walking for pain

Urban ranger is an inspirational metaphor to get you walking. Warning: there is poetry involved. Discuss it here.
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chiangmaiboss
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Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:20 am

walking for pain

Post by chiangmaiboss » Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:37 am

I have back injury and it seems the only thing which helps is walking. When I get up in morning or even from a chair it is an extremely difficult and painful process. However I force myself to walk 5-15 miles a day and despite the pain it is helping. When I first start walking I can only take small baby steps but after 1/2 hour or more I can take large strides and walk almost normally. After I walk I can tie shoelaces and do other things I cannot do in morning. Unfortunately after I sleep I have to get up and start all over again. I have walking stick and sometimes I need it and sometimes I don't. But I have been making progress every day and have even lost a little weight.
Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan, Thailand

Kevin
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Re: walking for pain

Post by Kevin » Fri Oct 02, 2009 1:15 pm

Have you seen someone about it? That amount of pain could be something like a pinched nerve that could be helped a lot by appropriate stretching exercises.
chiangmaiboss wrote:I have back injury and it seems the only thing which helps is walking. When I get up in morning or even from a chair it is an extremely difficult and painful process. However I force myself to walk 5-15 miles a day and despite the pain it is helping. When I first start walking I can only take small baby steps but after 1/2 hour or more I can take large strides and walk almost normally. After I walk I can tie shoelaces and do other things I cannot do in morning. Unfortunately after I sleep I have to get up and start all over again. I have walking stick and sometimes I need it and sometimes I don't. But I have been making progress every day and have even lost a little weight.
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."

chiangmaiboss
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:20 am

Post by chiangmaiboss » Sat Oct 03, 2009 12:58 am

Thanks Kevin. I am actually planning to go to hospital today. Yesterday I walked for about 2 hours and for the first time since injury this did not help at all and it was very slow and painful, plus I now seem to have some kind of stomach problem which is very common in Thailand. It happens from time to time and is usually no big deal but does present extra problems when going long distances, as you can imagine.
Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan, Thailand

chiangmaiboss
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:20 am

Post by chiangmaiboss » Tue Oct 27, 2009 8:04 am

I went to doctor and found I had herniated disk. Doctor was not impressed that despite herniated disk, I had still been walking up to 15 miles a day and doing 100 push ups and 300 squats. He told me to stay in bed and do nothing. It is over a month later and I am much better. I never did stay in bed but I did quit walking for a couple of days and did not do exercise of any kind. After a week or so I started walking again with walking stick and doing isometric exercises that did not use back muscles. I found a book of Chinese medicine and did tai chi and chi kung exercises for my back. Now I walk 40-60 minutes a day with no walking stick. I go at fast pace and there is no pain. However, I still have sciatica and my legs ache a lot especially at night. However, I am grateful to be somewhat normal again and rangering around Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan, Thailand

Kevin
Posts: 1269
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 9:02 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Kevin » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:35 pm

I'm glad you are at least a bit better.
chiangmaiboss wrote:I went to doctor and found I had herniated disk. Doctor was not impressed that despite herniated disk, I had still been walking up to 15 miles a day and doing 100 push ups and 300 squats. He told me to stay in bed and do nothing. It is over a month later and I am much better. I never did stay in bed but I did quit walking for a couple of days and did not do exercise of any kind. After a week or so I started walking again with walking stick and doing isometric exercises that did not use back muscles. I found a book of Chinese medicine and did tai chi and chi kung exercises for my back. Now I walk 40-60 minutes a day with no walking stick. I go at fast pace and there is no pain. However, I still have sciatica and my legs ache a lot especially at night. However, I am grateful to be somewhat normal again and rangering around Chiang Mai.
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."

chiangmaiboss
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:20 am

Post by chiangmaiboss » Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:20 am

Thanks Kevin. Actually I am much better. Did powerwalking today for over an hour with no problem.
Chiang Mai and Nakhon Sawan, Thailand

Kevin
Posts: 1269
Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 9:02 pm
Location: Maryland, USA

Post by Kevin » Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:59 am

I guess that just goes to show how natural walking is for humans.
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Sun Nov 01, 2009 12:53 pm

I'm sorry this has been such an ordeal for you -- but glad to hear things are looking up. Your determination is impressive!

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