Archive for the ‘Reflections’ Category
Update on Broken Toe – Day 3 April 1, 2016
Posted by admin in Reflections on April 1st, 2016
So, this is no April Fool’s joke – still have the broken toe on my right foot. 
It has stopped swelling (thank goodness!) and hurts significantly less today. I am still doing my daily activities and routines, but walking is harder, especially due to the corn on my left foot, which I really scrubbed yesterday. So, my gait is a little hobbled.
I am also avoiding sandals and trying to keep the toe protected inside a shoe as I can be a bit of a clutz (betcha didn’t guess that!).
As far as the corn goes, I am not going to put up a picture as I have it bandaged today (forgot to photo before getting the bandage on) and ready for adventure. It is really sore, and I will most likely use the pumice stone again in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the corn. I will be very glad when I do finally get relief from it.
Happy Friday and keep on truckin’!
12/28/11 – Am I Treating the Symptoms or the Problem? TMJ Related?
Posted by admin in Reflections on December 28th, 2011
I felt it. I knew it would happen, and it did. I am now all about the workouts! I don’t know what it is about me, but I have a very difficult time doing something until I feel like it is right. Well, folks, the time is right.
I have been to the gym more times in December than October and November combined, and I hope to continue this trend through the whole of next year.
Once again, I am rehab-ing my knee – myself this time. It was not getting better with just the strengthening of the multifidi or hip muscles. So, I have brought out the tiger tail, specific area massage with my own hands, icing and the foam roller. It is responding well, but I have to stay on top of it.
Due to the relapse in the right knee as well as the right shoulder, my thoughts this week have been largely wondering around the question of “Am I treating symptoms or the problems?” The shoulder is less of an injury than the knee, but still, why do they keep walking the line of injury? Does this mean that there is another underlying problem that I really need to look into? Am I just treating symptoms?
I am also wondering about my TMJ. Is TMJ the actual problem to almost everything else?
I have been working on relaxing my jaw at all times in combination with making sure my shoulders are pulled down and back (which has gotten easier with the strength building!). The only time I cannot for sure control the jaw clenching is during my sleep. For sleep, I was wearing a night guard, but I lost it about two months ago. I decided to try it without the guard by relaxing before sleep and reminding myself not to clench or grind when I sleep. I think some of it has been getting through as I am feeling more relaxed in my neck and shoulders, but I have a LONG way to go as more relaxed is all relative. My neck and shoulder muscles still feel like rocks, just more like sandstone rather than granite.
Over the last month, I have also been incorporating a line from a short play I saw years ago, the name of which is lost in time. The line is, “Just stop it!” In the play a psychologist tells her patient to “Just stop it!” whenever the patient brings up the crazy actions in her life. I couldn’t help but think that was so brilliant at the time, and then just last week I was talking to my massage therapist who was telling me about a man who got a massage as a gift. When he showed up, he didn’t have any knots. How is this possible? No knots, not even in his shoulders? What’s his secret? Then, the line from the play popped in my head, “Just stop having knots!” Really brain? Wait. Is it possible to just stop having knots by sheer force of will?
As a side note, my husband also has zero knots. None. Zip. Nadda. No knots. Not ever. He also has a stressful job, and works out a lot. No knots. I’ve asked him about it. Of course he has no idea. I do know that he does not ever clench his jaw. Never. How is this possible? Why do I clench and he does not?
Then, I started thinking about my TMJ. I clench and grind, and I have tight shoulder and neck muscles with tons of knots. Could this be the problem that causes my symptoms?
According to emedicine health (http://www.emedicinehealth.com/temporomandibular_joint_tmj_syndrome/page2_em.htm), TMJ can be caused by clenching of the jaw and grinding of the teeth, or bruxism (check and check). People who clench might also chew pencils, gum or other objects when not eating. The chewing reinforces the clenching at all times, and can cause TMJ because the jaw muscles are not getting a chance to relax between meals like they are supposed to. Bruxism on the other hand is grinding of teeth, which largely happens at night when someone’s bite is off; when he/she is missing a tooth; or if someone has a lot of stress or anxiety.
Now, I find this reinforcing to me as I used to be a chronic gum chewer. I would not be found dead without gum on my person and in my mouth, unless food was in my mouth. I quit chewing gum over a year ago because of the other effects chewing gum has on your esophagus and digestive tract in general (Chewing gum signals the start of the digestive process by causing the mouth to produce saliva. Then, the stomach responds by producing acid that would be necessary if food were to hit it. However, with gum, there is no food that ever hits the stomach, and then the extra acid is just sitting around causing trouble.). To find that not chewing gum also helps reduce the clenching is phenomenal! Two benefits in one!
