EXERCISE VIDEO SUCCESS STORY
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Using exercise to heal minor injuries
Name: Mary
Forum screen name: None (not a forum member)
Location: Denver, CO
Age:
My story:
I know most people write in about their weight loss. However, my weight has stayed at about the same level most of my adult life so I don't have a good "before" picture to show. But, what I am writing about is the ways that exercise videos have healed minor injuries, kept my body working properly, and showed me alternate ways to exercise after an injury.
For example, one time my shoulder became very sore from carrying a backpack each day. It was very stiff, especially in the mornings. This lasted for about three months, even though I tried to loosen it. I was about to go to a doctor, when I happened to try the “Upper Body Pilates” session on Suzanne Bowen’s “10 Minute Solution Slim and Sculpt Pilates.” The next morning, I noticed my shoulder was not as stiff. I began doing this 10-minute video every day. Within about three weeks, the shoulder was pretty much back to normal. The exercises forced the tight, kinked up part of the muscles to loosen, and I didn't have to go to a doctor. Miss Bowen’s exercises fixed it!
Another example of exercise healing minor injuries is with my feet. I have a little plantar fasciitis, which shows up as pain in the heel, especially after doing a lot of aerobics or walking. Even though the pain is in the foot, the real source of it is tight muscles in the back of the leg (I believe my doctor said that the tight muscles pull on the bottom of the foot, flattening the arch.) If I feel the heel pain starting again, I use the first session on Lara Hudson’s “10 Minute Solution Yoga” video, called “Yoga Basics” to relieve the tightness. This particular 10 minute session really stretches out my legs and is sort of an "antidote" to the aerobics. Thanks Lara!
To keep my knees in good shape, I do a least a few minutes every week of yoga warrior poses. I believe these poses keep the muscles around the knee strong, so all the moving parts stay in their proper position. Without them, I have found that one knee tends to get a little out of alignment and then it gets sore going upstairs. It is much better to spend a few minutes doing yoga every week as a preventative. Yoga is just good overall physical therapy anyway.
After spraining my ankle one summer, exercise videos showed me different ways to exercise until it healed. I started doing Pilates and mat work to avoid pounding on the ankle. I really enjoyed it and toned up my body, plus learned something new from the injury. The various exercise videos I have used over the years have really been useful in getting rid of minor problems so that I can continue exercising.
From my experience I can see why people would have many more health issues if they can't exercise. Even something minor like plantar fasciitis really keeps you from exercising. And if you can't exercise then you gain more weight, lose conditioning, and get into a downward cycle.