Term Limits?

Glad to hear the knee responded nicely to a couple days of rest.

I wouldn't wait to long before getting in some longer runs...even if they are slow.  Maybe worry more about longer time on the feet even though the distance isn't as long as you'd like due to slowing for the heat??

I keep hearing about terrible weather in Texas but haven't taken the time to figure out where.  Texas is a big state so I'm hoping it's not affecting you!

Take care of that knee...

So I have some bad news about the right knee.  Monday, I started out and traveled about a 1/4 mile when the pain in the knee was enough to make me stop.  In fact, the rest of the day, the pain was increasing.  I really pissed it off, evidently.  I usually don't ever take a pain reliever, so I can see how much it really hurts.  I took 2 tylenol.  Got to where I could only move 1 foot length with the right leg.  No swelling.

Each day, the pain has become less.  Today, the pain is almost gone, but it gets wore out, if I walk too far.  

Wednesday morning, I went over to 24 hour fitness and rode a stationary bike for 40 minutes.  Not an body-over-feet bike, but fanny on level with the sprocket.  The feedback was a moan for the first 10 minutes, then it was fine.  It said I rode 5.29 miles at 10 mph.  I don't know if that's good or not, but that's what it was.  I added some resistance, so it didn't seem so free wheeling.  After than and some weights, I tried out an elliptical, but that didn't help.

Guess it'll take a few weeks for it to heal enough for me to try it out.  In the mean time, you can find me at 24 hour fitness.

This injury is stubborn.  It was disturbing my sleep.  As each night passed, I was a LITTLE bit better.  Saturday night's sleep was the first night where it didn't wake me up.  And today I can just about walk normally without a limp and without pain.  This past Friday, I rode the stationary bike for another 40 minutes, but didn't stick around for anything else.

Now, I'm testing the pain by doing different maneuvers for the 'Ouch!' factor.  The knee doesn't get quite as tired as last week.

I haven't taken any Tylenol since last Monday.

ounce wrote:This injury is stubborn.  It was disturbing my sleep.  As each night passed, I was a LITTLE bit better.  Saturday night's sleep was the first night where it didn't wake me up.  And today I can just about walk normally without a limp and without pain.  This past Friday, I rode the stationary bike for another 40 minutes, but didn't stick around for anything else.

Now, I'm testing the pain by doing different maneuvers for the 'Ouch!' factor.  The knee doesn't get quite as tired as last week.

I haven't taken any Tylenol since last Monday.

Doesn't sound good at all!  Glad you're finding a bit of activity (the bike) that doesn't bother it to much.  Hope it continues to improve and you're back on the road soon.

Oh, that's so annoying! Are you still doing exercises for your core? Strengthening your hips might help with the grumpy knee. Calf work might help, too. Build the muscular shock absorbers so the knee doesn't have to do all the work.

I shall do those things.  Thanks, y'all.  Lighter weight can also help a bunch.  Hopefully, Mr. Bowder will be able to assist in our little wager.

This morning, I rode the bike again, then did 3 sets of 20 leg lifts described as:  lay on back, raise right leg to 90 degrees, lower.  Then left leg.  Rinse.  Repeat.  Also did some calf thingies on a machine where the foot pad rotates forward and aft at the arch with a suitable weight.  160 lbs was doable, but the knee didn't agree, so I reduced it to 60 and all was right with the world.

Losing weight and laying off of the running until the Fourth will be good for starters.

I went to 24, this morning, and did the same bike and lifts, again.  I am promoting myself on leg lifts to the next level, which is from alternating legs 3 x 20 to lifting both legs 3 x 20.  I will do that, tomorrow.  Also tomorrow, I will see how my knee agrees with doing the adductor and abductor machines.

This is going to be a lonnnnnnng process.

Looong, yes. But once things start to improve, they can improve a lot.

Pro tip: While you're working those glutes, feel back with your had to make sure the right muscle is firing. It's easy to compensate and use your lower back or quads to do those side leg lifts. But if you feel the proper muscle engage - even if it's weak - that means you're doing it right. 

Just feeling it is enough to start with.

Eventually, if you want to truly work those glute med muscles, try a side plank from your knees. Owowowow. 

Body straight, bend knees behind you.

Side plank each side (resting on elbow) as long as you can. Keep the body straight and you'll feel the burn.

Mark B wrote:Looong, yes. But once things start to improve, they can improve a lot.