Ok. The treatment for bruxism? Medicine Net (http://www.medicinenet.com/teeth_grinding_bruxism/article.htm) says that for teeth grinding do one or more of the following:
– Mouth guard
– Stress reduction (either by counseling or medication)
– Reduce or avoid caffeine and alcohol
– Train yourself to not clench or grind (“JUST STOP IT!”)
Well, there it is! Just stop grinding your teeth, silly. Why didn’t I think of this before?
What it turns out to be with feet (sans orthotics for nearly two whole years!) and jaws is that you have to do all the work. Sure a mouth guard will help, but what about when you lose it or forget it on a long trip? The real solution is to do the leg work yourself. Figure out how to train yourself to stop. Then, “JUST STOP IT!”
Now for my continuing experiment to meet my goal of not needing any external structures to live my life to its fullest, I will continue to work toward relaxing my jaw at all waking hours. During workouts, I press my tongue against the top of my mouth, which does two things: 1. stops me from clenching my jaws 2. activates the multifidous muscles next to the c1-4 vertebrae, which need to work some anyway. So far so good 🙂
12/11/11 – Updates and Procrastination….
Posted by admin in Reflections, Try This! on December 11th, 2011
When I left off, I was working on the 5K. However, as I reflect on my performance in Oct and Nov of the past two years, I find that life has a way of really getting in the way during these two months. I am now recovered from a very busy and emotionally draining Oct., and November’s celebrations and holiday are done, too 🙂
Now, back to work. I realized that I have yet to get my running videos from Travis. I took him a thumb drive that was too small (I think it is about 10 years old – do any files equal less than 128MB anymore?), and that was the last time I tried to get the videos. Since I have reminded myself, I will focus on getting the videos from him this week or next week when my winter break from work starts (Hooray!).
With the videos I will begin a new regimen of running. The running is very difficult in VFFs in the winter due to the cold and wet conditions combined with the Raynaud’s Phenomenon, which causes my fingers and toes to go numb with the slightest chill. I find that running on wet pavement in the winter causes my toes to go numb really quickly, which leaves my feet feeling like big blocks of wood that are propelling me along. I will say that when I ran a 5K (more like walk/jog) on Thanksgiving day, my feet were numb within 1/4 mile, but at mile 2, the feeling began to return to my toes as my body heat increased. It was a very pleasant finding that I have been unable to compel myself to replicate :-/
I am continuing to work with Melissa, and we have had to scale back my workouts due to my lack of motivation (read: I do not go to the gym unless she is with me). I am also in the process of changing to a gym that has a TRX device. My first TRX workout was last week, and it was such an amazing change of pace. I will write more on the device later. To balance out the TRX workout with my regular workout (the only way to workout lower body large muscle groups is squats and lunges on the TRX, and my right knee is currently rebelling against those two moves), I am doing a regular non-TRX workout this week. I did go to the gym one time between my workouts with Melissa last week due to my interest in the “new” TRX workout. Yes, it was rather like a kid with a new toy. My new plan is to workout once between training sessions with Melissa followed by a yoga class the next day to help increase flexibility. If I can get back into the workout habit, then Melissa can up my routine, and I can start rebuilding strength. Yay!
Motivation is slowly coming back. The biggest factor is that I just turned 35, and my thighs look more like 35 year old thighs than 25 year old thighs, which is not how I want my thighs to look. I mean Cher looked awesome at 65, but I think I read somewhere that she spent 3 hours in the gym each day. I guess there’s something to look forward to. At least I won’t be bored in retirement, and I could wear a thong leotard and dance on a Navy ship with all of the sailors. Now, that’s a good retirement plan…..
5/15/11 – Sans Orthotics
Posted by admin in Reflections on May 15th, 2011
Yes, I have been without my prescription orthotics for FIVE DAYS! Let me explain how this wondrous milestone came to fruition:
Over the past few months, I have been increasing my time in my Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢ very slowly each week. I tried to remember to wear them daily, but sometimes I would forget. I also started trying to run in the 5 Fingersâ„¢ for approximately 10 minutes on the treadmill. I struggled with not aggravating that posterior tibial tendon on my left arch. I struggled with my right knee.
