Back at the pool today after a weekend away (and off rehab). Really didn't want to get out of bed this morning and the first 10-20 lengths were hard-going - mentally, I wasn't 'up for it'. However, I pushed on and when I reach 40 lengths I felt like I could try for a bit more. It did cross my mind to try for 64 lengths, which is 1 mile, but by the time I reached 50, I could feel various muscles beginning to cramp so I called it a day.
The right crick neck is still a problem. Right scapular/shoulder is still achy/problematic. The right abdominal muscles aren't fully fit and there's the usual right upper thigh/groin tightness/discomfort. Hopefully, I haven't made anything worse, which is the main thing.
I plan on getting back to the gym on Friday after missing the last 2 weeks.
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Right Ab, Stresses and 1km Swim
11 days since I last posted. On the Sunday after the last gym session, the weather was awful and I didn't want to be stuck inside doing nothing all day. So, I thought I'd try a swim. It wasn't the best decision. The right abdominal muscle strain was already aggravated and I'd mildly strained my right shoulder (front deltoid and mid back muscle, next to the scapular)....not surprisingly, those injuries didn't like the extra effort. I swam 24 lengths with a view to doing another 40 on the Tuesday thus swimming a mile over the course of the week. It sounded like a great plan but didn't happen. I had to take the whole of last week off rehab work to allow things to heal up.
Last week was also one filled with stress (due to trying to figure out the new benefits system and where I had been placed within it). I won't go into details but suffice to say I didn't get a lot of sleep and was terrified I'd be back on high doses of antidepressants and sleeping tablets etc etc with a severe relapse to follow. Thankfully, I finally worked out I wasn't going to be destitute and the stress subsided. However, it seemed to result in a return of numerous muscular aches and pains so I was back to taking painkillers to be able to try to get some sleep.
Ok....a new week this week and I was back at the pool today. Again, I'm not sure it was the most sensible idea but it is very hard to keep not doing things. I swam 40 lengths (1km). In terms of energy, it felt fine. In terms of muscular aches/pains/strains, it really wasn't good. I've had an ongoing problem with a crick in the right of my neck (for 5 weeks or so) and once I got swimming my neck really seemed to start hurting. The right shoulder was twingey; the right abs were twingey; the right upper thigh/groin was twingey....and so it goes on. It would probably be easier to list what didn't hurt! When I came to walking out of the changing room, putting weight through my right hip was very painful. It hurt all around the top of my leg, which it's never done before.
It's so frustrating. I feel like I have the energy to do these things but my muscles etc just don't seem to cope. I am so fed up with holding back, never being able to give myself the freedom to just do these things and "go for it". Always at the back of my mind is a concern about which muscle I'll injure this time or whether I'm putting too much stress on existing weaknesses. It drives me absolutely nuts. Basically, I am constantly disempowering myself, if that is even a word. I can never just embrace my strength and exert it. I am always holding back. One of these days, I want to run flat out, I want to swim full pelt, I want to push to my limits and feel my own strength.
....I won't make it to the gym this Friday due to visiting family. It's probably a good thing.
Last week was also one filled with stress (due to trying to figure out the new benefits system and where I had been placed within it). I won't go into details but suffice to say I didn't get a lot of sleep and was terrified I'd be back on high doses of antidepressants and sleeping tablets etc etc with a severe relapse to follow. Thankfully, I finally worked out I wasn't going to be destitute and the stress subsided. However, it seemed to result in a return of numerous muscular aches and pains so I was back to taking painkillers to be able to try to get some sleep.
Ok....a new week this week and I was back at the pool today. Again, I'm not sure it was the most sensible idea but it is very hard to keep not doing things. I swam 40 lengths (1km). In terms of energy, it felt fine. In terms of muscular aches/pains/strains, it really wasn't good. I've had an ongoing problem with a crick in the right of my neck (for 5 weeks or so) and once I got swimming my neck really seemed to start hurting. The right shoulder was twingey; the right abs were twingey; the right upper thigh/groin was twingey....and so it goes on. It would probably be easier to list what didn't hurt! When I came to walking out of the changing room, putting weight through my right hip was very painful. It hurt all around the top of my leg, which it's never done before.
