Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
Comments
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fgm
I am glad you brought this up because I am starting a waterdance class , but I chose gentle rather than vigorous. The jury is still out < there is some debate > but I think most folks will say no sleeve in the water. Others may chime in there.
You say yours is aerobic. If you are just beginning perhaps there are too many challenging arm strokes (?) I dont necessarily think the sleeve is the answer, but do what YOU can in the water. I already spoke to my instructor about my LE and she said :" This class is gentle,...you dont have to worry etc etc etc ..." Still , I was concerned because I saw a poster of the gentle class with arms way up, interlocked with other swimmers etc ... So, I very very nicely told her :" As gentle as it may be , pls dont think me a rebel if I wander off and modify , doing my own thing . I will do whatever my LE tells me first."
She seemed to understand/ we'll see. This is pd for by ROH and supposed to be for BC pts so I feel as " entitled' as the next person. We MUST modify if we need to!
-------------------------------------------------To follow up from yesterday, I cannot get my Lebeds on since my son dogsat and changed DVD wires ( grrrr!) so I got sleeve and glove on first thing, did some MLD then 5 mins rebound and a less challenging indoor walk. I must learn to start taking my own advice !
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Thanks Purple. We don't interlock our arms or anything else but just the pushing and pulling of our arms in the water may have done it. Thanks for your advice.
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fgm, hello!
A few things to think about:
The arms need to be IN the water--doesn't work to stand in the water and keep your shoulders out.
Water sets up extra resistance, so hard and repetitious pulling through the water can really stress your arm and exacerbate the LE. You'll want to be gentle with your arms and build up very gradually to more vigorous activity. One of our gals here was advised by her doctor to use water exercise for her LE. She got in the pool and treaded water for half an hour and her arm ballooned
. Water's great for LE, but we still have to be gentle as we build endurance and strength.Your swim suit may be restricting lymph flow, either at the axilla or under the breast area. Too narrow a shoulder strap can be a problem also. Swim suit fit is critical, especially for breast/chest LE, because you're using your arm in a wider range than you do in ordinary activities, but we don't always think about it.
Staying hydrated whenever we exercise is really important, but easy to forget when you're wallowing in the water. Keep a supply of drinking water handy and remind yourself to drink often.
Exercise is good! Water exercise is excellent! Do talk to your instructor about the personal adjustments you need to make to her routines. You might want to share the exercise guidelines with her:
stepup-speakout.org/Trainer%20...stepup-speakout.org/Handout%20...
Do let us know how it goes!
Binney0 -
Binney-Thank you so much for your response. Those articles were very informative and helpful. My bathing suits have halter straps so I don't think that's the problem. But, I need to go in the deeper water so I get the benefit of the water pressure. And, I need to go slower. I going to class on Wednesday and I'll talk to my instructor and ask if she'd like a copy of the article.
Do you wear your compression sleeve when you walk or go on the treadmill?
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Here's an article I found on water exercising. It repeats many of the ideas in Binney's articles:
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fgm
Great article, thanks. As my own little modification, I would just like to add, that when I was recently in a pool, to start- I bounced gently up and down just as I would on my rebounder. I love the feeling of the buoyancy and the idea it may get the lymph flow moving. I know you were ' talking to' Binney, but I would wear the sleeve when on the treadmill for sure.
Here is another great reason to exercise , ladies :
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/blogs/vital-signs/os-exercise-breast-cancer,0,4739829.post0 -
First waterdance class :
My arms have been aching for the first time, over the past 2 weeks. First my " good " arm and now the LE arm . I dunno'. Anyway, I decided to go to waterdance class anyhow. It was great. The arm felt fine all while it was in the watrer. (when I came out the ache was still there )
What a great class ! Stepped waaaay out of my comfort zone as I do not swim. I went in up to my neck though most were only chest high. I wanted my arms immersed at all times (thanks , Binney!) I was in the pool 45 mins and when I left , the other ladies were still in the water. I felt kind of foolish , having to leave early, but I knew this was a lot for my arm, and figured there were ppl. there half bald from chemo so WTH was I to feel foolish? We all have our ' crap'.It was an interesting experience for me, because most ppl. I know never knew I had cancer. Many of these ppl brought a friend ( ROH funded and friend or family can come) I fel an immediate connection with these ladies, and it was fun.
Instructor was great. She said to modify anything I wanted.What a workout though!
