Fitness journey

Just thought I'd update this. I've been doing a lot of walking lately and kicked off the new year with a new walking pad for my office.

I also had my first physical therapy appt for my shoulders. The PT was like damn, your muscles are tight. So, 6-8 weeks of treatment with 2-3 times a week. Then, I'm going to go back for my hips and my lower back.

All part of the process.

I am hoping to decrease a lot of stress I've had lately with things and I've also being going to the YMCA and sitting in their infrared sauna.

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Had a set back yesterday. I was at my friend's shop and we were installing a bed step on the RHO. I was on the creeper shooting upwards. When I got up, I used my right arm and man does it hurt today. I could see the loss of range at PT today and they dry needled my shoulder pretty well. I'm hoping to get the truck news recap out today and will see how it goes. I'm hitting the recliner and going to relax for a while.
 
Damn PT. There's going to be ups and downs and today is definitely a down day. And now I'm doing the Ramcharger interview. Just pisses me off. Sorry I needed to vent.

They have it narrowed down to my lat muscle causing the problems. She did more cupping today. I'm taking it easy as best I can after this interview. Nothing they can really do about the lat except for keep following the process and getting it to relax while getting other muscles to engage.
 
They dry needled my mid to lower back today. The needles hurt just inserting them into the muscles. All those muscles are super tight. Holy hell that hurt. I barely held on for all 10 minutes.

After the cupping on Wednesday and now the dry needling, my back feels like its been tortured.

I’m in the recliner today. Not truck news recap. I just can’t do it.
 
I hope you are feeling better Tim. Hopefully, they can give you some relief from your pain.
The fitness journey is an ever evolving struggle. You have to find a balance and approach that fits your personality and lifestyle.
You mentioned way back that you are cooking now. Me too.
My wife and I went on a health kick after retiring in 2019. I lost 50 lbs and she did better than I did. She is more disciplined.
For us the only thing that worked was to use an App that counts the calories for us. it’s annoying but it does give you a look at where your protein, fat and fiber are.
It’s always a struggle for me I gained like 15 lbs back and it’s a long road back down. Took me over a year to lose the 50 lbs.
on the cooking side I buy a lot of oats and grind it to make flour. I make my own protein muffins and oat squares for healthy snacks. I only recently started looking at my fat intake and it’s too low most days now so I have to raise it.
Walking is a great exercise… with your back issues make sure your walking has good form and posture. I have an L1 vertebrae injury which can give me spasms and hip pain so I know some of where you are at. Sometimes on a walk my neck will stiffen up into my shoulder (Traps?).
Recently because it’s winter time I try to get some kind of exercise like the treadmill or something other training each day. Works most days…lol
Fight the good fight Tim.

Btw, my back problem happened like almost 20 years ago but didn’t start really bothering me until 4years ago. Physiotherapist gave me some good exercises to do and I’ve found some more to slowly strengthen all the muscles around my back. Apparently, some small muscle groups were not firing anymore (thank you desk job).
 
update: finished 7 weeks of physical therapy during which they loosened up a lot of my back.

Now I’m transitioning to stretching at home and I had my first massage today. Holy cow! She found pain spots I had no idea existed! It was an hour- long massage and now I feel a bit dizzy. 😂 I go back next week.

I’m riding my spin bike again and did my first 30 minute ride on Sunday mostly pain free. I can’t recall the last time that happened.

Played a little golf here and there too. Hitting the ball a lot better and I can rotate in ways I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to do before.

Weather is starting to turn nicer. It should hit 84 on Thursday and 79 on Friday. I’m going to play both days and see how it goes.

Baby steps right now.
 
testerdahl said:
update: finished 7 weeks of physical therapy during which they loosened up a lot of my back.

Now I’m transitioning to stretching at home and I had my first massage today. Holy cow! She found pain spots I had no idea existed! It was an hour- long massage and now I feel a bit dizzy. 😂 I go back next week.

I’m riding my spin bike again and did my first 30 minute ride on Sunday mostly pain free. I can’t recall the last time that happened.

Played a little golf here and there too. Hitting the ball a lot better and I can rotate in ways I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to do before.

Weather is starting to turn nicer. It should hit 84 on Thursday and 79 on Friday. I’m going to play both days and see how it goes.

Baby steps right now.
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That’s great Tim… hang in there.
 
Well poop. My third time to the massage lady and she said I'm getting worse, not better. So no bike riding, limit my golf, chill out on walking and ice my hips, my back a few times a day. Also put heat on my neck a few times a day. Basically, do everything the complete opposite of what I want to do. Depressing news to say the least.