It's so frustrating. I feel like I have the energy to do these things but my muscles etc just don't seem to cope. I am so fed up with holding back, never being able to give myself the freedom to just do these things and "go for it". Always at the back of my mind is a concern about which muscle I'll injure this time or whether I'm putting too much stress on existing weaknesses. It drives me absolutely nuts. Basically, I am constantly disempowering myself, if that is even a word. I can never just embrace my strength and exert it. I am always holding back. One of these days, I want to run flat out, I want to swim full pelt, I want to push to my limits and feel my own strength.
....I won't make it to the gym this Friday due to visiting family. It's probably a good thing.
Friday, 8 February 2013
Antibiotics, Right Ab, 1km Swim
Finally went to the docs on Monday about the ongoing sinus congestion and various other symptoms. Got started on the antibiotics (Doxycycline) for the sinuses and will finish them this Sunday. They seem to make me very sleepy/tired so I'm tending to take them at lunchtime so I at least get the morning when I don't feel hungover! Once I've finished that stuff, I'll get to the hospital for a barrage of blood tests for thyroid, hormones, cholesterol, liver etc etc.
Tuesday was my usual pool day. I felt good and went for the 40 lengths, 1km (35 mins). I wasn't aware of any particular right abdominal pain during my swim but once showered/changed it recurred (grrrr!). However, I felt really pleased with the swim and didn't feel utterly drained the following day.
Today, back at the gym:
I am trying to work up to being able to do full press-ups. I can now do the knee press-ups easily. I've progressed to placing my hands on the raised step block and doing a full press-up but I can only manage 3 good ones and 2 'ok' ones before my muscles fail. I guess it'll improve.
This afternoon, I postponed taking my antibiotics until teatime (4pm) so that I could get out birding after lunch. Thoroughly enjoyed that and didn't feel too drained from the gym (tired but ok). If only I could get rid of the right ab, right hip and left shoulder problems, I'd be away....!!!
Tuesday was my usual pool day. I felt good and went for the 40 lengths, 1km (35 mins). I wasn't aware of any particular right abdominal pain during my swim but once showered/changed it recurred (grrrr!). However, I felt really pleased with the swim and didn't feel utterly drained the following day.
Today, back at the gym:
- 15 mins exercise bike (difficulty level 8)
- Hip/lower back stretches
- Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then quad stretches
- Glute bridges 10kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold.
- Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps.
- Press-ups on floor (knees on floor) 10 reps
- Full Press-ups with hands placed on raised step block 2 x 5 reps (very hard!)
- Right Hip adduction and extension using cable weights 6kg 2 x 12 reps, 8kg 2 x 10 reps
- Seated rows 10 kg 10 reps; 12kg 2 x 10 reps; vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
- Wobble board 4 mins, 5 squats.
- Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
- Ab Crunches 2 x 10 reps
- Medicine ball Russian twist exercise (5kg) 2 x 10 reps
- Tricep extensions using cable/rope 8kg 2x10 reps.
- Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3kg 2 x 10 reps
- Lying on the floor, starting with elbows by my side, arms bent 90 degs, then pushing weight upwards against gravity, straightening the arm (modified front raise) 5kg 2 x 10 reps
I am trying to work up to being able to do full press-ups. I can now do the knee press-ups easily. I've progressed to placing my hands on the raised step block and doing a full press-up but I can only manage 3 good ones and 2 'ok' ones before my muscles fail. I guess it'll improve.
This afternoon, I postponed taking my antibiotics until teatime (4pm) so that I could get out birding after lunch. Thoroughly enjoyed that and didn't feel too drained from the gym (tired but ok). If only I could get rid of the right ab, right hip and left shoulder problems, I'd be away....!!!