It was too much really. Thinking I will skip my tai chi class ( at work) today.My whole thought process was to eventually bring in some LE info- damn town crier here, but once I saw these ladies laughing and bopping in the pool, I realized it would be a shame to get anyone worrying about that. Not the time, not the place. Class goes all the way to SEPT. Sooooo hoping it will not make the LE worse, and I can go.
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Purple, that sounds really, really great. Water exercise is so relaxing. Not only can you wear yourself out--a great way to get full-body relaxation afterward--the feeling and sound of water lapping and splashing is very calming, I find. Finding kindred souls to exercise with is icing on the relaxation cake! I hope you find that it helps your LE, and you were so wise to limit the time in motion the first time out.
Maybe over time, you can introduce LE, because of course, many of the other folks are at risk, and what you can share with them would be of great benefit. You're right, though, to be sensitive to adding more to their worry pile.
I've not reported my exercise in a while. Went to the gym yesterday for my regular cardio/strength/flex work with the trainer, and otherwise in the past few days have just tried to get the steps and miles in, with no particular timeouts for pure cardio. Sunday was spring cleanup in our many (too many) gardens, and I raked a lot, and my arm is paying the price. It's so hard to set limits when there's a job to be done and it's sunny and beautiful outside!
Carol
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Purple, great that you enjoyed your pool time. Yeap, at my gym, the water classes can be really tough. My gym has some special ones for arthritis that are given in a warmer pool and a bit easier. Hey, of course the first time you might feel you need to stop early, it is the first time and you will improve as you go.
Pool is so relaxing so enjoy! I think my lap swimming helps my LE as my arm nevers seems to hurt afterwards. Nothing hurts really!
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Thanks Carol and proud.
I went ahead with my hr long tai chi class with no ill effects, but made an appt with my LEist for late in the week...the whole achey thing is new to me, and I would like to have a good session of MLD.
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purple, I have only done tai chi a couple of times but it is a lovely thing to do glad to hear it helped you
don't be afraid of the pool, just start slower as I am sure you will gain from it as much as I have
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Thanks, proud.
Yes, I do plan to continue with the pool. It lasts thru Sept. Sure hope I can do it. After that , LIVESTRONG sessions begin In Sept. and I would be able to use the pool at the YMCA for 12 weeks.
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purple, I checked out the Y near me regarding Livestrong, there were ladies there who did 12 weeks, then reuped for another 12 weeks.! The Y near me is new and really nice but I am a member of a private gym with a very lo fixed rate so did not do the Y
so you maybe able to consider the Y as your permanent thing!
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I am a member of Gold's Gym and participate in LiveStrong through a community college and a nearby state university. I have access to a very nice pool through LiveStrong at the college, a small gym through the university, and then Gold's whenever I want (where I am a paying member). I was a member at Gold's before BC and LE and it's not to have both that option and LiveStrong.
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Oh you girls sure sound like you are enjoying different avenues of exercising. Sync swimming is something I always thought I would like but there are no programs near for oldies like me.
Carol, Like me, you have the gardening bug. It is sooooooooooo hard to limit my gardening activity. Once I am out there it is such a therapy session for me. When your hands hit the soil you forget about lifes stinkin problems. I try to limit my self to under 2 hours but the other day I was out for 4hr. I make sure I vary my activity. Like picking up the shovel for under 5 min and then moving to weeding for 5-10 and then planting or picking up dead leaves and then back to the shovel.
Once I am done gardening I try not to do any other strenuous activities on my arm for the rest of the day.Not to say I won't goof up and get caught up in life like washing the car or something. I have to constantly remind myself to go easy. As a confirmed workaholic this is a daunting task to slow down.
I have kept up my walking but this week not any extra because I am in the yard messing around instead. have been only doing lebed opening 3 times a week and need to do it daily. (I'll just slap myself a bit )
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I have never had a one speed bike in my life (well other than my first trike). We lived in France from when I was 6 - 9 and I got my first bike at 6 for Christmas. It was bright cherry red 5 speed Peugeot. When I outgrew it Mom gave me hers. Now I have 2 older white Peugeots - a mens (my favorite) which I let Hubby or Son use if we got out together and a womens that I ride if we go out together (or when I want/need to ride in a skirt).
