On the Bench

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checkup - Apr 9 (Read 323 times)

Mile Collector


Abs of Flabs

    Hola peoples! I stole this idea from the jiggly runner's group. I like to make this a weekly thing so we can keep tabs on everyone's recovery progress. Hopefully I can remember to do this. If I don't, please feel free to fill in. The purpose of this thread is to let everyone know how you're feeling. You can talk about what you did in terms of recovery last week, or vent about how much withdrawl you're going through from not running. I'll start. I ran twice, totaling 7 whole miles last week. I've been leaning against a tennis ball at work, and lying on top of it at home. It is similar to having a deep muscle massage, except you can do it yourself, and much cheaper. The pain is gradually going away, although I still feel it many times a day. I am hoping that I'll make a full recovery in a month or so. For this week, I am planning to up my mileage in each one to 4+ miles. I told my friend that I'll run my 10k with her at the end of this month and I need to make sure that I can do it. Ok, now it's your turn.


    Now that was a bath...

      Good idea Eric. I'm feeling frustrated and a little scared actually. I am running alternate days and I have increased the distance to just under four miles a run. I am pleased to be back out there but terrified about moving forward from this point. I feel that I need to stay where I am and not increase distance or intensity for a while. It's burning me to miss every other day but I feel that any more would be pushing it too far. I figure that I will stay at this distance and not introduce a long run for a while. If in a few weeks my injury is still under control then I may increase to two days running/one day rest. I want to get to a point where I am running daily and comfortably before introducing long runs. I wish I didn't have to run on concrete so much. This country hasn't even heard of asphalt! I have to say though that it's great being back out there and I am determined to stay strong and not push myself too fast this time. Claire xxx
    • jlynnbob "HTFU, Kookie's distal tibia"
    • Where's my closet? I need to get back in it.
        The past couple weeks I have sigificantly increased my distance...distance that I can get around on crutches that is. My doc said 2-3 weeks min, but g iven that I am at 2.5, I am not so optimistic about the 3 either right now. Sad But, it sounds like you all are doing much better than me, and I am glad to hear all about your progress!!!
          Great idea, Eric! This last week was really tough - I was totally wiped out yesterday, but then when I checked my log, I had more "aerobic" hours logged than when I was running Shocked Guess I need a cutback week from xtraining Roll eyes Otherwise, my leg feels strong - no pain, but the muscles are still weak(but not painful). I am still feeling strain in my outer quads and ITB - pretty sure it's because of all the elliptical I've been doing. I'm going to try to add nordic trac - very slowly this week. I go for a short massage session tomorrow and then monthly after that. Some ladies from the water aerobics class came up to me wanting to know what music I was listening to - because it sure looked like I was getting a good workout today. I didn't have the heart to tell them it was "Ten Thousand Fists" by "Disturbed" Big grin Two more weeks until next x-rays.

          Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown)




          Go With The Flow
          Thyroid Support Group

            excellent idea! I did NOTHING last week. I was working all hours on my thesis and I had a cold AND a stomach virus. Not an ideal week. It gave me a good excuse not to do anything with impact on my foot though. I really want my bones and stress fracture/reaction/whatever it is now to heal up so I can get serious about running again. So I'm staying aways from anything impact, walking for excercise, running, even biking right now. I'm wearing my new orthotics as much as allowed and hoping they are allowing some of the pressure to be taken off my 5th metatarsel. This week I want to at least swim and try pool running again, but it's hard as the pool at the gym is used for swim practice from 5-7 which is when I usually work out after work. Weekends are fine, but it looks like I'll be getting up earlier to swim and also lift weights and do abs. That said, it is so beautiful out here, 75-80 and low humidity and I am really feeling the itch to run or at least get outdoors. I'm trying hard to fight it b/c I know if I don't get this healed now it will just keep flaring up, but it's been 4 months and my patience is wearing out. My next doctors appt isn't until the 24th and I have a feeling I may be going back on crutches at that point if I don't feel some relief by then. I still feel pain in my bone at least a dozen times a day. I am doing warm foot soaks every night (trying to get some stimulation occuring) as well as taking calcium, glucosamine, and a bone growth drug.
              what bone growth drug are you taking?

              Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown)




              Go With The Flow
              Thyroid Support Group

                calcitonan- it's in nasal spray form. my ortho says he has seen it work wonders, but no luck for me yet in the past 3 weeks. i'm planning on getting my bone density tested soon, this is my 2nd stress fracture and I'm only 24! (first was in my left big toe when I was 16, from practicing tap dancing on a concrete sruface repeatedly. If only I had know then what I know now...) Claire, I hear you about wishing there were other surfaces to run on. All of our "trails" here are made in concrete. What a silly idea. Luckily I have the beach nearby so the sand is a nice alternative, but it's really rough on the calves and you have to time low tide just right, so not every run can be done there.
                  calcitonan- it's in nasal spray form. my ortho says he has seen it work wonders, but no luck for me yet in the past 3 weeks. i'm planning on getting my bone density tested soon, .
                  1) do you know what your calcium levels are? Mine are normal - but I'm still taking 1500 of Ca daily - recently switched to a liquid Ca supplement - I think the liquid absorbs better. 2) if you don't mind, would you share your bone density results? I'd like to compare with mine Thanks!

