Hi Surfermom, it’s totally freezing here. I haven’t checked outside as have woken too early and going to have another snooze, but the cars were covered with a light dust of snow last night. Roll on Spring!
Morniong folks.
Don’t think I will be going far today, my lower back is not good.
I will do a some gentle stretches indoors today instead, try and loosen up a bit.
Hope you all have a good day.
Good morning Mups and Annie…
…I don’t think Surfermom will be up yet…But good morning to you when you eventually stir from your slumbers…
Sorry to hear about your bad back Mups ‘tis the season’ apparently…“Tell me about it”
You’re an early riser Annie, or haven’t you gone to bed yet?..
With a wind chill of minus 5 I made my way down to the surgery yesterday as planned. I walked the three quarters of a mile steady, it felt good to be out, but I struggled on the way back, which seemed to aggravate my Piriformis for the rest of the day…So all in all…A Fail…
:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(:-(
I don’t want to turn this Fitness and Exercise thread into a discussion about Statins (I believe there is one elsewhere) but suffice to say, before you can study Statins or their effect you must understand Cholesterol and why it’s there…
Cholesterol is not the bad boy it’s made out to be, one of its many functions is to rebuild damaged cells. We all know that exercise, and indeed just everyday life, breaks down muscle tissue and this is constantly being replaced with stronger cells. Floydy’s muscles are a product of damaged cells that have been replaced by stronger cells.
This would explain the muscle weakness and deterioration in a someone who has taken Statins for any length of time, by interfering with normal cell growth.
An overall reading of say 6.5 is meaningless unless you break it down into its constituent parts. HDL is the ‘good stuff’ it wraps itself around the LDL (bad stuff) and prevents it sticking to arteries. So we need high levels of HDL and low levels of LDL but with an overall reading how do you know which is which? A Statin lowers all Cholesterol.
Then we have Triglycerides, stuff made from the sugars in the blood (also bad stuff) this also has to be factored into the overall reading…I could go on and on…
I won’t, but I hope this explains just some of the reasons why I don’t take statins…
Mups, so sorry to hear about your back. Several of us literally feel your pain. I hope the stretching relieves some of the tightness.
Well done Annie! You must feel good that you have broken the ice. Your comments about the time made me laugh. A few years back, I took a spinning class on a cruise, as a novice, that nearly killed me. The last ten minutes I watched the clock half praying and half willing the minute hand to move faster as I pathetically panted and pedaled. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why my performance was so terrible in comparison to the rest of the madly spinning people around me. Come to find out, most everyone belonged to a university cycling team. It figures! I think I am still stiff from that class 
.
Oh, OGF, I commiserate. It’s not much fun hearing about other people’s running when you are like a racing horse stuck in the barn. But, don’t you have some housework to occupy your day?
Here, I will save you the effort: 
The sun is out, and I’m not far behind. With my back inexplicably loosened up yesterday, I am hoping for another good afternoon of (not <–for you, OGF) running. I’ll check in later.
Have a nice afternoon, everyone!
I blame it on the weather, all our ailments. It wasn’t like this a few weeks ago…my back is actually fine again but neck ache is back with a vengeance again so I’m thinking it has something to do with my over-exertion with the strength exercises last weekend. When will I learn?!
I know nothing about statins, so I cannot be part of the conversation, but I reckon OGF knows if it’s best not to take them considering his medical history. A little at a time, Bob and if you only manage a brief walk, so be it for the time being. It’s best not to overdo things. Same with you, Mups:o Maybe Annie has it right. Maybe we should all take up yoga to stretch our weary bodies?
Surfermom, you’re getting back into the swing of things with the weather your side easing slightly to run, if not surf so much yet. Soon be summer.
Me, I’ll be back training again hopefully very soon when my neck feels a bit more flexible. No point in making things worse:confused:
Foxy, I understand what you were saying about cholesterol.
My Dad died with his his second heart attack.
My Grandad also had heart problems.
So when my cholesterol started creeping up, the GP advised statins because of the family history.
