Update on collarbone

[trailgumby]

Dropped by the gym on the way home tonight. 20 minutes on the spin bike, followed by some leg weights, stretching, and then the part of my core workorkout that I can do without having to lie on my side.

The spin bike involved some single leg drills, and a little out-of-saddle work. Wasn't the most comfortable experience, and getting the drink bottle out of the cage was tricky. Will be leaving it until closer to the weekend before I try that again.

[trailgumby]

Very sore today. Not sure if I slept on it the wrong way last night, or if last night's gym session irritated it somehow. It felt fine after a 20 minute spin session (no single leg drills this time) and the core work didn't bother it at all. Nurofen and and early night tonight.

[Oxford]

are you having physio at all? I would be seeing a physio and being guided by what they say, you may be pushing it too hard, too soon. also if you haven't already considered it, try using a TENs machine, I find mine invaluable for being able to stimulate sore muscles and promote blood flow to the area which can also help promote bone healing. currently with my lower back issues from the accident I have the TENs machine beside the bed. when I wake I put on the electrodes set the machine on and lay down for 30 minutes while it does its stuff, then my back is good. much better than taking pills.

[elStado]

much better than taking pills.

The other alternative is the natural herbal pain remedy.

[jules21]

much better than taking pills.

The other alternative is the natural herbal pain remedy.

edit: it has been brought to my attention that could include the use of illicit substances

[Oxford]

much better than taking pills.

The other alternative is the natural herbal pain remedy.

without condoning the other posts, try some stuff called "PainAway", all natural and works very well.

[trailgumby]

much better than taking pills.

The other alternative is the natural herbal pain remedy.

oh yeah
<image snipped>

thanks for the suggestion.

Given the mounting evidence that maryjane is a trigger for paranoid schizophrenia among other mental illnesses in an unknown percentage of the population, I think I'll pass.

Still a little sore this morning, but better than yesterday. Have been much more careful to avoid actions that involve lifting my arm above shoulder height.

[trailgumby]

Tried a 35 minute session on the spin bike last Tuesday, which included some single leg drills. Collarbone was OK when I got off the bike but knew I'd pushed it too far by the end of the workout. Very sore for the rest of the week pretty much up until yesterday afternoon. Should have kept the bike work to the 20 minutes originally planned.

Gymmed with core strength and some leg weights work on Thursday and again today. Only bike work was 5 minutes to warm up. Shoulder is back to how it felt last Monday. Nurofen has been surprisingly useful in helping to settle it down.

I've been able to do some rotator cuff work on the right shoulder so long as I keep the arm down low, and have been doing that for 2 weeks. The left used to be the weak side after the shoulder dislocation 2.5 years ago, up until just the last few weeks before the crash. It's amazing how quickly I've lost strength in the right side.

I'm seeing the physio Monday. Hope to get an update on when I can recommence upper body work. Will continue with lower body and core strength work in the meantime so I don't completelyfall back to square one.

[foo on patrol]

Don't over tax your recovery Trailgumby.

My sister wouldn't listen to the Doc or us after shoulder reconstruction and is now going to need it done again, as well as her knee.

As much as it is frustrating, do it right the first time and you lessen your chances of things going haywire later on.

Foo

[Oxford]

TG, I know I'm going to sound like a broken record, but go to the physio, let them make a full assessment and follow their advice. its frustrating, but you really do need to listen to them to avoid long term problems.

[trailgumby]

Visited the physio this morning, he seemed happy with progress and wasn't too concerned about the soreness I mentioned in my last post. He said the good news is I've learned where the limit is for the moment, and just to go to the point where the collarbone "says hello" and no further.

He said I can expect it to "say hello" again the first couple of times I go road riding in a few weeks, and again when I go off-road for the first time a few weeks later. He's given me some gentle free weights work to do to keep the neural pathways to the pectorals and triceps active, and I'm pleased to say the collarbone didn't protest at all during those exercises.

Icing post exercise was recommended - should have thought of that myself - duh!

So it seems that everything is on track. Driving a car is OK, too, subject to comfort limits. The only out-of-bounds movement is crossing my right arm over to the left side and going to the end of range of movement under load for the next few weeks.