                  Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown)




                  Go With The Flow
                  Thyroid Support Group

                  Mile Collector


                  Abs of Flabs

                    Thanks for the update everyone! Claire: I know how much you want to run. We all do. Instead of focusing on the runs you're missing, treasure the ones that you are running. Some wise woman once said, "The idea of voluntarily taking a day off seems ridiculous! Remember that everyone when you can't summon up the motivation to get you out the door. What if one day you can't run?" Abigail: Hopefully, you won't be using 'em crutches long enough to have massive arms Tongue It sucks to be on the sidelines while everyone talk about how many miles they've done. Even the mileage put out by us injured folk may start looking like marathon distances. Just concentrate on the recovery part. You'll be back out there soon enough! Cheryl: Great to hear that you were wiped out without running. Well, you know what I mean. If you keep it up, you'll probably be in better shape when you are ready to run than before you got injured. Shaunna: it's about 40 degrees here in Boston. Rain and snow are forecasted for Thursday. 70-80 degree sounds lovely right about now. What do you think about your orthotics so far? Eric


                    Finished!

                      I couldn't resist - I ran about a block while walking to return a video to the store... The good news is in that block, I didn't feel any pain. The bad news is my lack of xtraining and recent bout with the flu has killed my aerobic abilities. The PT has said I have to limit my reintro of running anyhow - I was figuring another round of C25k for me... Doc appt last week with the podiatrist due to intermittant and occasional sharp pains in the ankle, I've been ordered a bone scan for this week to see if I have a stress fracture Sad So I'm not supposed to be doing any running or high impact activities at all. Unfortuantely I'm a mess. I've got tendinitis in both arms from keyboarding (ugh sedentary computer job) and of course, my poor legs, while they are nowhere near as tender or sore as they were when I started PT back in February, are still not "allowed" to run. I am glad to see the rest of you healing up though Smile it gives me hope Big grin
                      Walk + Jog = wog.
                      I'm trying to Lose 5% at a time
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                        Shaunna: it's about 40 degrees here in Boston. Rain and snow are forecasted for Thursday. 70-80 degree sounds lovely right about now. What do you think about your orthotics so far? Eric
                        Today was the first day I wore them all day long. I feel like they must be making some sort of a difference, I can feel little "twinges" in my ankles and knees of both legs. Not pain so much, but probably just adjusting to a slightly different mechanical motion. So far no improvement in the foot pain yet. I am really hoping some relief comes soon. I'm wondering if I did real damage by running a lot that week I was pain-free thanks to the cortisone shot Sad I am keeping my fingers crossed for both you and Claire that your recoveries continue to stay on track!
                          1) do you know what your calcium levels are? Mine are normal - but I'm still taking 1500 of Ca daily - recently switched to a liquid Ca supplement - I think the liquid absorbs better.
                          FYI: Calcium levels are almost always normal (if you are generally healthy, that is), even if you have osteoporosis. The reason: your body makes hormones (parathyroid hormone aka PTH) to increase the calcium in your blood if it gets low. PTH makes your intestines absorb more, your kidneys excrete (pee out) less, and it pulls it out of your bones. (If I understand correctly!) Thus, checking a calcium level doesnt tell you much about your nutrition or your bone density.
                            Why don't the docs order PTH levels especially in the cases of multiple stress #'s - Is it a reliable test value? Bad girl putting "gimp" in your username - how about AbbaGump Wink

                            Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away...(unkown)




                            Go With The Flow
                            Thyroid Support Group

                              Why don't the docs order PTH levels especially in the cases of multiple stress #'s - Is it a reliable test value? Bad girl putting "gimp" in your username - how about AbbaGump Wink
                              I have never heard of ordering a PTH level - I would assume a dexa would be a much better measure, but I really have no idea. Gump = gynecologist under maximal pressure at my med school (ie the resident running the gyn-oncology service). Definately not what I want to be!!!
                              Mile Collector


                              Abs of Flabs

                                I'm wondering if I did real damage by running a lot that week I was pain-free thanks to the cortisone shot Sad
                                This is the reason why I'm not a big fan of pain killers. I can't tell if I'm really better or if the drugs are masking the symptoms. The only time I ran with ibuprofen in me was at Disney. I've came too far and paid too much to drop out so I chanced it. It was a silly thing to do since I can injure myself some more and not know it. Your twinges are probably caused by the orthotics shifting your alignments such that you're now using the tiny muscles that you weren't using before. The improvements are so gradual and subtle that you won't notice for months. Then one day, you'll muse to yourself that you haven't had a certain pain for a long time.
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