Well, I guess I put this goal off as long as I could. Today is about adding exercise. My idea of exercise is really keeping up with the kids, cleaning, and organizing. And, while all of those things DO provide a level of exercise, I need to do something more regularly.
I’ve recently been to the orthopedic doc about my knee. I have chronic pain in my knee that comes and goes, and seems to be related to the fact that I sat in a strange way for 4 years many moons ago when I worked in customer service for a major credit card company. Good times…NOT (think 12 hour days of answering customers problem calls – no one ever calls to compliment, only to complain)!
At the time, it was a comfortable way to sit (and I still find myself sitting a half-Indian-style position sometimes), but has come back to haunt me in the form of knee pain, and as the doc said, “A ganglion cyst near the meniscus”. When I aggravate it in some way, my knee is sure to let me know the next day, and a few weeks ago, it was so bad that I could barely walk…hence the trip to the ortho doc.
Unfortunately, this condition is not something that you would do surgery with, and the cyst is so small they don’t recommend trying to inject it with cortisone (which, actually might do some more damage than good), so the best form of treatment is….EXERCISE!
Yup, strange, I know. But, when you strengthen the muscles in the quads, then, apparently, this helps the knee joint as well (has to do with it being more supported). I’ve made this connection, albeit fuzzily, before, since I knew that for some reason my knee always felt better after a week or so of exercise (the first week, not so much). So, there we have it. Must exercise to help the knee feel better.
So, today’s goal is to exercise on my handy, dandy Horizon EX-33 Elliptical Machine that I happen to have in my living room (collecting dust, much to my husband’s dismay), twice a week. I’m starting out with a low goal – twice a week for 20 minutes at a time. Lucky for me, I can multitask in this case as well, and so I plan to read at the same time I exercise (or watch one of my 2 TV programs – literally – I hardly watch any TV at all – it’s not good for you!).
On the reading goal front, I am excited to say that I’m almost finished with book 4 of 4 that were “in process” earlier this month – What is a Family? by Edith Schaeffer! And, I’m trying to hurry, because I have a new book, Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, waiting in the wings that just came, and I am anxious to start it!
Off to exercise…and read…
To your success,
Dr. Laura
