Exercise/strength/mo bility

Jay 586, very glad I ve found you. I cycle a bit to the allotment but my fitness levels have really dropped recently. My knees get painful sometimes. I haven't found an ideal swimming pool yet and I am lazy about everything. . Where shall I start?

Re sciatica. I always thought sciatica was a sort of dull ache but was in a lot of pain for weeks . I think it's best to try to take the minimum of pain relief and gently potter around to rest but to keep mobility. I did find acupuncture helped , found an osteopath who used it. Does take about 6 to 8 weeks for the nerve to heal. Also found that a couple of doses of diazepam at night really helped me sleep.GP was prepared to give me 5 tablets. Am fine now although that leg is a bit week. Also push GP for an mri and think about a micro discectomy.

Hi Jay586, you've given some sound advice on here and I wonder if you can give me your thoughts on this. On Tuesday evening, for no reason that I could think of, I had six or seven very short bursts of severe pain within a couple of hours, like a sharp electric shock, in my right outside ankle bone. I am generally fit and healthy, but did give up running three years ago when I developed awful sciatica radiating from my lower back to my knee. Since then I've just walked a lot instead and had no problems, but I'm wondering if this could be a form of sciatica? The only other thing I could think of is that I had a fall about 6 weeks ago tripping over a raised metal cover in the pavement. I did crash into the thing with my right foot, but haven't had any pain at all there. A trapped nerve perhaps? I've just got back to doing yogalates at home this week (I broke a bone in my hand when I fell) and have had no other symptoms. Obviously if this happens again, I'll be off to the GP, but have you any advice please?

Fascinating thread. I run, cycle, plus off road mountain bikingand work out and exercise very hard? Sciatica comes and goes. This thread has however prompted me to sign up for a beginners Pilates class with a highly respected teacher. Thanks everyone for the postings.

Where did that question mark come from . Huh.

Having got Dupuytrans in my hand and the beginnings of Ledderhose in my foot I'm worried about what to do exercise wise moving forward [it seems it could make me prone to frozen shoulder as well [gulp]]. I've been advised to checkout Hanna Somatics, something I'd never heard of. Wonder if it's similar to T'ai chi?

Thing about Pilates is keeping body position, so a good instructor is key. With videos, it's easy to think you're copying the exercise but if you video yourself, it would look really different.

Sharp pains tend to indicate an acute injury. I would go get an x-ray, try your local minor injuries unit, if there is one. Otherwise, I think if you have a good local physio, it might be worth an MOT. So easy to get adaptations from falling, it knocks you about.

As ever with interweb "advice", priceed with caution. This link might help with knees... Adapt the exercises to where yiu are currently & if it feels tught ok, shooting or sharp pain, its time for a physio!

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://orthoinfo.org/PDFs/Rehab_Knee_6.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwiJto_V4eHOAhXGCMAKHavYDTAQFggbMAA&usg=AFQjCNFTO6MRgw2UZkjIIQ0g6TVsNoQ0Ug&sig2=6FttaDK-DWcVoLwtaMC6Xg

That'll teach me not to preview a post...

Loopy, what do you fancy doing?

Think something for strength, so the post above might help, a bit of walking, swimming is good, agree about finding a nice pool...then something you enjoy? Dancing, gardening, gym, a class?

Not heard if the Hanna Somatics, sorry.

Bella, I think exercise with an injury has to be very personal. I don't jog, for instance. So if walking is hard, do it in short bouts and defo in the swimming pool. Problem with not walking is that the calves pump the excess liquid back up the body, hence it's easy to retain water if you don't walk & you lose muscle tone.

I do wear neoprene knee sleeves when I exercise as I have a condition called a medial plica in my knee. Good for warming the joints.

One thought on walking, have a look at Chi Walking. It's a technique that is supposed to help with impact when walking.

Other thought is if your calves are really tight, try rolling them, should reduce tension on the knee. Also investigate ankle mobility... knees are slaves to the hips & ankles.

Folks, if any of you are suffering osteoporosis, Google Griffith Uni, powerlifting, osteoporosis. They've been doing some interesting work.

On another note, I saw the thread on "best" exercise. It's a bit like the "best diet", variety! Don't just eat carrots....even tho they are " good for you". Eat the rainbow & exercise is the same, some walking, swimming, running if it suits, some strength (bodyweight is fine, more than most people lift in a gym) & some mobility (#5minuteflow).

I tried some ankle exercises Jay586. Thanks for the tip. Do keep coming in, won't you.

Just going to look up Chi Walking

I went on a Chi Running course several years ago but apply it to my walking, helps, I think.

I've printed off the AAOS link given a few posts back and find it useful. I've done one lot of all the exercises and will try hard to keep myself motivated. I'm not good st thst but if it helps to postpone the inevitable surgery it'll be worth it

Even if you have the surgery, having stronger muscles will help. My mum got too debilitated before her knees were done & it's taken years to get a bit stronger. She had physio before her shoulder was done & it's almost as good as new now. Hang in there!

Thanks for the motivation!

No problem.

Spent all day yesterday discussing strategies for moving & gut health. (-:

Anyone looking for exercise ideas, Google Eldergym. Hate the name but it looks an interesting site.

Another one is Exercise for Older people - NHS Choices. It looks basic but could be useful for anyone with restricted mobility, or who doesn't usually exercise. It has exercise groups for balance, strength, flexibility etc. I'm going to try it on my husband! He will certainly protest.!

Ha, ha, its taken me 3 years but my husband is now saying he'll do some of the exercises.

Just get him to do a couple, let him get into it slowly. (-:

How are we doing this week?

I've signed up for some online PT, as coaching really does make a difference to achieving what you want & it's so easy to drift.

Jay 586 have you any ideas what people with heart problems e.g. artrial fibrillation, can do . breathing exercises ?

I decided to give my bike away and then just couldn't do it. it upset me but don't know if it is safe to ride it. I don't do tours just to the shops and the postbox.
I have an ergometer but am not allowed to do anything too strenuous and always only 12 -15 minutes.