August 17, 2006 X-ray update

Treat the patient, not the X-ray

I heard that phrase from one of my earlier orthopedists. If you look at my x-ray (below), there seems to be much cause for alarm. If you talk with the patient, that's me, things seem much different. Which is right remains to be seen.

I started jogging after the last x-ray in January. I started at 15 seconds and added 15 each time. At about one minute it was really bothering me. I spoke with a local guru and he suggested starting at 5 seconds and doing 6 reps. Then each time I could add 5 seconds. This worked okay until, feeling quite good, I overdid a workout at the 6 x 30 second point. I had been doing my jogging attempts on 3 days rest. This time I came in after two days rest, feeling frisky, as I noted, to see how the leg would handle it. I did about 15 seconds and limped off the track in much agony. I waited three days and came back to try it again. I still could not do it. Something had gone quite wrong.

At this point I had to take a 3 week road trip. I did very little exercise during the trip. My muscles atrophied considerably. When I came back I decided to start over, but more cuatiously. This time I stayed at each level for three workouts. I also kept the three days rest between workouts. This started in early April.

By June I had reached 6 x 20 second intervals. This is jogging on a treadmill with a well padded belt. I was also doing an assortment of 12-15 minute workouts on an elliptical trainer as well. Please note that the workout had two total minutes of jogging at 4 m.p.h.

On August 16 I tested myself on the treadmill. I had been making steady progress, slow progress mind you, but steady. Aug. 16th I did 8 x 30 seconds (4.2 mph), and felt quite good afterwards. That's four total minutes! I doubled my output in two months! (You still have to celebrate the small stuff to keep your spirits up!) I came back on the 18th, just before I wrote this and did a total of 6 minutes of jogging. (10 x 30 seconds, plus an added minute at the end.) I spent about 18 minutes on the treadmill doing my jogging and various types of walking. Backwards walking, for example, is easier for me and uses different muscles. (Please hold the handrail!)

Post workout I felt very good and there were no signs that I might not feel good tomorrow. I'll still keep a day or two of rest between workouts now. Even if my muscles feel good, I still think my bones need rest.

More when it happens.

Kurt.

Left Images - Jan. 30, 2006 Right Images - Aug. 17, 2006
Left Images - Jan. 30, 2006 Right Images - Aug. 17, 2006