The only time I can remember every riding a single speed bike was on Mothers Day in 1991. Hubby was deployed in Desert Storm and I decided to take the Boys back to my hometown. They got involved with BMX racing there and on Mother's Day the track had a "Mom's Race". Of course I was going to do it! You were supposed to ride your child's bike. Well I was the only Mom that actually rode a BMX - the others Mom's all rode Mountain bikes. It was rough and I didn't win - came in 2nd but Sons were real proud of me for following the rules.
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Kicks, That is such a "feel good" story. It reminded me of when my dad made up a tandem bike out of spare bike parts. We would manage to get four kids on it and rip around the town for years. I do have to brag that I can ride a unicycle too. Well... Its been years but you never forget. I loved those bikes!
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Maybe, proud!
They are changing up the CURR here at the Y and breaking things up into quarters , which is why they are not ' re-upping" until SEPT. I actually think they may be implementing some things from the now "infamous SUSO exercise booklet " ( bravo , Carol!)Hugz
Sure sounds like you learned your lesson after that carwash :>) I think you've had enough slapping for today . LOL
When my sons come around on M. Day, I am going to make sure they fix my DVD hookup so I can give Lebeds another try. I hate these achey arms ! Going to the LEist tomorrow so perhaps some relief there . We shall see.
Btw, for anyone 60 or ' better' <I'm 55> check out your local senior centers for free exercise activities. Ours have yoga, taichi, chair exercise with resistance bands ( NO NO!) , zumba and a walking club.0 -
HUGZ - My hat's off to you - unicycle - NEVER for me!
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Kicks, Well hats off to you... because I am scared of horses even after taking my girl to 3 years of english riding. Those big teeth scare me. I am going to go plant now as that is a safer activity
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yeap, cycling is fun! indoors on a spin bike is good but nothing like a nice ride to check out the scenery and get some nice fresh air
unicycle, oh dear but I am impressed!
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You are all making me weary just thinking about all the activity you're all up to!
Gym day for me, sandwiched in between today's somewhat overwhelming work projects. I was short on the cardio but otherwise had a great workout with weights, flex, and abs. Tomorrow's a 5-hour drive to be with family for the weekend, and I'm hoping I can walk the wee ones each day.
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HUGZ - LOL - the 'teeth' are among the last 'thing' I worry about - but then horses have been a part of alll my life. The first time I was on my first mare (I was the first/only G child/GG child NanDad and his Mom lived to see) so as soon as they knew I was coming they started hunting for my first horse. I was about 6 mths old the first time I was held on her. because Daddy was stationed in Ky. (My oldest Son was 10 days old the first I had him on my gelding ( 2nd Son was 20 or 21 days old).
What "english" discipline is your daughter doing? "English" covers so many disciplines. My show career started with Saddle Seat (park type Saddlebreds), then to jumper, Dressage and Eventing/3Day. I never did Hunter. Between Saddleseat and jumpers I did some 'barrels/speed'. Lots of other 'things' I've done in working not show (roping/cutting/ etc). Have been a back country guide.
Want to know what scares the *&%#" out of me -BIRDS! They will peck me and beat me with their wings! Well - BIG ocean going boats scare me worse but they aren't animals.
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I LOVE horses! My mom had me on a horse before I could walk. Maybe that's why I'm bow-legged. Lol! Anyway...I love them...I haven't been around them in about 10 yrs but I love the way they smell, their nose, their eyelashes...they can be ornery but so can most animals. Oh, I need to go for a ride very soon. It is good exercise but can be hard on the knees. The last time I was on a horse...we rode for hours and my knees were killing me. Need to pace it out....but thinking about going makes me happy.
Thanks.0 -
"Onery" - that's usually horses subjected to "Duds" who don't have the body control (or knowledge) to tell them what is being asked for.
Actually Older Son was born with incredibally 'bowed legs'. Had absolutely nothing to do with horses. He had Blount's Disease. Thankfully his peds. Dr had studied under Dr Blount so he was DX'd early. He did 'grow out' of it.
"Riding" is not a problem - it is doing 'anything' 'you' are used to doing. I'm not fit enough to do many hours without 'feeling it' - there was a time I could do 24 hrs with no problem when I was working daily (and a lot younger - LOL).
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Dogs and horses know if you don't mean it...so they push the envelope...especially the smart ones.
You're right ...it is about doing what you're not used to doing.0 -
Kicks. Birds aren't so bad if you wear a hat and I try to stay out of the way when it comes to deepwater craft.