Pro tip: While you're working those glutes, feel back with your had to make sure the right muscle is firing. It's easy to compensate and use your lower back or quads to do those side leg lifts. But if you feel the proper muscle engage - even if it's weak - that means you're doing it right. 

Just feeling it is enough to start with.

Eventually, if you want to truly work those glute med muscles, try a side plank from your knees. Owowowow. 

Body straight, bend knees behind you.

Side plank each side (resting on elbow) as long as you can. Keep the body straight and you'll feel the burn.

I shall check that out when I start the side leg lifts.  Thank you, senor.

Friday, I rode for 40 minutes and tried to do the leg lifts of 3 x 20.  The leg lifts are laying on my back and lift the legs up to 90 degrees, then lower to ground and repeat.  But THIS time, I started to lift both legs to 90 degrees, instead of alternating legs.  As a result, I could only do 1 set of 20.  So, I get to work on that for a while.

This morning, I rode for 20 minutes, while watching the goings on at Buckingham Palace.  Then, I got on the bicep, tricep, and pullover machines and did 3 x 15 reps.  Afterwards, I got on the treadmill and walked 1 mile at a 30 minute pace to see what the right knee would think of it.  There was no pain for 8 tenths and the last 2 tenths was more like a moaning than actual pain.  It was good!  I was glad that I could do 1 mile.

Tomorrow, I'll work on Mark's side planks or something like it.  Some different weight machines and probably walk another mile at 30 minute pace.

REALLY nice to do a mile.  Thanks for stopping by.

Side knee planks, eh?  I tried it, but was resting on my hand, instead of elbow.  I'm not as skinny as you, so I'm not sure I could keep my hips off the ground doing the knees.  But I'll try that tomorrow.  Today, I just managed 2 @ 30 seconds for each side.  If the hips or lateral thighs don't clear the mat, I may have to stay with planting my hand.

Anywho.  I did 20 minutes on the bike, then the calf machine that has the pivoting pedals, e.g. picture two accelerator pedals in your car and flooring both of them.  Then abductors (adductor machine was broke), did 30 leg lifts (both legs together), and walked 1 mile on the treadmill.

Around a half-mile, the knee was whining some.  I kept going, but afterwards, the knee whined some more.  But I think I'll stay the course on the treadmill.  It's got to heal up.  I want to advance the pace and distance on that thing.

Thanks for your time.

Marks got you doing core and glute work...   You'll never be the same.  I've been pleasantly surprised at how beneficial the strength/core work has been when it comes to running.  Keep it up while your knee heals...and continue when you get back to running.  I bet you'll notice an improvement.

Good to see you're staying as active as you can.

nkrichards wrote:Marks got you doing core and glute work...   You'll never be the same.  I've been pleasantly surprised at how beneficial the strength/core work has been when it comes to running.  Keep it up while your knee heals...and continue when you get back to running.  I bet you'll notice an improvement.

Good to see you're staying as active as you can.

In more ways than 1.  I have no doubt the core work will help the running, when I get back to running.  The strength work is for me, then my running.  I know stronger muscles will help me avoid the usual 'senior' injuries like falling.

Based on the thimble of information I know about meniscus injuries, I don't have that problem (I finally got the guts to look).  I was kinda thinking the meniscus was not the problem because I could not hear my knee when bending it and there was zero swelling.

So, I'm going to treat this like a muscle injury.  A muscle strain.  Maybe it's ligaments.  The main issue is when a body part under is subjected to downforce from a body part above, there is pain or agitation or similar.  It's not a MCL because the pain is further inside.  The pain is between the MCL and the knee's center line, closer to the MCL than the kneecap.  

Surprisingly, yesterday I did 10 squats (butt below or at the level of the knee) with no pain.  Just now, I did 10 more with no pain, then squatted further (back of thigh touching back of calf) with no pain.  So, things are looking up and shrinking in scope.  Encouraging.  I also trotted 5 strides with no pain.  The knee was stirring at that point, so I stopped.

I still think I have a month or longer to go before I can run.  I think losing weight will help the situation with not as much downforce striking the sensitive focal point.  Time will tell.

Thanks, Nancy.

Hope recovery is still progressing well...

Sounds like weight loss is continuing at an appropriate/sustainable rate.  

nkrichards wrote:Hope recovery is still progressing well...

Sounds like weight loss is continuing at an appropriate/sustainable rate.  

It's moving along, but I'm trying not to push too hard and risk delaying my return to the concrete.  It may still be past July 4, but I only want to lick that calf one time.

