Activities and Exercise

I have experienced degenerative pain for some years, and have really limited my activities because of it.  Over the years, I have not done a lot of things I enjoyed, but did everything I still absolutely wanted to do, even if it involved walking or standing, which aggravated the pain.

Sometimes doing things took several hours longer than I would have normally spent on the activity, because I needed to rest more than I would have before the degenerative pain started.  I am referring to such things as house work and yard work.  

Recently, I went to the doctor and obtained a prescription for medication, and was referred to physical therapy for the problem.  The first weekend I had the prescription, I felt so much better, I really over did the physical activity.  The second weekend, I rested. 

Since I started going to physical therapy, I have made a point to do the exercises prescribed at home as instructed.  I find most of them soothing, and while I sometimes have the TV on when I do the exercises, I find doing them to Gregorian Chants is even more soothing.

I also was given some very helpful reading materials about accommodations and adaptations I could use to help me.  Amazingly, I had already made a lot of the accommodations:  I use shorter strokes for raking, mopping, and vacuuming.  I take lots of rest breaks, but probably not as many as I should have been taking. I recently bought a book stand to prop my book, as I was finding that I was looking for something to hold a book up while I was reading it.

I have learned about changing my posture and musculature positions to help me.  It is difficult for me to remember to use these changes, but I am trying, at work and at home.  It is a work in progress.

I have noticed that I have much more mental energy since I have been getting this help. Today, I wanted to do some serious house cleaning that is much past due, and makes me depressed to look at the dirtiness in the house.   Well, I kept putting off getting started, because I kept thinking how it might hurt. It did not hurt as I expected it to, until near the end.  And, I took breaks very frequently, much more so than I might have in the past. (I used to force myself to work through the pain.)

I have a plan to work in the front and back yard on Sunday (actually today).  I will also go slow and take plenty of breaks, and try to use better positioning and posture.

I had also thought to go for a walk to get some things at a local store. I had not thought to walk like that in a long time.  I did not do the walk, but just thinking about it vs more recently avoiding thinking about walking much less going for a walk, is a good thing. 

I am hoping when the medication and physical therapy have done their thing, I will be able to walk around my neighborhood as I used to do.  I miss these walks.  I miss walking in the city parks, and walking to bird watch, as well as hiking at area parks.

I am not sure I will get back to miles of hiking but I am hoping to get back to a mile or two of walking.