Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
Comments
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Gotcha, gma.
Never a dull moment, huh?!0 -
Dawne, Have you got over the barometer hump yet. How is it? Are you able to exercise a bit? Hey, if it takes Perrier water to get your water down then so be it. Keep it up though.
At Whistler mountain this weekend and have gone into the outdoor cold pool even though it is minus 4 outdoors. Water temp is about 83 -85. Started snowing and I am going out to swim now before it's dark so my LE will thank me later. No I don't want to go but I just gotta. All the best to you.
GMA, you are an inspiration to us, you just keep on going even after all the garbage you have been thru.
Purple, I use my non LE arm for everything. What a shame for you or us when it migrates there. I hope not. Double drats if you got it.!
Kay, Great for you to report in. It encourages us to keep moving.
Ohio, Sounds like you have a good exercise plan.
Becky, What have you been doing exercise wise?
Carol, You must be out shopping for new runners, cause I haven't heard from you. How is the recovery from your revisions? Are you fully healed?0 -
Purple, I use my non LE arm for everything.
hugz
Pls be very careful about that !
Thx for your post.0 -
Purple, It sure makes life difficult when you can't use at least one arm. It's like we have to practically live in a glass case. Bummer huh! We have already given up so much with one LE arm and then to be have to baby the other that we need so bad really sucks. I feel like I should be learning how to use my feet as another assistive device! Does it really have to come to that? You poor bilateral LE people, I just want to come over and wash your dishes or crack your morning breakfast eggs or do something that seems so simple but yet is so difficult for you. I digress and have hijacked the kick butt thread so on that note I will say that I made my way down to the pool but first had to pass the workout room and I stopped and tried out the elliptical and treadmill then stretched. I got a couple miles in. I never made it to the pool so I will have to get down there tonight. Still snowing in lovely Whistler BC. That should make for an interesting outdoor pool experience.
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Found some $39 dollar walking poles at Sheeles (not a nice as the $125 ones they had but...) so I tried them out for a mile or so of my walk. Very interesting. I think they will up the workout a notch and I think they may help my posture, but I'm going to need to ease into them, for something so light they sure get heavy quick. I can't believe what a wimp bc has made of me.
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Cindy's, yes, I noticed that I walk way taller with my poles which is great for posture. I also found that I wasn't so hard on my hips and knees as the poles gave me support. I walked faster too.
When I went out the other day, I could only pump a few minutes at a time so I just kinda faked along with the poles as I strided. My arms tire easily quite quickly. I also tuck them both under my good arm and carry them like a rolled up yoga mat if I tire out poling. You could buy a yoga mat carry bag and sling them over your shoulder and carry them that way if you don't want to stride the whole way. The pole would need to be collapsible to fit the bag.
Most important is the technique which is easy to master, just don't pick away as if you would be climbing a mountain, keep you arm extended as if you we're about to shake someone's hand, not bending elbow.
What brand did you get? 39 dollars seams like a ok price to experiment with. Light poles do make all the difference.0 -
Even though the weather was not great, I got out and walked a mile. It felt good. I also, wore my LE sleeve for 6 hours today.
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hugz - They are Mountainsmith Rhyolite poles. Not as nice as the Black Diamond ones they had but these should do to be going on with. So when you are keeping your arm extended you aren't doing a rowing sort of stroke or anything?
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Cindy, I looked up your poles and they are trekking poles, (you need the rubber tips for pole walking on roads) They would be suited better for hiking but if you search online for: comparison of exerstriding and nordic walking at livestrong.com they will guide you in the technique of exerstriding which you can do with trekking poles as they have a flared bottom of the handle to keep your hand from slipping around.
Nordic pole walking has a strap that is secured to your hand and is a slight bit of a different technique than exerstriding. Also... go onto you tube and type in Tom Rutlin, exerstriding as this would bring up how to demos.
WITH YOUR TREKKING POLES you will be exerstriding NOT Nordic pole walking, although unofficially we call it all Nordic pole walking. I think Tom Rutlin the inventor of the Exertstriders poles claims that he gets a better workout though. He may be favouring his invention, I would have to research both pole techniques.
Linda, good for you on the walk with the sleeve. Slowly breaking it in is best for you.0 -
hugz
Thx for your post .
OK Ladies,
I need to ask- with all this exercise, sleeves , gloves etc ... do you ladies work FT ?
IF SO, how do you fit this in and do you wear your sleeve/ glove to work ?
THX!0 -
Purple--What is FT? I do wear my sleeve/gauntlet all day every day except when I shower. I used to wear a glove but after a year when LE did not go to my hand my therapist moved me to a gauntlet. I do wear a glove during heavy lifting and exercise. Everyone at work and in my life are so used to my sleeve/gauntlet that no on comments. I forget I have it on after a while. I wear a jovipak at night. My LE is under control measurement wise but my arm aches if I don't wear the garments. It keeps me awake at night if my jovipak is not on.
