Help I Need Support!

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kathyszoo
kathyszoo Posts: 311 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm still fairly new to this site. At first, I was really motivated and all gung ho but with severe knee pain at the moment which is severely limiting my mobility, feeling down and doubting my ability to stick with it. On the plus side, I have increased my water intake.

I do see alot of success stories on here, which gives me hope!

Replies

  • Mary831331
    Mary831331 Posts: 54 Member
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    If you cannot exercise, just really watch what you eat, drinks lots of water, and you'll be fine. I'm having back and hip problems. I have bursitis in my hip, and back issues from walking funny after my foot surgery. Besides that, I'm doing good (lol). Even though I'm having issues, I'm still trying to walk at least 30 mins. a day. I just use ice on my injuries when I get home. Best of luck to you. Have you seen a doctor about your knee issues? I sure hope you get feeling better soon. This site is very motivating. A co-worker of mine has lost 44 lbs. on here since December, and she's looking awesome. You CAN do it!!!
  • jordanreddick
    jordanreddick Posts: 197 Member
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    Support is what this website is all about! Believe me, I know pain. I live with a nerve disease called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy in my left leg which affects my everyday life. Also 2 weeks ago I came off my horse when he tripped and went down and severely bruised my pelvis, but I didn't let that stop me. Going to the gym kept me limber and work through the pain rather than being stationary and allowing everything to lock up. I only took one day off and I am glad I made that decision. In the words of the military "pain is weakness leaving the body" It may hurt now at the moment, but sucess will always feel so much better than disappointment or regret for not giving your all. Hope this helps!
  • sbrainey30
    sbrainey30 Posts: 2
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    Just modify your activity to what you feel you can do. Anything is better than sitting on the couch! :) Last night I was just sitting on my couch feeling lazy and I finally just jumped up and said to my family, "Ok, I am going to do my Couch25K. Who is going with me and who is staying here to be a couch potato??" Each of my three kids and my husband all got up and got their shoes on...it feels good if you can get someone to go with you :) I hope your knees feel better REALLY soon.
  • callikia
    callikia Posts: 226 Member
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    There are a ton of exercises you can do with limited mobility. Search the internet for "chair exercises" and see what you can find that won't overstress your knee while it heals. When I started out I couldn't even walk a mile and had severely limited mobility. I bought a rehab hand cycle from Amazon for about 40 bucks and would sit in my recliner at home and do 15 minutes a day with my feet and another 5-10 with my arms. I eventually worked my way up. I also started walking as much as possible a couple times a week. Very slowly, and not very far. That was April 2010. In December 2011 I ran 5 miles without stopping. I workout 3-6 times a week and can walk a 5k like it's nothing. The progress may seem slow, but I promise you that it's worth it. Even my 10 year old remarked the other day "Man! You walk really fast!" as he was running to keep up with me in the grocery store. ;)
  • kathyszoo
    kathyszoo Posts: 311 Member
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    Callikia-I actually looked on amazon and you're right, there are a lot of chair exercise videos-thanks!

    I actually have severe osteoarthritis so my knees are not healing anytime soon but bought both Ease of Exercise with Arthritis and Tai Chi for Arthritis and have started slowly started doing them both.

    Thanks everyone for your support and motivation!
  • leslisa
    leslisa Posts: 1,350 Member
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    Good Morning,

    I'm a runner, but a 42 yo runner so I can only run a certain amount (no marathons or halves or whatever and I take glucosimine) and no exercises besides the running that puts any strain on my knees.

    Exercises @ approx 6 - 8 cals per minute if doing slowly:
    Abs:
    Reverse sit-ups (also slow and easy. Research shows that 3 sets of 12 - 20 of these makes a big diff in abs)
    Leg lifts (lay on back, bring legs up straight without bending knees 6 - 8" off floor, open legs, close legs, lower legs to floor)
    6" inch killers (lay on back, bring legs up straight from hip without bending knees 6" off floor, hold for however long you can, lower, repeat - these are awesome for lower abs =)
    Hanging knee lifts (slow and easy)
    Inner ab workout (expel all air from lungs, suck in your gut as far as you can - remember when you were a little kid and you did this for entertainment value? Anyway, hold for however long you can and expel. I think I started at a whopping 8 sec and now I'm up to 15)
    Cherry pickers (bring back and legs off the floor, tap hands from side to side)

    Non-impact cardio:
    Hoola hoop (34 cals in 5 mins - woohoo!!)
    Elliptical if you can. My son says this is the only thing that doesn't bother his knees. Lowest setting for incline, lowest setting for resistance, slow and easy gliding motion.

    No idea of cals:
    Tighten and release
    Tighten muscles. Hold for however long you can as tightly as you can (I started at 25 sec am up to 75 now), then release for 30 - 60 secs and repeat.

    When I'm really tightening I start shaking slightly just so you are aware it might happen. I do it at least 5 days a week (usually all 7), multiple times a day cause I can do it in the car, watching TV, sitting on beach, wherever I am. I don't know how many cals burned but research on it says it boosts metabolism.

    Muscle groups for me are calves, thighs, and *kitten*; abdomin (I just pull it in and hold - I do breath though it's not the same as above); kegeling (tightening those vaginal muscles that keep older women from loosing certain inner parts and having to have surgery); biceps and pecs.

    Hope something here helps you in some way!
  • peles_fire
    peles_fire Posts: 501
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    I know very little about exercise (and will no doubt be posting away in the future asking questions of those who do know). Sounds like you got some good advice there so I will defer on that point. I do, however, know a little something about support! So here goes: While it is good to try and work through pain and not let your body "lock up" as one previous poster put it, you should also listen to your body and ease up when/if it asks you to. It is one thing to push through, and another thing entirely to overdo it and set yourself back. Just make sure you know the difference and that you ask yourself honestly if it is your willpower that is asking for a break, or your body. Listen to that body! If it is the willpower, then you need to give it a swift kick in the bum! Someone on the board has a quote in their profile that says, "Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret." That really motivated me. I hate regret. I hate looking back and realizing that I could have made a different choice or had a different outcome if only I had had the chops to stick with it. If/when you get the urge to throw the towel in, just know that there are a ton of wonderful people on MFP who will cheer you on, give you a cyber hug and tell you: You can do it! Just hang in there and persevere!!
  • SeaChele77
    SeaChele77 Posts: 1,103 Member
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    I agree with many posters above - modify your eating habits and drink more water.

    And there are exercises you can do that will not hurt your knee (abs and arms). Move as much as your body will allow - walk when possible....a little more each day.

    Don't find an excuse not to do it, find reasons why you CAN do it!! Best of luck!!

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