However, last weekend I decided to dig out my Newtonsâ„¢ that I had purchased last September. The Newtonâ„¢ is a running shoe that is designed to train you to run on your toes. I figured it would probably be a good transition shoe to running in the barefoot shoes because the Newtonsâ„¢ have regular running shoe structure. I was in a hurry, and I did not have enough time to put my prescription orthotics in the Newtonsâ„¢. I thought it would be a great experiment, if nothing else.
Away I went with a goal of one mile. I ran approximately .6 miles and walked intermittently. I felt great, but with all those endorphins from the run, it is truly hard to judge just how good my feet and tendons felt.
I woke up the next day to sore hamstrings (good, tired sore from working so hard) and happy feet! Wow! I couldn’t believe it! I ran some distance without my prescription orthotics and I could still walk! AWESOME!
So, on Tuesday, I decided to try the run again sans orthotics. This time I went for 1.5 miles. I ran for .4 miles, then walked .25 miles, then ran .25 miles, then walked and ran the rest of the distance in short bursts.
Now, here’s the weird part. My right arch was really wanting to cramp up on me in a way that reminds me of how plantar fasciitis is described. I had my Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢ with me as well as a pair of shoes with my orthotics in them (yes, I am a veritable walking shoe closet – I have a large backpack). I put on the orthotics thinking that was what my feet really needed was a break from doing any work, but, you know what? The shoes with orthotics made it worse. Much worse, in fact.
So, I quickly, mostly out of curiosity, put on the Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢.
After several steps, relief. My feet were so happy to be able to spread my toes and arch. It was like the Twilight Zone. I literally was walking on cloud 9. My feet preferred carrying their own weight to having the help of the prescription orthotics. Truly amazing!
So, since Wednesday, May 11, 2011, I have been ORTHOTICS FREE! I have worn my regular shoes (Keensâ„¢ for those who are curious) with their original inserts on the walks to work, and I switch to my Vibramsâ„¢ at work. If I’m feeling saucy, and it is not raining outside, I walk home in the V5Fs.
Yesterday, I decided to push the envelope and really challenge my feet – OK, I was actually just doing an experiment to see just how much my feet could take. At the beginning of the day, I put on the Newtonâ„¢ running shoes and ran .6 miles to the gym sans orthotics and did my workout, too. After that, my husband and I had a big day of walking planned, and I really wanted to wear my V5Fs all day. So, I did. I walked 1 mile to our first destination, which was a chocolate festival. Said chocolate festival equalled 3 hours of walking around vendors. Then, we walked about .5 miles to another festival where we walked for another hour around vendor tables. Our third stop was an art gallery, and finally .5 miles back home.
The result: My feet were tired, but fine. I woke up today with store hamstrings and really super happy feet!
Can it be true? Is it real? Am I actually free of the oppressive orthotics? Will I be able to simply purchase shoes and wear the original inserts home?
I cannot believe this day has arrived. I may have to wear the orthotics again for short periods of time as my feet continue to adjust, but to have gone for 5 days with no pain already. It is like I have real feet just like everyone else.
Now, it is onto training for a 5K or maybe, if all goes well in the next month, a 10K in September!!! 🙂
2/18 to 2/26/11 – AWESOME Ski Trip!
Posted by admin in Reflections on March 2nd, 2011
Needless to say, I was excited and anxious about the ski trip. We were going to a mountain where if you weren’t skiing there was simply nothing else to do. What if I couldn’t ski due to the knee bothering me??? OMG – I’d be stuck inside with NOTHING to do for an entire week!!! AHHHH!!!
Yes, overkill, but still kinda worrisome.
Anyway, the first two days were tolerable with the tape. It made a huge difference in the right patella tracking.
I also arrived at the mountain with my foam roller, which I cannot recommend enough. My morning ritual consisted of foam rolling all the major muscle groups focusing on IT Band and lats (to help keep the shoulder happy) and physical therapy exercises. I must admit that several mornings, I only did one or two reps of the PT exercises before giving out. I digress…
On Monday of the trip, my husband and I had a full day lesson with a ski instructor, who not only taught me the correct way to ski with some visual cues that will certainly stick (dorsi flexion and make your femur point at your toes – that man is a genius), but he also showed us the other side of the mountain, which was amazing!!! I skied for 7 hours straight and my knee didn’t even twinge! It’s amazing what skiing with proper form will do for your knee. 😉
The next day it dumped 11 inches of snow and continued to snow the following day. Needless to say, after two days in fairly deep powder, I took a day off. OMG – BORING!!!
The following day, Friday, I skiied at about 70% b/c my muscles were so tired, and that’s when we decided to go home one day early due to a rather well earned fatigue.
