Return of the One-legged Thrower

[o1d_dude]

I'm going to start a new thread seeing as how I've suffered a setback and the goal of attending the MWC in May is a distant one from where things stand now.

A week ago yesterday I saw my doctor and described what I was feeling. He Rx'd me some 800 mg Motrin, scheduled me for some X-rays, and referred me to Sports Medicine. Monday of this week, I met with Dr. Bean (Clan McBain) who understood e-x-a-c-t-l-y what we do in the Heavy Athletics. I didn't even need to show her my little photo album which usually helps the doctors see what I do.

The good news is that my ligaments (ACL and MCL) are intact and I'm a long ways from having to think about a knee replacement. The not so good news is that I have "degenerative meniscus tear with underlying osteoarthritis". OTOH, it can heal itself if I help it along by not doing any more damage to it for a while.

BTW, the knee that hurts is my good knee. The left (post-up) knee is a bit worse in terms of the arthritis and a bit more unstable. The Rehband knee sleeves help a lot with stability.

Turns out that most of the pain I was experiencing was from tendonitis surrounding the knee joint. The tendons (hamstring, quad, and that one that Alan is always complaining about) were inflamed. It's quite possible that squatting with the Rehband sleeves did that.

After several days of Motrin and ice packs three times a day, I'm now mostly pain free and able to sleep through the night without waking myself up when I turn over in bed. I do walk carefully now and lean on the shopping cart when accompanying Mrs. OD on the never-ending shopping spree.

Throwing is out of the question at the moment. No stairs, no squats, lunges, loaded carries, torquing the joints, until Dr. Bean thinks I'm ready. I'm not looking forward to the final evaluation. She began her initial evaluation by saying "This is the part where I hurt you." Indeed she did. "Does this hurt?" "YEOWWW!"

I could hardly walk after I left her office.

Monday morning I see the physical therapist.

[Alan H]

I see a lot of bench press and triceps pull-downs in your future. Gaaaa......... well, at least no surgery required.

[o1d_dude]

Here's what I've been doing since I last posted on my training log.

Feb 19, 2013

Day 1 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
10 minutes Exercise Bike
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
2x5x145
Prone Supported DB Row ("Batwings")
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
3x10x22.5

Feb 20, 2013

Day 2 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
2x5x145
Batwings
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
2x10x22.5

Feb 23, 2013

Day 3 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
2x5x145
Batwings
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
2x10x22.5

Feb 23, 2013

Day 3 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
1x5x145

Feb 26, 2013

Day 4 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
1x5x145-155
Batwings
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
2x10x22.5

Feb 27, 2013

Day 5 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
2x5x145-155
Batwings
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
2x10x22.5

I had to drop the exercise bike as it was irritating the knee but will put it back in when I can do so without pain. Some cardio is good.

I should never drop the chins regardless of the workout I'm doing. I've lost so much ground over the past two months. Very discouraging.

Batwings for timed reps are isometric and will kill you the first time you try them. Lay face down on a bench. Grab a DB in each hand and pull them up so that your thumbs are right up in your armpit. Now hold for 10 seconds and then lower. Rest 10 seconds and repeat. Five reps. Work up to two sets of five and increase the weight of the DBs. By the way, start light.

All you can do is all you can do.

Received a text from Justin regarding Sonora. He wants to use my "Viking Hammer of Speed" for a challenge event. Looks like I'm going to need to paint it up special for the challenge. I've been wanting to paint it fluorescent pink for a while now.

[McElmurry]

Good luck with your recovery. After age 50, joints and connective tissue seem to be my limiting factors. Knees hiking downhill and now my knuckles while playing the whistle are my main issues. Besides lots of stretching and some asymmetrical exercises for my knees I am trying kind of a wacky diet of my own design. I look up foods on the website linked below and only eat foods that are anti inflammatory. This knocks out sugar, flour, and dairy right off the bat.

My mom has arthritis so I figure anything I can do to reduce chronic inflammation and autoimmune overload is a good thing. I am only a week in but have already lost an inch on my waist. I hit the step mill today and whistle for 30 minutes (not at the same time) so I should know more tomorrow morning.

