Vertigo recurrence

Missed the pool on Tuesday this week. When I went to bed on Sunday night, I had intense vertigo whenever I lay my head in a particular position or turned over onto my right side. It was the same symptoms as my last episode with inner ear problems. Anyway, symptoms were still there on Monday night and I figured that swimming backstroke was going to be out of the question and I didn't fancy dealing with vertigo whilst swimming. As it turned out, I've not had any further symptoms since Monday night so whatever it was that had caused them has gone away. I'm guessing it was BPPV (Link) because the vertigo only seemed to be triggered with my head in a very specific position or being rolled into that position.

It was actually quite nice to have Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday without the exhaustion of swimming. I got out birding/walking each day and tried to stay active. However, by yesterday evening, I was pretty knackered. Incredibly, I slept until 11:10am this morning!! I couldn't quite believe it when I turned over and saw the clock. Anyway, made it to the gym and did the usual set. However, I was struggling with feeling pretty discouraged. I see other fit, strong ladies there and I end up feeling really depressed at how far I've still got to go. I'm frustrated with how inflexible I still am and how the range of motion for my shoulders is still relatively limited. Tired I guess....

The gym is harder since I stopped the running. I felt a real sense of achievement after I'd done a run. I don't get the same satisfaction from lifting weights. I'm already looking forward to my swim on Tuesday. I find that a lot more satisfying.

A Better Gym Session

After last week's disaster, I wasn't sure how today's gym session would go. My head had also felt completely drained after the swim on Tuesday and I'd not really been up to doing anything on Wednesday or Thursday. Thankfully, after a complete rest yesterday (basically a telly day), I felt better this morning and headed to the gym. I'm still not doing any leg work whilst the right hip strengthens up. So, gym set today:

• 6 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 7kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold. 10 single leg glute bridges (each leg), 5 sec hold each. 9kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 secs hold. Clam exercise with red theraband around knees 2 x 10 reps;
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 10 reps
• Seated rows 10 kg 2 x 10 reps. 12 kg 10 reps; reverse flies 2kg 2 x 10reps; vertical flies 4kg 2 x 10 reps.
• Wobble board 4 mins (5 squats)
• Trunk twist using cable weights 4kg 2 x 12 reps (dropped weight - still cautious re: right ab) + 6kg 10 reps (did this very gently without pain)
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 6kg 10 reps, 8kg 2 x 10 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) 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Plank 1 min hold
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs/lats.

Highs and Lows Again

It's been a bit of an up and down week. I'm now trying to swim on Tuesdays and go to the gym on Fridays. I've dropped the running from the Friday gym set whilst my right hip resolves. However, last Friday was a disappointing session, nearly reducing me to tears. I basically gave up after finding that my right lat muscle, right tricep and right ab were still healing/strained. This pretty much restricted everything and it was extremely frustrating. Add to that that the LHS lower back tightness/ache/pain has recurred as bad as ever it was for the last 12 days. I think the side-slide exercise, strengthening the oblique muscles, is the problem. It flexes my spine in such a way as to aggravate the nerve or whatever it is that's the problem. It's a pain that drives me nuts!

....anyway.....I was back at the pool today. Did 26 lengths (650 metres) followed by some running/walking in the water. I reduced the distance from 32 lengths after the right lat strain last week. I reckon the 26 lengths is manageable with the gym session thrown in.

The right hip/butt/groin pain has reduced since I stopped doing the running or really testing it. I'm simply concentrating on glute bridges, single leg glute bridges and the clam exercise.

That's it really. Just posting an update rather than not writing at all....

My Summer Sporting Joy is Complete!

Woke up to the fantastic news that Andy Murray had won the US Open!! Absolutely thrilled for him. What an amazing way to finish off this spectacular sporting summer. When I went to bed, he had just won the first set and I was optimistic but didn't dare put the trophy in his hands. Looks like he fought tooth and nail for this victory, taking nearly 5 hours - sterling effort and flipping well deserved. I've ordered my celebratory towel and cap from the US Open - chuffed to bits.