Weight loss is doing that, but having the competition saves me between 300-500 calories a day.  So that's a half pound to a pound a week.  I started a 4-5 day fast on Monday (really Sunday night) in order to keep Marvin Gardens.

Thanks, Nancy

Speaking of Monday, I went over to 24 to do some stuff.  Rode the bike 25 minutes, did 20 (what I call) half squats of butt to knee level.  There was no squawking, so I did 10 full squats of all the way down (back of upper hamstring to back of upper calf.  Then did 2-1/2 sets of bicep and tricep lifting, 3 sets of sitting calf pivot lifting.  The biceps can't lift the same weight for 3 sets as the triceps (65 lbs), so I hope to get the biceps up to the same level before the triceps start getting bored.  Further, I hope to stick with lifting weights when I re-start running again.  I just need to bulk up some.

Then, I finished up with the treadmill for a mile, but I could only do .79.  I increased the pace from 30 min to 25 minutes and the right knee seemed to tire sooner.  Probably as a result of the 30 squats.  Which is fine because I know an upper limit, now.  During the walk, I did increase the pace to 20 minutes and trotted to see what would happen.  I trotted two-hundreths and the knee was not having any of it.  

For the rest of Monday, my knee was complaining when I had sat too long.  Gripe.  Gripe.  Gripe.

This afternoon, I walked up 3 flights of stairs and down 3 flights of stairs.  Not a hint of griping.  

That's all, folks!

Keep doing what you're doing...

nkrichards wrote:Keep doing what you're doing...

Aye, aye, ma'am.

Wednesday, I rode the bike, lifted the same weights, although I reduced 10 lbs off the bicep machine, and walked only a half a mile due to whining.  Also did 20 difficult leg lifts and abductor & adductor.

In the afternoon, I had the distinct pleasure to get a crown on a molar.  Sitting in the chair while the grinding was going on, my knee started whining for the position it was in.  Not a charley horse cramp, but it's own version.  I moved the right leg over the left to settle it down.

This morning, rode the bike, lifted different machines, and walked a full mile at a 25 minute pace.  The knee started whining at 1/4 mile, but I kept going to see what would happen.  It stopped whining by 1/2 mile.  A good sign, for sure.  I'd been thinking that I need to push through the whining and only stop for the pain.

During this short 4-1/2 day fast (Sunday night to Friday morning), the weight is dropping like the first time in February.  I have dropped 9 or 10 pounds or a 7 pound net, since last Saturday's official weigh in.  I expect to gain back 3 pounds, just for food filling up the intestines again.

While walking, I remembered that lifting weights requires new muscle cells and stokes the metabolism to burn more in a day.  Regarding running, I think I'm going to break my jump rope out and start using it to agitate the afflicted area.  Not too much, but enough to make it whine.  Now, where did I put that thing?

Thanks for dropping by and day 1 of Alec's college days begins tomorrow, while Mark   and Alita   sit back and count the days until empty nesting is upon them.

Mark, upon entering the forum, a new window opened for a survey.  It looked legit and it promised me a free $50 value prize after answering 8 Forumotion questions.

I bit.

Answered the 8, then was shown 6 prizes from which to pick.  I picked one.  I would get to pay $6 in shipping, then in 30 days, I would get to pay $49.99 if I kept it.  

Also, when I was writing my post on your blog, I noticed one of the words were double underlined in blue, which usually means an ad is tagged to the word.  It was, but I didn't hit that one.

Seems like we're not making enough money for Forumotion, which is fine by me.  Just to inform.

Edit:  I now notice when I go to other sites, I see the double blue underlines.  Maybe I stumbled onto a site that embeds that crap in my computer.  Any thoughts on where in Settings on my computer to delete something?
2nd Edit:  It would seem 'in-text advertising' is the term of my computer's affliction.

SO DON'T CLICK ON THE SURVEY!

So, I went to 24 this morning.  I think this makes 5 consecutive days.  I don't know if I've ever been there 5 days in a row in 15 years.

Bike for 20 minutes, did biceps at 50, triceps at 65, and a pullover at 50.  I like the pullover machine.  The further you let it go back with both arms, then start the actual pull over, you feel it in your oblique muscles and the ribs.  Nice rush, to me.
Then, I did 3-10 squats where I had a 15 pound medicine ball to squat to.  Not as low as other days.  But it felt good just barely touching the ball.

I was running short of time, so I went over to the treadmill and walked a mile at 25 minute pace.  There was no pain or whining.  Feeling none, I decided to attempt a run.