I refused, but did agree to taking a junior aspirin daily, and working on losing some weight instead.
This went on for ages, then much later another blood test showed my cholesterol was still creeping up. Again they suggested statins.
Again I refused.
Eventually, a few months back, I agreed to try them but only as long as they prescribed the lowest dose possible. They put me on just 10 mg.
I had another blood test after a month as I know they can affect your liver as well as other things, but the result was good. Much lower total cholesterol, lower LDL, and only slightly lower HDL.
I feel OK on them so far.
I have stopped taking them the last couple of weeks though, as I have had a lot of unpleasant headaches, so while medicating for them, I left off taking the statins as these ‘drug cocktails’ bother me.
I’ll see how things go, and play it by ear.
You are correct Mups, 10mg is the lowest dose of statin, and if they are causing you no problems then keep up with them. There are also different types of Statins and if you are taking one that suits you, all the better…
Had quite a bit of trouble today with the Piriformis, feeling pain whenever I bend down or rotate from the hips. I really do feel in a bad way at times… Fortunately the weather is making it easy to abstain from running and walking by flooding South Yorkshire in an Icy blast from Siberia making the wind chill factor around minus 8 degrees C. To add to this we’ve had our first real snow today, and even as I write this I can see some large flakes blowing through the light from the streetlamp outside my window.
Although I was struggling with mobility I still managed to visit the cinema at Meadowhall in Sheffield. (about 30 miles down the motorway Surfermom) and saw a brilliant movie called ‘Finding Your Feet’ a feelgood film to warm your cockles and bring a lump to your throat (Highly Recommended)…
I noticed that as we left the cinema my pain had almost disappeared. This is a good sign and suggests to me that my injury responds well to rest…It wasn’t long until the pain returned though, about the same time I was devouring a teacake and cup of tea in M&S… Although I’m not exercising anymore, my appetite is still as voracious as when I was…
Foxy, I do wish you would try one of these, it really does help my bum muscle pain.
I find mine plays up if I lay on the opposite side to the pain e.g. it is the muscle on my r.h.s. that is painful, but strange as it might seem, it is better if I lay on that very side.
If I lay on the opposite side - the left - the muscle on the right starts playing up.
I keep that pain pen next to my bed and give myself a few quick blasts with it and it settles down again for a while.
http://www.boots.com/paingone-pen-10048135
If you decide to give it a try, please read the instructions carefully though, because you mustn’t use it on neck arteries.
Failing that, what about a sport’s massage?
Polite cough!! I suggested that on page 120! 
Ysee Mups, thats the trouble with men, they just dont listen :-D:-D
Sorry Ruthio, I either hadn’t read that, or in my senility, I had forgotten. 
See, weve got the answers, just have to tie him down to make him listen!
Well if he don’t, we could always pay him a visit.
You could do the massage while I sit on him, then I could jab him with my pain pen for good measure.
That’ll teach him to ignore us! 
Floydy I sympathise with you if you have a potential injury. I was so frustrated with my shoulder. You take your flexibility for granted and it’s so hard when you lose it but if you’re a really physical person. Unfortunately you have to slow down and let it heal or your body tells you to stick the exercise plan where the sun don’t shine. But it’s so annoying having to slow down and rest.
There are some really gentle yoga exercises that are good if you are having problems with the neck and shoulders. I found this online yoga helpful last year and I really like the style of the instructor :
Thanks Annie.
I’ll practice this instead of my training session today
While we are cooking up plans to set OGF straight, there are some excellent suggestions here. I really like the yoga link, Annie. I am so pleased that you are coming back. How is your shoulder holding up in class? How is your balance having been away for some time? When my daughter and I did our first class this summer, it was all we could do not to giggle for the terrible display of balance we had our first class.
Floydy, it sounds like your neck gave you a gentle reminder not to up the weights quite yet. Low weights and reps for now. You are in great shape, so a little time to recover won’t set you back too far.
