difficult.
  4. Sit on machines not doing anything – it’s just rude. I know people often do a set of reps and pause then do another set of reps but there’s no excuse for just sitting on a machine looking at your phone or for longer than a short pause. 
  5. Compare yourself to other people (unless it positively motivates you)
  6. Use poor technique – injury alert! The instructors are there for a reason, follow their advice about how to exercise, they do know a thing or two! Don’t just swan about like you own the place using equipment badly, you look like an idiot!
  7. Pose in front of the mirrors – watching for correct technique, ok, posing, not ok…
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  8. Watch other people  – it’s unnerving and again, just rude.
  9. Grunt and groan – this doesn’t help anyone and just annoys the people around you.
  10. Join in January – New Year resolutions don’t work, if you want to get fit, lose weight, tone up, whatever, why wait for January when it’s going to be overcrowded with people who aren’t going to stick around anyway?…join when you feel motivated, Feb 16th is as good-a-time as May 27th, just do it! 
  11. Sing out loud to your music – some quiet humming for a VERY short time is kinda funny but any longer is VERY annoying!
  12. Be put off by people who think they’re God’s gift to humanity – they’re not so don’t worry about it!

I know the guys who need to read this aren’t going to but the rest of us can have a giggle thinking about all those who make these mistakes over and over every day! It’s best to giggle, otherwise we’d get really annoyed!!