[Oxford]

[trailgumby]

First gym session after 12 days away while down in Melbourne last week and starting a new role this week.

We did many hours walking last week around Melbourne's CBD, and it is apparent that some parts of the drive train (knees and pelvis/lower back) weren't used to the continuous effort for that type of movement.

The strength loss was readily apparent in a few areas, and the knees let me know they weren't entirely happy. I expected it after nearly two weeks, so started on lower weights for the first set, which was just as well. Concentrated on the eccentric side of the movement (lowering the weight slowly as the muscle lengthens) to get the work in without injuring anything.

Successfully completed 2 sets of lat pull-downs at reduced weight, and three sets of lying-on-side core strength exercises for the first time in 6 weeks. The issue with the latter is the pressure it puts on the shoulder as I need to keep the lower abdomen off the ground. Did better than expected, although collarbone is sore this morning. Forgot to ice it last night.

[sogood]

Nicely coming along! Moderation is good.

[trailgumby]

Survived a spin class tonight without drama. Woohoo!

[foo on patrol]

Tis looking good then!

Foo

[wombatK]

Ah good news - the perfect antidote for the whingers & whiners threads

[trailgumby]

The collarbone has continued to survive spin classes, but the lower back issue has come back. 5 minutes countinuously out of the saddle at the end of the class on Thursday night exceeded the ability of my core muscles to hold me stable Had to stay seated and soft-pedal quite a few times towards the end of the class tonight.

Lower back is still a bit sore, but will now focus on making sure I don't exceed the limits of my core strength endurance. Not a great way to start training for the Mont, but you gotta play the cards you're dealt.

On the upside, I managed to do a few sets of push ups off my knees. The collarbone said "hello" but no discomfort afterwards or this morning, so that's a great sign. Also did some of the rotator cuff and glute (abduction) excercises I've had to put on hold for the last 8 weeks.

[trailgumby]

Managed 3 sets of 5 pushups off the toes this morning. Collarbone murmered slightly instead of saying "Hello!", so much better than last week.

Came down with a cold on Friday last unfortunately so was unable to take the bike out for a spin on the weekend or do any weight training, but it's a recovery week anyway.

Will be awhile before I get back to doing off-centre pushups on the upturned Bosu but I'm happy with the start.

[foo on patrol]

What is it with you southern blokes and colds?

Foo

[elStado]

What is it with you southern blokes and colds?

Foo

Bunch of softies!

[trailgumby]

Letting myself get sleep-deprived and run down didn't help, but I reckon we have world-class virus transmission facilities here in Syddenee (aka Sydney Buses ).

The good news was hitting it early and hard with vitamin C and echinacea, I was over the worst of it by Monday morning and able to participate in (and absorb) an important training course I had booked for that week.

Took the hardtail for a blat down the descendy bit of Manly Dam from Allambie to the Hydraulics lab yesterday, and pootled around some fire trails this morning for an hour or so, so I think the collarbone is pretty good. It let me know it was there when I had to pop the front up and over gutter-height-and-above tree roots and the like, but was otherwise fine.

Limiting factor now is the lower back strength and core stability that I've lost over the last 8 weeks or so ... hasten slowly and I should befine.

[elStado]

Limiting factor now is the lower back strength and core stability that I've lost over the last 8 weeks or so ... hasten slowly and I should befine.

Yoga will help fix this. + go see a good physio.

[trailgumby]

Either yoga or Pilates is on the game plan for the longer term, but I need to get the right muscles firing first. These are the deep ones we're generally not even conscious of day-to-day. It's important to avoid short-cutting otherwise I end up with bad habits that (like firing the superficial muscles close to the surface) that I need to then un-learn.

This is taking awhile as I've never had good posture or core engagement, even from very young. So I'm having to build a bunch of neural pathways that either didn't exist or are very under-developed. I'm seeing progress but it's a long-term project it seems.

Yes it's a pain... but you've gotta play the cards you're dealt, eh?

[Oxford]

TG, if you PM your email address to me I'll send you a copy of the core back muscle exercises my physio has set me up with. After 4 weeks of these my back muscles have improved out of sight. They are amazingly simple but incredibly good.