I set the pace at 16:12 and set a goal of one-tenth of a mile or shorter if whining occurred.  
No whining!
Well, that was nice.  Supremely nice!


I finished my fast, last night, instead of this morning.  I had 3 eggs and 4 strips of bacon.  My intestines took to it quite well (ending prior fasts weren't as forgiving on the first food).


I tell ya, being around 221 pounds is a 'watershed' (maybe 'fatshed') moment because the fat cells on my spare tire are pliable enough that jeans and shorts fit looser.  Even wearing an XL shirt is almost loose enough.


Now, I'll work hard to make 220 my new set point, instead of 235, while losing below 220.


Mark, I might even be willing to extend our bet and maybe even double the bet.


Y'all have a nice weekend.  We're pretty seasonal here at 92 degrees, but the humidity is back.  Oh well, it's Houston.

ounce wrote:So, I went to 24 this morning.  I think this makes 5 consecutive days.  I don't know if I've ever been there 5 days in a row in 15 years.

Bike for 20 minutes, did biceps at 50, triceps at 65, and a pullover at 50.  I like the pullover machine.  The further you let it go back with both arms, then start the actual pull over, you feel it in your oblique muscles and the ribs.  Nice rush, to me.
Then, I did 3-10 squats where I had a 15 pound medicine ball to squat to.  Not as low as other days.  But it felt good just barely touching the ball.

I was running short of time, so I went over to the treadmill and walked a mile at 25 minute pace.  There was no pain or whining.  Feeling none, I decided to attempt a run.

I set the pace at 16:12 and set a goal of one-tenth of a mile or shorter if whining occurred.  
No whining!
Well, that was nice.  Supremely nice!


I finished my fast, last night, instead of this morning.  I had 3 eggs and 4 strips of bacon.  My intestines took to it quite well (ending prior fasts weren't as forgiving on the first food).


I tell ya, being around 221 pounds is a 'watershed' (maybe 'fatshed') moment because the fat cells on my spare tire are pliable enough that jeans and shorts fit looser.  Even wearing an XL shirt is almost loose enough.


Now, I'll work hard to make 220 my new set point, instead of 235, while losing below 220.


Mark, I might even be willing to extend our bet and maybe even double the bet.


Y'all have a nice weekend.  We're pretty seasonal here at 92 degrees, but the humidity is back.  Oh well, it's Houston.

Looks like the beginning of a streak...keep it up!

Yes, ma'am....if you insist.  Thanks.

I went to 24 on Monday and this morning.  Worked the upper body some on Monday.  Today it was squats of various types. 20 of lowering oneself to a medicine ball, 20 of lowering oneself with a 20 lb kettlebell, then 10 stationery lunges.  On the lunges, I was a bit off balance lowering the left knee to the ground.

Did the 20 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes walking at a 20 minute pace (last week it was 25 minute pace).  As far as running, I did one-tenth at a 16:12 pace on Monday, then today I ran 15-hundreths at a 15 minute pace.  Today, the knee was lightly moaning, but no pain.

I think I'll do 15-hundreths, tomorrow, before bumping up again.  Progressing.

I broke my streak at going to 24 at 7 days.  I couldn't go Wednesday because I had to find out the process for doing a platelet Direct Donation to a relative.  Passed that info along and I'm waiting for a response from the doctor.

Ergo, yesterday was a rest day.

This morning, I went and did upper body weights, plus leg lifts (did 2 - 20 for the first time in years), bike, a few other things and then the final thing of 1 mile walk at 20 minute pace plus X distance at X pace.  So I ran one-tenth of a mile with a one-half percent degree of elevation at a 13:20 pace with no sharp pain, just a dull response that was the same as when I finished and was walking.

These are the first four attempts at running:
June 14 - one-tenth at 16:12 pace
June 17 - one-tenth at 16:12 pace
June 18 - 15-hundreths at 15:00 pace
June 20 - one-tenth at 13:20 pace

Progress.

Regarding weights, I've kinda decided to keep doing weights with the aim of 100 pounds for the various upper body machines for which I'm doing sets.  Then evaluate.

Another measure of the knee's progress is the following:  For Memorial Day weekend (soon after the initial pain when walking event), I had a bag with a gallon of milk in it (about 8 pounds).  I had it in my right hand, but the pain was too great on the knee to continue that.  I switched hands and the pain mitigated to 'annoyance' in the right knee.