FI notice that your pen is a Tens product. I haven’t seen one before and appreciate the review. Tens machines are wonderful. I used one when having IT band issues and it really helped me relax the surrounding muscles. I wonder whether or not it will reach deep enough to help the piriformis.
Attached is a photo of my lifesavers for back, leg muscle, and piriformis sorenes. I use the ball similarly to Ruthio’s cat stretch. I just lie on my stomach over the ball and then on my back for a couple of minutes at a time, allowing my back to stretch completely out. (Lying there board one night looking at the ceiling was how I first noticed the terrible installation of my recessed lighting, but that is for another thread :roll:.) It feels sooooo good to stretch my back over that big blob! The ball is great for abs exercises too.
The other is a foam roller, but it is different than most. It is very hard with firm teeth that works as a deep massager, especially helpful on my piriformis muscles. It is an excellent piece of equipment to have on hand. I am short for time tonight, but tomorrow will find some videos that show how to use the roller. It really works on getting deep into the muscle. I highly recommend it.
OGF, thanks for the movie review! More importantly it sounds like you are finding some answers in the benefits of rest. I just hope you will let yourself go easy.
Written in a hurry with a few hours of work ahead. I do hope everyone wakes up tomorrow with well-behaving muscles :-D.
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Good morning everyone, Foxy is snowed in!..:shock:
Thanks everyone for your advice on relieving my aching back, the one suggesting being restrained by Mups and Massaged by Ruthio is of particular interest…
Had I not been snowed in, I would be hurtling down the M1 even as we speak…
Unfortunately, there is a tendency among athletes (including old ones) to adopt a knee jerk reaction to an injury, and provide treatment too early, and thereby having the opposite effect by lengthening the recovery time. In our haste to return to normal we prod and poke, stretch and bend too early. The body is a marvellous thing, and will already be taking action to disable and repair the affected muscle by producing pain and inflammation. Natural reactions to injury. But the body needs time to heal. I was going to use a ‘Scale of Ten’ to describe the pain and it’s progress, but the body heals in small increments each day, so a (Scale of fifty) would better describe the time frame required by the body to effect a decent repair. Only then, would it be the right time to restore flexibility to the Muscle with massage and stretching.
At the moment I’m thinking about ‘Damage Limitation’ because in just over a weeks time I will be starting my Caribbean holiday, so I’m being careful not to irritate my Piriformis any further, so I can hopefully have a pain free cruise. Providing the pain has greatly reduced, I expect to do some gentle swimming and sunbathing……And I should be able to return home and once again feeling refreshed, jog along those country lanes sporting some beautiful bronzed legs…
Mups…I have a very strong interest in the tens machine you describe and I will respond in a later post, but first I need to dig my vehicle out and visit Tesco for me dinner…Catch you later…
http://www.over50sforum.com/picture.php?albumid=1297&pictureid=11372
Famous last words:- We don’t get snow around here…
Good Morning, No Swimming for me this morning .
it was non stop snow through the night. BUT…Fear Not, I got my exercise as I had to dig the blooming Land Rover out.
Roll on Spring and Roll Away Beast of the East…
Well, Roxy, they say that shoveling snow is one of the hardest workouts there is - so you have earned your dessert digging your Rover free. 
I know you mentioned that your live on the coast; do you swim in the sea when the water temperatures are higher?
What a lovely photo, OGF! Everyone seems to be enjoying their winter wonderlands today. How vast this world is when a few time zones away I was spring cleaning the boat house this morning with a pair of dolphins fishing just a few feet away. How cozy it must be to enjoy a warm cup fireside with such a heavenly view out the door!
OGF, yes, do please just take it easy with your cruise coming just around the corner. It might be a perfect way to force you into some relaxation and recovery. While they have tracks on most cruise ships these days, I am a fan or running the promenade decks where there are fewer people…but don’t even think it . Hopefully you have some excursions that will afford you some enjoyable pain-free, light adventures.
Late night of astronomy work, now off to make a day of it with a late day run. Be careful, everyone, no slipping allowed :-D.