I am not good with horse talk. I just know they were jumping (dressage?) and her favorite horse was as many hands high as your could get and a old race horse. She was only 6 when we started and she looked so tiny on that huge horse. It scared me to watch the jumps but I couldn't show it to my girl or she would get frightened also. It turned out she had a special knack for riding (what lovely posture she had and handling techniques by age 9) and would have made it to championship no doubt(she won many ribbons) but horse stuff is expensive and after 3 years we moved to a cheaper venue. Piano ...which she loved too and excels. What a easy to please girl I have. I still have fond memories watching her in the ring as I was lounging on the bales of sweet smelling hay.
Being a back country guide would have been awesome. Last time I trail rode for 2 hours I asked for the oldest slowest horse which worked out great for me! Boy I couldn't move for a week with those sore legs. eeeks! That was 15 years ago and I won't be getting on one soon.
In the forties ,my father was a rich boy on the prairie and they had lots of beautiful horses for work and buggyriding in the barn. Someone was jealous of their success and lit the barn on fire at night. It destroyed everything including the horses and set the family into financial loss. They never did recover. Sad story indeed. Those poor horses.
Dawne, Horses are most beautiful.Especially the wee ones.
I could almost hug one if it wasn't for those teeth!0 -
Horses - I was one of those horse-crazy girls. I didn't get to ride much because it was sooo expensive, but I read every horse book and learned everything I could about them. And one summer my parents signed my up for some horseback riding lessons - it was the best summer! I can still hear the instructor yelling out, "Knees tight! Heels down!"
I've been so good trying to calm this truncal flare! Flexitouch most nights, then when that's done I pull that off and bundle into my Tribute vest. MLD twice a day, Lebeds every morning, wear compression garments all day, and do lots of deep belly breaths. After 2 weeks and 3 sessions with the LET it's getting better, and I have three more sessions scheduled next week. So annoying!
It's a beautiful morning after a few days of rain, so I got out for a run for the first time since the HM - the joints were achey after the race so I decided to give them some time off to recover. It felt sooo good to get back out there!
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Hugz - I too took piano lessons - not because I want to but Mom insisted I HAD to if I wanted to keep my riding lessons and horse with trainer. That Hades lasted for almost 5 years before my teacher finally convinced Mom I would never be anything more than a "plinker" on piano and it was a waste of money and time to force me to do anything with a piano. Looking back I'm glad (in some ways to some degree) for having to take those forced lessons as today I do enjoy sitting down at my organ occasionally and play it but then you really don't have to know 'anything' to sound decent with it.
Little kids on tall horses do look strange. I had gotten the Boys a little pony to share when they were 3 and 4. A couple of years later I found a fantastic older 'babysitter' that was being starved (police were involved). The Boys looked hilarious out riding together - older one on his 16.2hh TB and younger one on the 10hh pony. (A hand/hh is 4" so one was on a horse that was 66" to withers and the other on a pony that was 40'.) There are more than one discipline that go over jumps - the 2 most common are jumpers and hunters. Very basically jumpers only deal with rather or not the fences remain up - height, spped and clean are what mattters and for hunters form/correctness is what matters. Internationally only jumpers matter. Of course there are also field hunters which follow the hounds. There is 'dressage' and 'Dressage'. 'dressage' is simply a French word meaning training so any time you work your horse you are doing dressage BUT Dressage is so much more - it can be equated to an Equine Ballet. There are many different levels in competion starting with VERY basic going up to VERY complex that require YEARS of training to attain. Combined Training/Eventing/3 day encompass Dressage, Jumping and Cross Country (jumps over a several mile long course).
BIRDS - A hat will not protect me! Wild birds do not bother me at all (well the geese at the parks do - they definately ATTACK) - it is 'barnyard' birds and house birds (canaries, finches, parakeets, parrots, etc.) that are going to attack me and bite/peck me - HORRIBLE. Big Boats - Thanks to happenings when I was a child I can not go on one even tied to the pier - it is going to SINK. Hubby spent 20 yrs in the USN and in all thosse years I only went on a carrier twice and had to stand at the open hangar bay door so I could see out. I love 'little' boats - yacht size and smaller - we have a 16' boat. It's just huge boats (ocean liner and air craft carriers) that petrify me.
Sorry for rambling so - I'm off to mow now.
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I've been so good trying to calm this truncal flare!
I'll say!
Was it caused from the run ?!
So glad it is getting so much better - keep up the good work!0