From the BBC text commentary last night:
"Seventy-nine years ago, on 10 September, Fred Perry, seeded third, won the US National Championships to secure his inaugural Grand Slam win. In glorious sunshine, the Brit beat the second seed Jack Crawford, the then reigning Australian Open champion. Today, on 10 September, Andy Murray, the third seed... need I go on?" And....he did it....just as Fred Perry did 79 years ago. Beautiful symmetry.

.....now, it's nearly 8:30am and I need to get myself together to head off to the pool...

I'm back...

Ok, so 3 weeks have passed. To summarise, after 3 days of the daily physio exercises and a Friday gym session, I developed pretty bad lower back pain and the right hip pain was much worse. I abandoned the physio and took a break from the gym. The back pain, which I suspect was irritated nerves (muscularly I could still do everything without inducing pain) lasted 2 weeks. I took painkillers every night and felt pretty disappointed. However, during those 2 weeks, I did enjoy a couple of swims. In fact, I did 32 lengths (0.5 miles) on both occasions with only 3 full days rest between sessions. It felt like a real achievement although the second session was harder and I was scared that I wasn't going to cope with the recovery etc. However, I did, although my nervous system was a bit shocked (i.e. the night after the second swim, I was back to experiencing the sleep starts).

Then, it was a week away with a family member so no physio or gym/pool.

I was back at the gym yesterday. I mostly stuck to upper body and some core work. I am trying to find ways to strengthen the right hip and pelvis without inducing further pain. It's very disappointing to have to stop the running - I really loved that. I'm also not able to do any leg strengthening work as that requires the hips/pelvis. So my gym set yesterday:

• 5 mins exercise bike
• Hip/lower back stretches
• Glute bridges (10 secs hold) 3 reps then with 7kg dumbbell across hips 10 reps, 10 sec hold. 5 single leg glute bridges (each leg), 5 sec hold each. 9kg dumbbell across hips 8 reps, 5 secs hold.
• Press ups-plus (at 45 deg angle) 2 x 8 reps
• Seated rows 10 kg 3 x 10 reps. 12 kg 8 reps
• Wobble board 4 mins (5 squats)
• Trunk twist using cable weights 4kg 2 x 10 reps (dropped weight and reps - trying to heal right ab strain)
• Chest fly with cable weights 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Tricep extensions using cable/rope 8kg 2 x 10 reps (strained right tricep on second set so had to stop)
• Side slides using cable weight (for oblique muscles) 8kg 3 x 10 reps (done gently to manage right ab)
• Combo lateral/front shoulder raises whilst sitting on exercise ball 4kg 2 x 5 reps, 3kg 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) 4kg 3 x 10 reps.
• Glute bridges:7kg across hips 10 reps, 10 secs hold (added second set to improve work out)
• Ab crunch machine 10 kg 3 x 10 reps (light weight, more reps - managing right ab)
• Plank 1 min hold
• Stretching: hips/lower back, hamstrings and chest/pecs/lats.
• Once home, did bicep curls 10 reps 5kg.

I felt tired but not wiped out in the afternoon because I'd not done the 2km run. I had some right hip/butt/groin discomfort and iced my right butt in the evening. Took painkillers last night to be able to sleep. Looking at the gym set I did yesterday, it really doesn't take much to induce right hip structure pain.

In terms of picking up the physio exercises again, I am seeing how my hip copes if I introduce each exercise one at a time. So this week, I've done 5 days of the standing on the stair, tilting pelvis exercise. Next week, I might try adding in the single leg glute bridges. I think I've learnt that my body violently resists perceptively big, sudden changes to the way I use my muscles. If I introduce things slowly and in small steps, it might be easier to assimilate.

Today, I have some nicely stiff pecs/shoulder muscles. I don't feel too drained (although I have had a headache for the past 3 days - scalp tenderness/tightness again - hormonal?). Mmm....yes, the scalp pain is a weird one. Every so often, I get days (sometimes extending into weeks) where my scalp is extremely tender/painful and induces a kind of constant headache. I don't know what causes it or any way of getting rid of it. Painkillers don't really work. It just seems to come and then go. I suspect it's as a result of hormone changes but who knows. Anyway, I hate the days when it's present.

So, the sun is shining and I'm hoping to make the most of it this afternoon....Will be home in time to see how Andy Murray gets on in his semi against Berdych.