Chased two 4 yr olds with my sister all weekend. Went to Children's Museum and Botanical Gardens at Clemson, SC while parents of one went to Homecoming festivities with friends. That is all the cardio I got but I was running after them a lot at the gardens. Did get my MLD and MLD exercises in. So today will be indoor cardio and weights.
Going to look at and order some poles today.
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Purple, I believe FT is full time. I am close 30 hours per week. I have a daughter in 9th grade who takes a lot of dance classes. The Planet Fitness is close. I drop her off, go to Planet Fitness, then pick her up. It fits in my schedule very easily like that. Yesterday, she was off, and I did nothing except go to Costco. I had plans to rake some leaves, but never did it. I was so tired. I think the exercising actually gives me more energy rather than using it up. That's a revelation to me. I went to church Saturday night so I could sleep in yesterday, and then use the day to do some things. And I did a whole lot of nothing. Guess I need a visit from that guy with the cow poke. Happy Monday everyone.
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Purple, I believe FT is full time. I am close 30 hours per week
YES
FT= full time.Well, you sure sound busy!
Do you wear a sleeve and glove to work ?!0 -
Everyone at work and in my life are so used to my sleeve/gauntlet that no on comments
Thx
Very encouraging, Becky!
I didnt mean to hijack the thread , but I just cannot imagine. ( I get glove and sleeve TUES) No one at my job even knows I had cancer .
Can you believe I am wearing the Isotoners in the AM ( and it is chilly here ) before work and the guy at the 711 store asked me what was wrong with my hand ?! THAT freeaked me out ...isotoners !I was so caught off guard I just said : " oh, they are good for carpal tunnel>"
My husband said I should have said I had prosthesis under the gloves ! I am normally a smart mouth, buty - whats the use ?
I dunno'.
Thx again!0 -
Hugz - thanks... who knew walking could get so complicated? I'll do some research on exerstriding.
They do have rubber feet that the 12 year old at the store said were for floors and concrete. If you take the paws off you apparently get better traction... so who knows.
Purple, I wear my gear when I work. It's usually my sleeve with a gauntlet or glove, and a variety of shapewear which is mostly cover by my clothing. Sometimes it's just an underarmour shirt with something on my hand. Very few people ask at work. (I'm on a college campus so I interact with 100's of people some weeks) I'm also a librarian so I'm used to providing information and it goes against the grain to provide incomplete or misleading information...so when they ask I tell them. And depending on my mood and how close I am to the person the ammount of details vary.
At the least, I'll say "you know how sometimes your ankles swell? Well my arm does that." If they follow up with "Why does it do that?" I'll tell them that some people are just born that way, others have surgery or an injury that damages their lymph system. If the persist I show them how to search for journal articles about the condition. At the most, I give them a blow by blow description of my trials and tribulations this past year. Followed up with a reminder to get that mamogram/colonoscophy/psa whatever. Serves 'em right for being nosey.
When I'm out and about and a stranger asks I generally just say I had surgery and leave it at that. I'm pretty good at a cold hostile stare if anyone persists in rude personal questions.
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Thx cindy for sharing your story. We all have differnet ones, I am sure.
well, in terms of the Isotoners, since they offer a 1 yr guarantee, I just called and explained my glooves got pilly after just 2 weeks ( though they are abput 5-6 weeks old now/which I told them)
They said it was normal to get pilly in 2 weeks is normal and they will not exchange or give comp pair. I suggested they write " temp gloves" on their website so ppl could expect 2 weeks out of them. They didnt like that .I got the supervisor. She said 2 weeks wear was normal , but she oulw send me a comp. pair anyway. ( how sweet!)
Anyway, thats my story, and I'm sticking to it.
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2 weeks wear !!!!!! Let's see at $10 every 2 weeks, that's $260 a year - worth it or not? Or are they more than $10 - was it $20 - $520!
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Purple -I've had cashiers complement me on the gloves, "Those are really cool!" Um, thanks?! I've actually had more 'compliments' than inquiry comments. My standard comment when asked why is, "Complications due to surgery" and leave it at that.
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Makes sense. Cashiers are always looking for ways to deal with rsi and cold hands, at least they were back in the day when Mom was supervising 50 or so of them...
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Twenty dollars, Linda!
Thats amazing, Dawne!0 -
hugz - I found some "Koppen" trekking poles at Dick's for $20. I'm not good at this sort of thing anyway ... but I tried to adjust the length and it shouldn't have been that difficult!
