Health update - after 6 weeks, a sudden (slight) improvement

[dreamshark]

For over 6 months now my highest priority has been a health-related one: to somehow contrive a way that I could continue skating regularly without having constant pain in my back, hip and related structures. Not quite there, but I'm pretty sure that I'm finally seeing progress. For the first couple of months, I had to cut out most physical activity except walking and gentle biking while the overuse injuries healed. My working theory is that I now need to build strength in lower back, abs, glutes and quads but without letting any of the muscles and tendons get stiff enough to throw the whole assemblage off balance. To accomplish this goal I prescribed myself the following exercise regime:

1. Every day: mini-exercise breaks focusing on abs, back, and whatever the muscle groups are that support squats and lunges.
2. Twice a week: formal exercise class including at least 20 minutes core strengthening.
3. Twice a week: ice skating lessons or practice
4. Twice a week or more: walk for at least 20 minutes to keep the moving parts working together smoothly.

I gingerly started skating again in mid-May but quickly discovered that I couldn't handle more than one skating session a week or the pain above the right ileac crest would start coming back. Similarly, after my first few exercise classes I was so sore that I couldn't do much of anything for the next 2 or 3 days. I had to settle for one exercise class and one skating session, with maybe some walking or light biking in between. Looking back at my notes, I see that's not quite true. Starting the last week in May I was generally skating twice a week. However, if I had really been sticking to my goal of no chronic pain I would've been skating only once.  With 2 skating sessions my back hurt most of the time. Not so much when I was actually skating, but for two or three days afterwards. I never managed more than one exercise class a week in May or June because each class wore me out for 2 or 3 days. This went on for about 6 weeks with no progress at all. Every Monday I'd start out with the determination to complete my planned exercise sessions and every week I had to drop one or two planned activities because I was too stiff and sore.

Then last week I suddenly started feeling stronger. The week before Convergence I exercised every day and still had enough energy to wander around Convergence for several hours on Thursday and Friday!  Skating class (Mon), BOSU (Tues), Biking (Wed), Thurs (BOSU), Friday (Open Skate).   Not only that, I think my balance has improved, both on and off the ice, and my legs are stronger. When I do my secret lunges in the rest room I can go down far enough now to lift the back heel off the floor and hold the 5th one for a count of 5.  I don't feel a huge difference in my skating, but I've gotten positive feedback from others the last 2 weeks.  I still can't do a couple of really basic moves that I have been working on for about 2 years, but I'm beginning to suspect that I really COULD do them now if I wasn't so convinced that I couldn't.

I'm now heading into what I hope is a 2nd week of finally hitting my exercise goals. I skated last night, and it's about time to head to the Y for the Tuesday BOSU class.