My new recovery food I eat after a workout is a can of peas instead of a power bar.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/2517/2

[Martin Roy]

Thanks for the update, Kit. Your recent silence had me fearing the worst regarding you knee. It's not as bad as I was imagining but a setback nonetheless.

Fwiw, years ago I experienced something similar with my knees, only the doctor called it "softened cartilage" which, as I think about it now, probably meant some sort of degeneration. I was about 21 at the time and my problems stemmed from 10+ years as a catcher; my passion growing up was baseball. Anyway, the doctor went in with a scope, which was cutting edge stuff back then, and afterwards told me about the cartilege. He said he didn't want to operate and if I could keep the cartilege intact for another five years before surgery I would avoid arthritis when I hit age 50. I asked him what excercises I could do to help the knees and he said leg lifts. That was it. I asked for more detail and he said, "More leg lifts." He was talking about the lay-on-your-back-with-hands-under-your-butt-straight-leg-lifts. Raise the legs about 6 inches, up, out, together, down. Repeat. And again. So that's what I did. Obsessively. I got so I could keep my legs up until I got bored. But over time the knees improved and I have yet to go under the knife. So, maybe leg lifts ???

Hang in there, this sucks. All good thoughts coming your way.

[TheOfficialBren]

I see a lot of bench press and triceps pull-downs in your future. Gaaaa......... well, at least no surgery required.

And 12oz curls. Lol.

[Alan H]

Well, abs and chest can't hurt.... i'm looking forward to tossing the Viking Hammer of Speed!

Hope you come out to Sonora to hang with us and maybe play judge. You know, I need a judge at Ardenwood with some experience calling caber turns. We pay a rip-snorting $25, a free t-shirt, and free beer. Come on down with Roger and Paul and spend the day with us.... Seriously.

I'm not kidding, either. I DO need a judge who can call caber turns. My current 2 judges are great ladies, but haven't got any experience judging caber.

[o1d_dude]

Well, abs and chest can't hurt.... i'm looking forward to tossing the Viking Hammer of Speed!

Hope you come out to Sonora to hang with us and maybe play judge. You know, I need a judge at Ardenwood with some experience calling caber turns. We pay a rip-snorting $25, a free t-shirt, and free beer. Come on down with Roger and Paul and spend the day with us.... Seriously.

I'm not kidding, either. I DO need a judge who can call caber turns. My current 2 judges are great ladies, but haven't got any experience judging caber.

I better get busy and paint the Viking Hammer of Speed. Thinking I should paint the ball red and add my standard yellow lightning bolts.

We'll see about Ardenwood. A lot will depend on how quickly my knees come back so that I can run behind the thrower.

[o1d_dude]

March 4, 2013

Day 6 of the No Legs Strength Program

Warm up
Shoulder Pre-hab
1x15 Clamshells***
1x5 Half Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
1x2x135
2x5x145-155
Batwings
1x5x22.5 held for 10 seconds
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chins
1x10
Ab Wheel Rollouts
1x5
Seated DB Curls
2x10x22.5-32.5

I saw the physical therapist today. The Kaiser Sports Medicine department has some serious gym equipment. Mostly machines, "Magnum" brand, but I did see some nice racks of dumbbells and other toys.

The PT examined my knee, had me do a number of movements to see where I was having twinges, and showed me a few things he wanted me to do. Marty had it right about the lay on the floor single leg extensions. ***The PT also suggested laying on my left side with bent legs stacked and then keeping the feet together raise the right (top) knee. He called these "Clamshells". Supposed to help my adductor or abductor...I can never remember which is which. He also had me demonstrate my squat technique and approved of how I did it. When all was said and done, he gave me a list of exercises to do (3x15 for most movements) and again Marty had it right. Leg extensions, hamstring curls, bridges, leg raises, etc. I have a follow up appointment in a month.

I worked the Clamshells into today's warmup. Recovery now seems like a possibility.

[Martin Roy]

Recovery now seems like a possibility.

Two thumbs up. Great news.