Training Log Archive: anniemac

Leg / back actually felt GOOD for the first time today while I was out on some trails taking pictures for the Fall O Fest. But then the pain returned after a day of being on my feet/walking. Feels like I'm on the right track though.

It was so great to see everyone competing this weekend and I really wish I had been able to run Sandy's course especially, but my back/leg will thank me someday in the near future when I am back kicking some ass again. :) As if.

Great job to everyone who made the weekend happen!

Event: DVOA Fall Orienteering Festival
 

Up til 4:30am with a bad stomach. Don't think this was the meds...I've had this happen before when I ate a lot fast and later than usual, with high fiber ingredients. Anyway, I feel better today but don't feel like eating.

B is off to Cleveland til Thanksgiving.

"Most cases of bilateral foraminal stenosis initially are treated with a combination of medications, physical therapy and rest. Rest gives your body (particularly your nerves) time to heal, which keeps you from aggravating your injury."

"Usually exercises are not beneficial for spinal stenosis. It is very important to maintain good core strength with strong back and belly muscles, as well as flexibility of the legs and trunk. These will be beneficial in avoiding many of the causes of spinal stenosis in the first place, but once a person has stenosis, these usually cannot reverse the cause."

"Most people do not have surgery to correct spinal stenosis and their symptoms either resolve or they learn to live with them. However, without surgery, there is a risk of permanent nerve damage and possible paralysis."

Okay, time to stop reading shit on the Internet.

C • hear hear! 2

Tried the bike at the gym, the one with the route program on a screen like a video game where you're on a course with other bicyclists. Kinda cool and I'm definitely feeling it in my butt and legs! Felt ok.

C • If the program is boring... 4

B is back from Alaska! For one day.

Read this today re spinal stenosis: "Once degenerative changes have occurred there is nothing that can be done to reverse the pathology, non-surgically. I would advise limiting irritating activity, which may slow progression of the degenerative changes. Typically activities that cause irritation are impact activity and extension activity (activity that involves arching backwards) since they load the posterior elements of the spine with resulting narrowing of the canal and foramina further. Since running involves impact and some extension it is not typically recommended for individuals with spinal stenosis"

C • Medical advice 2

Physical therapy at Riddle. Started with 10 minutes of resting on a heating pad, which felt GREAT. Did the full routine of my usual back stretches, with her watching me and making sure I was doing them right, and then she introduced 3 new exercises involving lumbar stabilization using the pelvic tilt (flatten the back and press your belly button to the floor using your stomach muscles / butt.)

To be done 1x day, all lying on back, 10x each:

Band around top of knees - do pelvic tilt, then pull knees apart for 5 seconds. release abs.
Pillow squeeze - pelvic tilt, squeeze pillow and hold 5 secs. release abs.
Trunk stability - pelvic tilt, raise locked leg 10" from floor for 5 secs. Do each leg 10x each.

Somehow this all took an hour! We also talked about NOT walking through the pain, which is what I have been doing. Thinks I could cause more damage / set myself back farther that way. Am unclear as to whether I can cause permanent nerve damage by walking through the pain.

She wants me to try biking and swimming to get my cardio.

I am also researching anti-inflammatory diets and will be cooking up a bunch of delicious healthy things tonight: salmon, bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, brown rice, etc. Not too far away from what I normally eat but trying to get some diversity and spice in there (turmeric, garlic, ginger.)

I think I probably should NOT compete this weekend at the A Meet (DUH) but possibly drive Dad, help out with registration/finish if I'm up to it, take pics for the Briar Patch, etc. I'm so bummed because I've been looking forward to this event for SO long!! I'm sure it's going to be fantastic.

C • this weekend 7

I don't expect anyone to read this long entry, this is just for the record...

Decrease dosage to avoid nausea/stomach pain to regular alleve 2x day.
Doc completed my short term disability paperwork in a flash. He's great! As the clinical finding that supports the diagnosis of sciatica, he listed "foraminal stenosis," not something we ever talked about. It's also true that I have a herniated disc in L4-L5 with previous surgery on L5-S1.

Yesterday in PT the therapist seemed to think my pain was not from a disc pressing on my nerve (in fact 80% of people with herniated discs feel no symptoms.) Instead, showed me the foramen on a model of the spine, the area through which the nerve passes, and explained that it can get clogged (by a bone spur, I guess) and press on the nerve, causing the sciatic pain. Foraminal stenosis.

Online: "Each of the 33 bones of the spine has a large central opening for the spinal cord. Additional openings called foramen allow the nerves branching from the spinal cord to travel to the arms, legs and other parts of the body.
Normally nerve roots have enough room to easily slip through the foramen. However, with age and conditions like arthritis, the foramen may become clogged. Bony spurs can develop inside and press on the nerves. When the passage through which the spinal cord runs becomes clogged, the condition is called spinal stenosis." I don't have stenosis in the central canal, just in the foramen in my L4-L5 and in L5-S1 too.

According to doc's paperwork, I can never lift anything about 20lbs. Lift 20lbs occasionally, up to 10lbs can be done continuously. Twisting/bending/stooping can only be done occasionally. He expects I can return to work in around 6 weeks, if the conditions of no heavy lifting are met.

BUT. What is the long term idea here? How will I unclog my foramen? This remains a mystery. PT tomorrow, I will ask her lots of questions.

C • Naproxen 2

Planned on doing a whole routine but decided not to push through the pain.

Sitting around eating is not helping my situation...

First PT appt today. She showed me stretches I already know and do at least 1x day, but it was helpful. 2x a day I will do: knee to chest (each one separate,) knees to chest (at same time,) Pelvic Tilt (only new one I don't do) and Supine Piriformis Stretch. Also Supine Hamstring Stretch. PT will be 2x a week for 2 wks, then 1x wk for 2 wks and we will go from there.

Heat in morning, ice at night (ouch!) :)

She wants me to avoid running, and avoid hills. She did say I could walk, and when I told her about O she said I could do it but just don't run. We will see :(

Naproxen seems to be helping a little, but nausea this late morning/ mid-day was pretty intense despite having taken it with food. I also feel really tired and crabby.

should i still be nauseous from a pill i took at 8:30am?? ugh. on and off all day, more so when i eat. i hate medication!!!!