Overall, an excellent trip, and one that fueled the fire of fitness, yet again. Nothing like getting passed on the slopes by a rather fit retiree!!! or 10!
1/17/11 – Do you have healthy feet?
Posted by admin in Reflections on January 17th, 2011
In this capitalistic society we live in, most folks are out to make a buck using the internet. Duh! So, when I did a search for “healthy feet”, I was hoping to get some information concerning what healthy feet look like or how to maintain them. What I found were several blogs from internet shoe stores expounding upon what types of shoes to get for the new year exercise regimen and several other podiatrist sites as well as one site for senior citizens giving them very good and sound advice on how to care for the aging foot.I also found this awesome comic from “Cathy” on women’s shoes which is just awesome!
Cathy © 2009 Cathy Guisewite. Used by permission of Universal Press Syndicate. All rights reserved.
Original found here: http://www.foothealthfacts.org/content.aspx?id=1141
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been shoes shopping and had these thoughts running through my head as I look for a pair of shoes to go with the perfect summer dress. Alas, my summer dress always ends up with kinda frumpy shoes because I like my feet.
Hmm. Does anyone actually look at their feet? I mean really look at them. Since beginning this journey, I have started looking at my husband’s feet, really looking, and you know what? They are astounding. He has really strong, sturdy ankles with those fat blue veins running along the tops of the feet. His toes are all tough looking – you know, they’ve got the look of a foot that is tested and used regularly. I’m not judging a prettiest feet contest, I’m looking  for indicators of what I perceive as a strong foot: more visible veins, toes that are more spread apart and strong ankles.
I look at my friend’s feet. Most of the female feet are soft and feminine with few having visible veins or toes that spread out when they walk, which makes a lot of sense if you consider the types of shoes most women wear – higher heel with small toe boxes that press the toes together.
On the other hand, most of the male feet are hairy (couldn’t resist), but they also are more likely to have bigger toes that are spread out more as well as the big, blue veins on top. When you consider the typical male shoe, lower heel with large spacious toe box (unless you have a stylish guy who gets the narrow pointy shoes – I don’t know very many of those guys), the fact that they have more spread out toes makes a lot of sense. Also of note, a lot of my male friends wear tennis shoes (sneakers, running shoes, athletic shoes – whatever you like to call them) all of the time.
I also must observe here that my friends tend to walk more than most because of our pedestrian friendly location, which would add to the opportunities for the feet to get a workout. I now wonder, what do the feet of my friends and family who live across the country in more driving-is-a-must locations look like? Do they have visible veins and strong ankles? Or are their feet more on the smooth and pinched side?
I have come to really appreciate the new “healthy” look of my feet. My toes are spreading out; my veins are getting bigger and a I’m developing a few more of them; and my feet are actually getting more compact due to the arch holding up rather than splaying outward. I actually want to look like a walk barefoot all the time. I think those feet are beautiful and healthy.
On my search for healthy feet, I did locate one article that has “10 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Feet”. It’s good, and it’s from Southern CA, UCLA. So, a few things do not apply for everywhere, but most of the tips are excellent general rules of thumb. It is here: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67876.php
My two favorite tips are :
Cut toenails straight across to avoid ingrown toe nails.
Alternate your shoes everyday because your feet sweat and your shoes need a day to dry out.
My least favorite:
Avoid walking barefoot – I think they are mostly talking about the chances of stepping on something that will give you a disease or stepping on glass or other sharp object that will give you a serious cut. To remedy this, I recommend the Vibram 5 Fingersâ„¢, but I think I’ve said enough on those already 🙂
Anyway, take a look at your feet – are they “heathy feet”?
1/12/11 – New Year and Almost One Whole Year!
Posted by admin in Reflections on January 12th, 2011
I’m BAAAAACK!!!
Yes, I found a big rock and hid for the fall, but now it’s time to get back down to work since the one year anniversary of my adventure to become a barefoot runner started. I still have the Village – Dr. Larry – Chiropractor, Lynda – Massage Therapist, and Melissa – Personal Trainer. I really do believe that I have the best people keeping me functioning in a healthy way, and Dr. Larry keeps saying he’s really impressed with Melissa, which is a big vote of confidence for a Chiropractor to respect a Personal Trainer! Apparently, some Personal Trainers have been known to have their clients do exercises that are very hard and not good for your back, but NOT Melissa! She’s awesome! and good for your back 🙂
Here’s what’s up: the feet are growing some really nice veins. In case you have never looked at a pair of really healthy feet, they have some excellent thick, blue veins running along the arches and the outside of the foot. I had never really considered veins as beautiful, until I started getting a nice popping set of my own! They are fantastic! Plus, they indicate active feet in need of more blood. It just doesn’t get much better….
