CrazyBusy Mama! (Dot Calm)

It was a dark and cloudy night….

Well, actually…it was a cloudy and rainy morning last June (Father’s Day, to be exact), and I had just dropped off my daughter at her Sunday school class at our church. The class is in an outside portable, and between the portable and a covered walkway were a couple of outdoor rugs. One of my feet caught on the rugs (actually, it felt like both feet, since I couldn’t move either to try to right myself), and down I went like a rock.

You know how, when you’re going through something that’s even just mildly traumatic, it seems to happen in slow motion? That’s how it happened for me, and I remember every detail: a) My feet caught, b) I tried to right myself but couldn’t, then c) I made some very hard contact with the ground. My right knee took the brunt of it, followed by my right hip, right elbow, right shoulder, then both hands. The only good thing was that my head didn’t hit the pavement, too.

I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with my knees, dealing with cartilage issues and various pains, and had been working over the last year to strengthen the muscles that support them, so that made this fall especially disappointing. Because of the fall, I’ve had a constant ache where my knee hit the ground. I’ve been taking it easy and giving it time to heal, but think I may be headed for an MRI, as my doctor suggested. Ugh….

The big bummer is, thanks to my knee injury, my aspirations of running in a 5K (and on up) have had to be put on hold. I haven’t even tried running again — I’m scared to, to be honest. But I can walk (though I haven’t tried very long distances yet), and I can do other things to stay in shape. If you’re dealing with a knee injury, follow the tips below for staying in shape in spite of it. (Assuming, of course, that you’ve gotten your doctor’s approval to do so, as I have.)

1. Try walking. If you can do that without pain, or at least with only minimal pain, you may be able to try other gentle forms of exercise. Walk only short distances first, gradually increasing that as time goes on.

2. Try Pilates. If you want a gentle yet effective workout, Pilates is the way to go. If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you know I’m a huge fan of Exercise TV. I find it on my local cable network (check your listings to see if you do, too), and do the workouts when I want to. I recommend the Pilates workouts by Nicole Stewart or Tandy Gutierrez.

3. Modify Your Favorite Workouts. I love Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shredworkout, but until my knee is completely healed, I’m laying off the lunges. Depending on your pain level, either forgo the lunges or just don’t lunge as far. This applies to squats, as well. Only go as low as is comfortable for your knee.

4. Swim. I’m not a swimmer, but if you are, go for it. Swimming is a great way to get in a low-impact workout. Water aerobics is another option — check with your local hospital, swimming pool, or YMCA for details.

Finally, it’s probably a good idea to get off of your knee (as soon as you can) for a while post-workout. Put it up, and use ice if it’s bothering you. Remember not to overdo your workouts! Baby that knee and it’ll take you far (yeah…pun intended).

©2010 Sally Dinius
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Sally Dinius is writer-in-chief here at CrazyBusyMama.com, a blog created to inspire and motivate busy mamas everywhere to feel healthy, fit, and in control of their lives. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sdinius, and come join the CrazyBusy Mama Facebook page by clicking here.

As the mom of a three year-old, I would really love to have a treadmill. It would be much easier than trying to find someone to watch her when I want to go for a walk or run outside. My wish for this coming year is to get a gym membership so I’ll have access not only to a treadmill, but other equipment, too. And if I have to bring the munchkin along, she can hang out with the other kiddos in the play area.

If you think you’d like to start using a treadmill for some of your walks and runs, watch the following video for some good tips. They’ll get you started on the right foot (sorry, I know that was bad…)!

A great way to monitor your progress for any workout routine, but especially running, is to keep a log. It will also serve as encouragement later when you look back and see how far you’ve come, and to spur yourself on to do more. This video from New Balance will show you just how to do this.

(And check out my favorite New Balance shoe, the WX778.)

I hope you’re enjoying the videos from New Balance this week. Each one is designed to help you get the most from your running workout. These videos are good for walkers, too. If you’re not a walker or runner, perhaps you’ll be inspired to start.

This particular video will show you how to recover from a run. It’s great information!

Whether or not you’re a runner, learning the core exercises in the following video is very beneficial. These were exercises that I, at one time, thought I’d never be able to do. I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and scoliosis: If I can train myself do these exercises (and I have), so can you! Don’t give up on yourself! Give these a try.

I am a firm believer in stretching, especially for runners (walkers, too). Here’s a video from New Balance (maker of my favorite shoe — the same one shown in the video) showing several ways you must stretch before and after your run.

So, after my less-than-successful intro to running, I’ve decided that I’ll focus on walking for the time being. My legs are getting very strong from my workouts, but not in the right places for running (primarily my ankles).

After doing a little online window shopping, I’ve come up with some fun items that will make my walking (and, eventually, running) workouts a little more enjoyable, not to mention productive:

1. GoFit 10-Pound Walking Vest with Removable Water Bottle Holder

Even Leslie Sansone, creator of the Walk at Home exercise program, recommends using a walking vest. Why? Walking vests are weighted. If you’re carrying extra weight around with you (besides what your body is used to carrying), you’re going to burn more calories than you normally would.  It’s a small investment that will speed up weight loss. Sounds good to me!

2. Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer
If you’re walking without this pedometer, you’re missing out on a great hand-held support system. Not only does it accurately measure your steps, aerobic steps and minutes, and distance traveled, it also measures the amount of calories you’ve burned. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? We want to make sure we’re working hard enough to cause our bodies to start burning our stored fat for energy. Comes with a detachable belt holder and security strap, and has easy-to-use push button technology. Great price, too.

3. Sportline Walking Advantage Water Bottle Holder
When I walk, even in my own neighborhood, there are certain things I like to take with me: water, cell phone, house keys, and driver’s license (hey, if the neighbor’s lawn mower tosses a rock and knocks me out, the paramedics will need to know who I am, right?). I’ve found the perfect “fanny pack” just for this purpose. It’s so much more than a fanny pack, though. For one thing, it isn’t ugly. Secondly, it’s made primarily for holding a water bottle. Two side pockets hold other necessities, like my cell phone and keys. Handy, handy! And under $10.

Now get walkin’!
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