So how was your weekend?

October 26, 2009

So how was your weekend?

Continuing from last week, my left thigh and knee are very sore today.

Saturday I went to the soccer game and found that walking a 1/2 mile or so, generally, wasn’t a problem — as long as I kept a regular stride and speed, and stayed on mostly level sidewalks. (Which is much easier on a treadmill or at a modern shopping mall than in Seattle’s Pioneer Square!) I had an occasional twinge here and there, but overall I was fine.

Going up the 40 or so stairs to the 100 level (which are visible beyond the gate in the picture) was a mistake. My left knee was hurting by the time I got to the top. Fortunately that was almost all of the stairs on the way to my seat. Everyone around me was standing during the game, so I alternated standing with sitting. Afterward I took the elevator down. The 1/2 mile walk back to the car went okay.

Today I ran some errands. Walking: Pretty good, as long as I’m careful to take even strides. Standing: Not so good.

The ache and movement issues I’m seeing with my left knee and quads right now are very similar to what I’ve seen with my right leg. What does this tell me?

The exercises that helped me deal with this in my right leg (leg lifts, leg extensions, chair squats, walking) will probably help with my left.
Increasing my walking didn’t mean I was ready to drop my leg strength training exercises.
It’s also not a good idea to let my stretching / flexibility drop either.

Emotionally I’m all over the map; castigating myself for letting walking slide; for letting strength training slide; for doing this again. I’m also reminding myself that I have dealt with this before and can again. At the back of the brain is a reminder that I will continue to walk this particular functional edge of good and bad unless I make changes, and worry about my upcoming vacation. Oh, and chagrin that a month ago I was thinking about how I can walk so far pain-free and isn’t it great I don’t have those problems anymore?

Head, meet desk.

BTW: The man of the house sent me the picture in this post because I’m in it. :)

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my knee h8s me

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Living 400lbs

I blog about what it’s like to be live life at about 400lbs. :)

11 responses to “So how was your weekend?”

noceleryplease

October 26, 2009 at 8:55 am

Oh! Fun! Like “Where’s Waldo!”!

Reply
1. living400lbs
  
  October 27, 2009 at 4:37 pm
  
  If you want it to be, yes :)
  
  Reply
Jackie

October 26, 2009 at 10:35 am

Sorry to hear you are in pain!
Every body is different, but for me, when my knees get really sore it is because I’ve let my muscles get too tight and my muscles get more tight the more I exercise. (vicious circle). Most important for my knee are my IT band and my quads. I have a foam roller that I roll around on that really works those out and my knee pain disappears very quickly after. Of course, stretching one’s IT band can hurt like crazy! But, only for a short time. I’m not sure if that would help you, but it might be something to consider when all else isn’t working.

Reply
1. living400lbs
  
  October 26, 2009 at 11:20 am
  
  *googles*
  
  Hm, that does seem to describe the tightness and soreness I’m having today. Thanks :)
  
  Reply
Cassi

October 26, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Ouch, sorry you’re in pain.

If it’s any comfort even my orthopedic surgeon (I have arthritis compounded by a knee cap that tracks waaaaay too far to the inside of my joint and he has the exact same condition… oh and he weighs about 145 pounds) said he goes through the same cycle… he’s really good about his PT, gets stronger, walks pain free, then starts thinking he’s “cured” and pretty soon finds he’s on the couch for a week or two to recover from some sort of weekend warrior activity. Then the cycle begins again. First rest and NSAIDs, then PT, then “Hey, I’m all better!”, then around and around you go… We’re all human. It’s just the way it goes for humans.

I don’t know if you have arthritis complicating the issue, but if you do, chat up your doc about “viscosupplementation”. They put an synthetic joint fluid into the knee to help restore the cushioning. It’s done wonders for me. Sadly, some people get no relief, but it’s worth asking.

Reply
littlem

October 26, 2009 at 6:07 pm

Yah – the worst thing about the exercise thing, I think, is that we have to keep doing it. I so totally suck at the consistency part.

I don’ t know if it makes me feel better or worse that Cassi’s ortho guy does the same.

(Thanks for the viscosupplementation tip, Cassi. My bad meniscus and I are going to look into that. )

Reply
1. Cassi
  
  October 26, 2009 at 7:02 pm
  
  Wanna hear the funniest part? They use hyluronic acid… the same damn stuff that cosmetic surgeons inject into the folds near your nose (you know, the ones that make certain older ladies (whose name is most certainly NOT Cassi) look somewhat like basset hounds). Every time I go I ask the PA if he has any left over and wants to make an extra buck making me look 50 again… so far, no takers ;-)
  
  Reply
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Former software tester, now retired heart patient having fun and working on building endurance and strength. See also About page.

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