So a physiotherapist walks into a bar..

 Okay, I walked beside a bar with my physiotherapist but this title is catchier.  As you can probably gather, today I went for another evaluation. I’ve been worried about my current issues with balance and lack of strength.  

Do what did I find out?  The prednisone masked all inflammation that I previously had so the aches and pains are to be expected.  Steroids cause loss of strength in your central body (core, shoulders, hips) so this helps explains so much.  

I was given exercises to help build muscle and balance.  Told to continue with Tai Chi and exercises I was doing and revaluate in 2 months.  The other item I was told to do was journal EVERYTHING.  What exercises I am doing, how am I feeling and look back in the last day or two to find trends.  Hmmm… journaling daily, now why does that sound familiar?  LOL Even brain fog can’t take that away.

My good news today was this is just another bump in my journey and it’s going to take some hard work to get over it but it should improve as I move forward.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season.  See you on the mats!

Balance

The one thing that has been evident with my recovery is rebuilding of my balance.  When I first came out of the hospital I had lost all muscle strength.  This was due to the meds that I was given.  As I rebuilt that strength, I thought it would be all uphill but as with any journey, there is ups and downs. 

 I definitely rebuilt muscle but now with the extended inactivity (and continued med changes) comes a new set of challenges. The one that I am focusing on is my balance.  If I am sitting for 30 minutes or longer, when I get up I can feel my muscles in my feet working to maintain my balance.  I feel the muscles shifting and activating, working hard.  I feel the inner muscles fire, then the outer muscles, front and back, adjusting. I have to wait a few seconds for my balance to stabilize before even taking a step. 

These ups and downs can be very frustrating and I can honestly say that I have had a few temper tantrums along my journey but then I take a deep breath and figure out what my next steps are. Talking with Sifu Brinker, booking an appointment for a physiotherapy assessment, and when I do my forms, I focus on my balance during transitions instead of just stepping/falling into next stance. 

I’m need to continue this micro muscle awareness as I progress through this new bump because the only way I fail is if stop trying. 

I challenge you to focus on your micro muscles in your feet the next you stand up and not take those for granted.

See you on the mats!