On Tuesday and again today, I walked around the inside perimeter of the gym with a 25 lb kettle bell in one hand and a 30 lb in the other.  No pain.  Switched the kettle bells for 1 more loop.  No pain.

You know, when I set the July 4th target to start running again, it was an arbitrary date.  Up until last Friday, I didn't think I'd hit the target.  Now, 2 weeks out, I think my selection of a dart throw with my eyes closed might actually work.  I'll increase the distances at the 13:20 pace through June 28 to maybe a mile.  Then on Monday, July 1, I'll run a half mile around the complex to see how knee takes a non-treadmill surface.

That's the SWAG, at least.  Thanks for stopping by.

ounce wrote:I broke my streak at going to 24 at 7 days.  I couldn't go Wednesday because I had to find out the process for doing a platelet Direct Donation to a relative.  Passed that info along and I'm waiting for a response from the doctor.

Ergo, yesterday was a rest day.

This morning, I went and did upper body weights, plus leg lifts (did 2 - 20 for the first time in years), bike, a few other things and then the final thing of 1 mile walk at 20 minute pace plus X distance at X pace.  So I ran one-tenth of a mile with a one-half percent degree of elevation at a 13:20 pace with no sharp pain, just a dull response that was the same as when I finished and was walking.

These are the first four attempts at running:
June 14 - one-tenth at 16:12 pace
June 17 - one-tenth at 16:12 pace
June 18 - 15-hundreths at 15:00 pace
June 20 - one-tenth at 13:20 pace

Progress.

Regarding weights, I've kinda decided to keep doing weights with the aim of 100 pounds for the various upper body machines for which I'm doing sets.  Then evaluate.

Another measure of the knee's progress is the following:  For Memorial Day weekend (soon after the initial pain when walking event), I had a bag with a gallon of milk in it (about 8 pounds).  I had it in my right hand, but the pain was too great on the knee to continue that.  I switched hands and the pain mitigated to 'annoyance' in the right knee.

On Tuesday and again today, I walked around the inside perimeter of the gym with a 25 lb kettle bell in one hand and a 30 lb in the other.  No pain.  Switched the kettle bells for 1 more loop.  No pain.

You know, when I set the July 4th target to start running again, it was an arbitrary date.  Up until last Friday, I didn't think I'd hit the target.  Now, 2 weeks out, I think my selection of a dart throw with my eyes closed might actually work.  I'll increase the distances at the 13:20 pace through June 28 to maybe a mile.  Then on Monday, July 1, I'll run a half mile around the complex to see how knee takes a non-treadmill surface.

That's the SWAG, at least.  Thanks for stopping by.

Maybe we need to redefine your streak Doug...let's see how many weeks in a row you can go to the gym 6 out of 7 days...

Good to hear that you feel like you're making progress.

Well, I'm not going on the weekends, due to commitments.  So, last week I went M-F and this week I went 4 days for a total of 9 out of 10 days.  For me, that's a whole lot.

Speaking of today, I did the bike for 10 minutes (down from 20), adductor and abductor, 20 squats to a medicine ball, 20 goblin squats with a 20 lb kettle bell (same thing as a squat, just added the kettle bell), 20 leg lifts, then walked a half mile on the treadmill.

THEN, half of a mile at a 13:20 pace on a treadmill with the same muffled reaction as yesterday.  As much as I don't like running on a treadmill, I was in front of the A/C fan, which sure beats the morning low of 81 degrees and dew point of 78, had I ran outside.

Off until Monday.  Y'all stay cool as we have a Heat Advisory where the heat index will be 106-111 degrees.

ounce wrote:Well, I'm not going on the weekends, due to commitments.  So, last week I went M-F and this week I went 4 days for a total of 9 out of 10 days.  For me, that's a whole lot.

Speaking of today, I did the bike for 10 minutes (down from 20), adductor and abductor, 20 squats to a medicine ball, 20 goblin squats with a 20 lb kettle bell (same thing as a squat, just added the kettle bell), 20 leg lifts, then walked a half mile on the treadmill.

THEN, half of a mile at a 13:20 pace on a treadmill with the same muffled reaction as yesterday.  As much as I don't like running on a treadmill, I was in front of the A/C fan, which sure beats the morning low of 81 degrees and dew point of 78, had I ran outside.

Off until Monday.  Y'all stay cool as we have a Heat Advisory where the heat index will be 106-111 degrees.

Treadmills aren't a lot of fun, but it beats running in that sauna outside.

Good job finding a way to get it done.