It definitely hurt today getting a massage.
 
I feel ya, I've been in a boot for the last week with a couple of months to go. Never had any feet issues but my foot started hurting right before my last business trip. I did all the travel on it and inspected several locations and put record steps each day.

That led to waking up in the hotel one night with my foot feeling like someone was trying to saw it off. Still had to walk through the airport and somehow get to my truck.

It's been a brutal couple weeks.
 
testerdahl said:
Well poop. My third time to the massage lady and she said I'm getting worse, not better. So no bike riding, limit my golf, chill out on walking and ice my hips, my back a few times a day. Also put heat on my neck a few times a day. Basically, do everything the complete opposite of what I want to do. Depressing news to say the least.

It definitely hurt today getting a massage.
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I’m sorry to hear that Tim. Hang in there. Hopefully you can get some relief going forward with the massage therapist. I know my physiotherapists for my knee then my back were really great.
I must be having some sympathy pain for you.. my knee locked up 2 days ago first time in almost a year. Took about 5 minutes to release it. Now a nice burning sensation for a couple days (lax ACL in that knee).
Anyway, hang in there. A lot of people are trying to eliminate inflammatory foods from their diet. But, it’s not easy.
Do they have you taking an anti-inflammatory?
 
James-kd2cm said:
I’m sorry to hear that Tim. Hang in there. Hopefully you can get some relief going forward with the massage therapist. I know my physiotherapists for my knee then my back were really great.
I must be having some sympathy pain for you.. my knee locked up 2 days ago first time in almost a year. Took about 5 minutes to release it. Now a nice burning sensation for a couple days (lax ACL in that knee).
Anyway, hang in there. A lot of people are trying to eliminate inflammatory foods from their diet. But, it’s not easy.
Do they have you taking an anti-inflammatory?
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I took some gabapentin a few years ago. I still have an open prescription if I want to get some more. It helps with nerve pain. This is muscle related, so I’m not sure it would help.
 
testerdahl said:
I took some gabapentin a few years ago. I still have an open prescription if I want to get some more. It helps with nerve pain. This is muscle related, so I’m not sure it would help.
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That sounds pretty heavy duty… I was just thinking of over the counter Ibuprofen or something similar. Depends on your symptoms. For my back the Robax (ibuprofen + muscle relaxant) would slowly help. For my knee when it gets too inflamed just an ibuprofen.
Just a thought… may need to talk to the doctor first. I keep the dosages low but sometimes these can help calm things down when the inflammation gets going.
 
James-kd2cm said:
That sounds pretty heavy duty… I was just thinking of over the counter Ibuprofen or something similar. Depends on your symptoms. For my back the Robax (ibuprofen + muscle relaxant) would slowly help. For my knee when it gets too inflamed just an ibuprofen.
Just a thought… may need to talk to the doctor first. I keep the dosages low but sometimes these can help calm things down when the inflammation gets going.
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Oh I’ve gone through so many bottles of ibuprofen over the years, I should buy stock. Honestly, that’s why I drink whiskey at night. It helps the best. Sucks it puts the weight on, but I don’t worry about stomach ulcers from all the ibuprofen.

I’ve also been to Colorado and tried some of their “medicine” if you know what I mean. I don’t like that so much. Desperate times, desperate measures and all.
 
testerdahl said:
Oh I’ve gone through so many bottles of ibuprofen over the years, I should buy stock. Honestly, that’s why I drink whiskey at night. It helps the best. Sucks it puts the weight on, but I don’t worry about stomach ulcers from all the ibuprofen.

I’ve also been to Colorado and tried some of their “medicine” if you know what I mean. I don’t like that so much. Desperate times, desperate measures and all.
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lol, I hear that… We all cope as we can. At 61, old injuries start to creep up… the compressed L1 in my back from a fall 20 years ago and the temperamental knee problems for the last 40 years. I’m thankful for my mobility. My approach is to keep an open mind and to do as many different kinds of exercise I can tolerate (and have time for). Motion is lotion as they say.
Try not to get discouraged.
I’ve always looked for slight improvements whether through physio, exercise, stretching or medication.
I’ve been looking at nutrition as well. My wife and I have lowered as much of the quick carbs and unhealthy fats we can (no fun I know).
I constantly re-design my workouts to work on areas that will loosen up or strengthen areas that may help. An ongoing process.
Keep the faith man.
 
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