10% Increase Max per Week!

Went in for visit 3 to Sallie. She said that usually, 6 visits is the point at which patients no longer need support, but it is sometimes different with those who have had surgery. The cool thing is that my sessions with Sallie don't count against my insurance, which probably has a definite limit on the number of visits.

I told Sallie that my 3 hour workouts are getting a little tough to manage. She's having me cut out the exercises that are too easy, and we added some tougher ones today. Also, I don't need to be doing redundant exercises in the pool and on the land, so I can cut out all of routine 1, except that I'll continue walking in the pool.

General rule of thumb from Sallie...don't increase ANYTHING more than 10% a week; otherwise, I'll be waking up in the middle of the night with lots of pain...just like last time. On that note, she also said I'm working out too hard and not giving my body time to rest and rebuild. I need to start alternating upper and lower body exercises, especially now that I'm going to be adding the upper body weight lifting. I need to give my muscles at least 1 day break for the exercises I've been doing in Routines 3-5. I'll start working on a routine for myself tomorrow.

2/8/06 Routine 5
Continue stretches and strength exercises from Routines 3 & 4, but feel free to cut out that which is too easy. The only one I can't cut out is the weight shifting exercise.

Here's a great link to remind me of what I'm working on.

Exercises:

• Quads 1--Lie on back, legs straight, lift right leg up, move out toward right as far as I can. Return leg to start position, (3x6-10). Make sure knee cap is straight up and not pointing inward. My foot will lean outward slightly.
• Quads 2--Lie on back, prop right leg up on bolster. Add increasing weight on foot (0, 2, 4 pounds) and then back down again, (3x6). Lift leg up at the knee. Concentrate movement on the quad. Make sure knee cap is straight up and not pointing inward.
• Gluteus Medius--Lie on stomach, left leg straight, right leg bent at knee; lift leg up, move out toward right as far as I can. Return leg to start position, (3x6-10).
• Abduction, flexion, extension--Using a pulley weight system with approx. 3 lbs and ankle strap, extend leg for full range of motion, (3x6). Sallie said that using a pulley is better than using Therabands because the weight is more consistent. This can replace the pool exercises I've been doing on these muscles.
  
• Upper Body--I can begin lifting lighter weights with my arms as long as I don't use the hip to lift weight. Basically, lift light enough that I'm not putting stress on the hip.

Pool:
I can use a buoy belt to do different leg exercises.

Scar:
This is healing very well. Continue as I have been using Karen's scar cream and the Neosporin Silicone Strips.

Don't Forget--I still need to address tip number 1 in the previous blog.