Friday, 1 February 2013
Right Ab, Sinuses, Ploughing On
I've kinda just pushed through it this week. My sinuses are still blocked and generally making me feel headachy and tired. The right abdominal/mid back issues are still going on. However, I made it to the pool on Tuesday. Did my 32 lengths (0.5 miles) in about 25 mins and then headed to the gym today. I was pretty tired out through Wednesday and Thursday.
Today's gym set:
I'm keeping up with the daily right hip physio exercises. I can't be certain yet whether they are helping but I will give them until the end of February and then reassess everything. If this right ab problem is still around then I will definitely be heading back to the physiotherapist for help.
I have been waiting for a referral to NHS physiotherapy for my left shoulder. I rang the hospital this week only to discover the referral had been "lost in the post". I rang my GP surgery and they have now sorted it out but who knows when that treatment will come through. Everything takes so flipping long! This is my life we're talking about. The longer I have to wait for treatment, the longer my life remains partially on hold.
Generally feeling pretty down. Fed up with managing muscular injuries and pain and not knowing how or what will make them better. Fed up with the sinus infection which has now lasted for 5 weeks. Fed up with feeling crap from the sinus infection. Fed up with social isolation. To top it all, my tumble drying neighbours got back from a 2 week holiday last night. I was woken this morning at 8:30am by the tumble drier and I expect it will now be on all day and all weekend. So far, it's been on 8:30-10:30 (when I went out), then on 5 minutes after I got home at 12:30 until now (13:30ish) and still going. I don't suppose it'll be off now until about 11pm tonight. It'll no doubt wake me up again tomorrow. It drives me absolutely nuts. Shatters all the peace and quiet in my own home and makes me want to run a mile to get away from it!
Today's gym set:
- 15 mins exercise bike (difficulty level 8)
- Hip/lower back stretches
- Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then quad stretches
- Glute bridges 10kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold.
- Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps.
- Press-ups on floor (knees on floor) 2 x 10 reps
- Right Hip adduction and extension using cable weights 6kg 2 x 12 reps, 8kg 2 x 10 reps
- 10 single leg glute bridges (each leg), 5 sec hold each.
- Seated rows 10 kg 10 reps; 12kg 2 x 10 reps; vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
- Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
- Ab Crunches 2 x 10 reps
- Medicine ball Russian twist exercise (5kg) 2 x 10 reps
- Tricep extensions using cable/rope 8kg 2x10 reps.
- Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 3kg 2 x 10 reps
- Lying on the floor, starting with elbows by my side, arms bent 90 degs, then pushing weight upwards against gravity, straightening the arm (modified front raise) 5kg 2 x 10 reps
- Bicep curls 5kg 10 reps
- Plank 1 mins
I'm keeping up with the daily right hip physio exercises. I can't be certain yet whether they are helping but I will give them until the end of February and then reassess everything. If this right ab problem is still around then I will definitely be heading back to the physiotherapist for help.
I have been waiting for a referral to NHS physiotherapy for my left shoulder. I rang the hospital this week only to discover the referral had been "lost in the post". I rang my GP surgery and they have now sorted it out but who knows when that treatment will come through. Everything takes so flipping long! This is my life we're talking about. The longer I have to wait for treatment, the longer my life remains partially on hold.
Generally feeling pretty down. Fed up with managing muscular injuries and pain and not knowing how or what will make them better. Fed up with the sinus infection which has now lasted for 5 weeks. Fed up with feeling crap from the sinus infection. Fed up with social isolation. To top it all, my tumble drying neighbours got back from a 2 week holiday last night. I was woken this morning at 8:30am by the tumble drier and I expect it will now be on all day and all weekend. So far, it's been on 8:30-10:30 (when I went out), then on 5 minutes after I got home at 12:30 until now (13:30ish) and still going. I don't suppose it'll be off now until about 11pm tonight. It'll no doubt wake me up again tomorrow. It drives me absolutely nuts. Shatters all the peace and quiet in my own home and makes me want to run a mile to get away from it!
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