I'm not tall but I need 'em high so my hands are at a 90 degree angle. I need to go back and try fiddling with them again. They were light, they had rubber tips but I didn't find them user friendly at all. I'm so not good at figuring that type of stuff out ... lol. Here they are. Let me know if this is the kind of pole you're talking about:
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12634563
I usually work out on Tuesday/Thursday but had to go today because tomorrow is going to be a 15 hour day
... but anyway ... my trainer said it was going to be a 'no-mercy Monday' which kind of scared me because I had a busy weekend but ... in the end ... it was great. I went to my 'happy place' afterwards (Hobby Lobby!!) and that made me forget the pain ... lol ... but so far I've had a good exercise day. I did the Lymphatic opening this morning, and will do MLD before bed. 0 -
Bought a Fitbit Zip. Not happy at all. doesn't measure all my steps, only strides. So when I do Leslie Sansone or Wii it does about a quarter of the distance I actually go. Urgh!
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Dawne, See my post to Cindy about 24 hours ago. Here it talks about how if you have trekking poles then you should be using the Exerstrider technique not the true Nordic pole walking technique. Google Exerstrider.com Click in the orange box to the right, Instructor. Towards the bottom of the page click on, "for a instant preview click part 1"
It will show you the proper technique for your trekking poles. It shows how to hold your arms once the poles are set to your height. Part 2 is not necessary for beginners.
Then go to bottom of the page and click on "to see 60 second you tube video on proper technique" The demo girl doesn't mention that you should not lock your arms when you have them straight out. Technically they should have a slight bend in the elbow but not very much. Just like you are extending out your hand to shake it with someone. This will keep you from picking with your poles when you walk. Your arms will not be a true 90 degree angle because once again you are going to hold them like your reaching out to shake a hand. Remember when you were little and used the old fashioned water pump handle to get water, that is motion you use to stride. Once you get walking you will naturally lift your pole higher as you stride so your arms won't dangle down.
So in the part 1 demo of the man showing you walking you will see him starting out low with the poles and eventually raising them as he gets his stride going. Almost straight out which is agreeable for LE.
Regarding your set up of height on poles.
Plant them upside down and hold them with your arm bent in a 90 degree angle at the elbow. This is where the height should be aprox. Like ski poles.
I have never tried exerstriding with trekking poles (I use Exerstrider brand which are worth every penny)but it can be done with trekking poles if you Exerstride. It won't work if you are truly Nordic pole walking. Everyone will think you are Nordic pole walking though.
Try it without the strap as your hand should be able to rest up against the flared part of the handle and shouldn't slip off. Don't bother pushing down on the handle until you get the "shake your hand "arm technique down.
That is another lesson. You don't want to push down too hard with your LE hand against the flared handle. Although non LE people would for a super workout.0 -
Here to report that pole walking is very doable with a well trained dog. Too bad I don't have one of those.
No actually we did very well. Told Trooper to "right side", which is like heel, only on the right and slightly forward for us. And we trucked along. If he attempted to cross in front of me I stuck the pole out to stop him, reminded him, rightside... last thing I need is to get wrapped up in his leash. After a couple of very small bumps he got the idea and stayed on the right side. (I don't want him heeling on my left because he comes way to close and would precipitate a disaster.) Quite a nice little workout. I believe I will dig out that old skijourning kit so he can trot on ahead, he seems to really love the relatively faster pace I'm able to maintain with the poles (still no 4 minute mile mind you, about 10 minutes for 1/4 mile with a couple stops to sniff and such, whereas without the poles it takes about 17 minutes to cover the same ground)0 -
This is it - first group meeting with the trainer. Going to a one hour workout - a big step for me. I can do this - I can do this - I can do this.
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Ohio, YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
Enjoy! And do let us hear how it goes,
Binney0 -
Ohio, you will love working with a trainer, really it makes it so much easier to excercise when someone actually shows you what to do and how!
I loved working with a trainer and convinced that the things he showd me 3 years ago, have helped me keep the dumb LE in line
enjoy!
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I did it. Finished the entire workout and even made it home in one piece!
Paused to do some (Lebed) stretches between weights and treated Little Martha carefully. Can't believe the time went so quickly. So far all is well.
Will do some extra MLD tonight and hope all is well. My LE has been doing very well for many weeks and I'm hoping this exercise is as good for it as everyone says cuz right now I'm in a 'watch' mode
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I removed you all from my favorites list some how
.. So, now that I'm back and just in case you haven't seen - BS and I got together last wednesday and both agreed to take the seroma and other dead tissue (from radiation) and get rid of it.. I had surgery last Friday and he cleaned everything out and put a drain in to take care of any extra fluid... I am doing ok but still in pain... Looks like it is healing well and fluid is almost nill... I see BS on thursday and he told my hubby he would probably take the drain out when I see him.. so there you be, all caught up 
... I do have a few LE issues, but won't go into that here... I will be walking soon, I hope! 0 -
Ohio, glad you liked the trainer! For me, working with the trainer really helped me stay motivated. I do laps in the pool also, does your place have a pool? it is my final way of stretching all the stuff~
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