Except when you consider that I have progressed in my workouts to the point where I can squat 75 lbs! Yes, 75 lbs!!! It is quite an accomplishment, if I do say so myself.
My shoulder continues to get better, and then flair up with regularity. This is something that I find quite disappointing.
Important TRUTH:
When you injure a major joint, the real healing of your wound will most likely take MONTHS!!! Think 6 months or more. Be careful with your body during times of healing and above all be patient.
These are points that I try to make to myself each day that my shoulder flairs up again because I did too many shoulder protraction/retraction moves. I give it a few days of rest and ice, then try again once it feels normal.
I’m going to begin a new running routine this weekend or tomorrow, whichever day I get out and start. It’s cold and rainy. Running in the rain when it is cold is just plain nasty. So, I’ll start when I start.
I’m aiming for running the 5k at Whidbey Island in April. That gives me plenty of time to get the body going in that direction. Also, it’s good to have a goal – especially a race where the energy is high, and you get a medal at the end 😉
Here’s to being spry at 70! Yeehaw!
8/29/10 – Traveling is difficult to stick to workout schedule :-/
Posted by admin in Reflections on August 29th, 2010
So, once again, I am not in Seattle, and, thus, not at my usual workout places with my usual workout schedule. It is very difficult to do prescribed workouts when not at home with your normal equipment. I am currently in Colorado with almost all of my equipment. I am only missing the normal amount of time it takes to workout. This weekend has been a very strange amalgamation of timing with late nights and early mornings. Plus, the gym here in the smalltown where I am staying is kinda lacking in some PT equipment. Although, I did find a foam roller in a room off one of the workout rooms.
I am really struggling with getting to the gym in a regular and timely manner due to the rather strange schedule – or rather – lack of a schedule here in CO. Oh well, I’ll be back to the swing of things in two days. Then school starts and all will be well…..
7/26/10 – OUCH!!!
Posted by admin in Reflections on July 26th, 2010
The stride-outs huuuurt! That means they are AWESOME 🙂
For posterity, I am going to detail what’s going on.
Yesterday, my feet, specifically, my left posterior tibial tendon all the way up my calf and my right posterior tibial tendon – not in the foot, but up the calf. Despite this, I insanely agreed to go on a three mile walk through a park. OMG.
We went down to a beach to look at a lighthouse. It was maybe 1/2 mile of downhill and steps. That motion is, I think, part of the eccentric move of my posterior tibial tendon. For those who don’t know, eccentric in this case is the lowering of the foot, toe to heel. When working the muscles that way you can get twice the strength. Conversely, when walking downhill that way, you can get twice the pain.
When we got to the beach, I was in so much pain that I really would have liked a winged monkey to come and carry me back to the parking lot. However, we were half way through the hike, and you can’t quit there – you have to hike out. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!
Needless to say, I was hobbling by the end of the night. When you sit down and rest, those angry muscles just get tight and truly testy.
My wonderful husband gave me a massage that revealed some knarly knots in my calf muscles as well as along the posterior tibial tendon in the left foot. The right foot and leg mostly had the knots in the calf muscle itself. The bottoms of both feet hurt with the left being much higher. I’d say this was a 7.5 out of 10.
Today, I woke up feeling slightly less tight, but still OMG sore. I hobbled around the apartment until time to go, and my absolutely, overwhelmingly awesome husband drove me to work because I don’t think I could have walked there.
I had this delusion that I’d be able to go to the gym and do my workout today, but that was so not in the cards. I am still hobbling.
Due to the run and consequent pain following, I have not done my personal training workout, and I’m supposed to meet Melissa again on Wednesday. I’m thinking I need to rest again tomorrow, but I am really feeling the need to move. Perhaps a swim?
However, this ouch is clearly a sore muscle ouch, not an inflamed ouch. It is getting better much quicker, and I am looking forward to continuing everything by next weekend at the latest.
Perhaps 2 stride-outs next time, rather than 6….
It IS Sciatica – Again.
Posted by admin in Reflections on July 23rd, 2010
Today was a lovely example of my sciatica at work. All day my left hamstring felt like it had a current of electricity running through it. I guess it really is back to the PT anti-sciatica exercises for me :-/
At least I know what it is, I guess.