Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
I'm writing this post to in hope that others who have similar conditions to me would share their experiences and the things they did to overcome certain obstacles.
I'm a pretty heavy guy, I started off weighing 155kg (approx 310lb) and I have reduced it to 140kg (approx 280lb) through moderate diet and exercise, which includes walking when I'm not training. My height is about 183cm (6ft 1in) and my target is to reduce my weight to 100kg (200lb). My Sensei is very understanding and whenever I feel I've reached a limit to what a joint has reached, I stop and sit down, he also asks me to do the same. In August, I hurt my shoulder (which was dislocated 15 years ago), which wasn't major, and I went to a holistic practitioner, who put me off training for six weeks, and series of massages and yogic exercises, which brought me back to balance, but missing the training was awefull, what I missed most about it is the flow of energy, and the confidence and the energy I had, I couldn't imagine doing that again. Now, I've hurt my knee (when I say hurt, I don't mean debilitating pain, just a discomfort), and in specific, my patella, and I attended two classes wearing special patella/knee support, then I went to a specialist, who said I had a minor abrasion and its nothing to worry about, then recommended one week rest and anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers. I want to know I can do something at home to help the healing process, like a warm pack, or a hot patch, or if there are any devices in the market that use ultra sound to stimulate healing. At the moment, I don't do any knee spraining activities, like seweri waza, shikko (knee walking), but I do seiza. I still don't know how to forward roll, and I try the exercise on extra mats to avoid injury and stop when I feel I've had enough. My Sensei tells me to take all the time I need, but I should take one step at a time. I take knee support supplements (for a year now) Glucasomin, Chondroitin and MSM (I read the infamous thread: http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3686) which I believe have made a difference. When I first got the pain in my knees, I put a cold pack, but I kept doing it for one week, then I realized I should only do it the first time and then use warm packs afterward. Any help on this would be appreciated. I'd really like to hear your insights, opinions, ideas, suggestions, experiences, in hope that I could also benefit. Aikido to me is more than physical exercise, and I want to do it for as long as I live, so I want to do it safe and I want to do it right. |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Welcome and perservere with the training. I am 6ft 5 and of big build and have been training for 14 years and initially had various aches and pains. I would agree with your sensei just do as much as you are comfortable with and take it slow and easy. You are in it for the long term.
I would recommend hatha yoga which is gentle and will help increase your flexibility (it was of great help to me and I went for a year). If you do not have access to a good yoga centre just try gentle stretching every day. Resting your joints and muscles is equally important as it allows your body to adapt. Good luck |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Welcome from another big guy.
Train relaxed and train wisely. |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Hi Mohammad,
I believe in the "shotgun method" for dealing with injuries: try several things that (generally speaking) help with this type of injury, and hopefully one or more will hit the target. The standard RICE prescription -- rest, ice, anti-inflammatory, elevation -- is an example of that. In addition, I like to add one or more Chinese patent medicines. I don't know if you can get any of these in Dubai, but I'm quite fond of Wu Yang plasters, which do a good job at reducing inflammation. Tiger Balm, Kwan Loong oil, Taoist healing oil are also good topical remedies -- they don't do as good a job on the inflammation as the plasters, but they are more comforting on minor muscle aches. Yunnan baiyao is a Chinese patent medicine formula that's sold in various topical preparations (plasters and liniments) and also in a capsule form to be taken internally -- it's good for trauma of all sorts. All of these things can help, but none of it is a magic bullet. The real key is to learn to listen to your body, to sense not just the severity but also the nature of the injury, and to know what stage it's at. Some kinds of pain mean, "I'm really aggravated and I do not want to be used now," others mean, "I'm cranky because I'm all stiff and I need gentle motion," some say, "I want ice," others say, "I want heat". Unfortunately, the only way to learn your body's signals is through painful experience. Listen to your body's signals, try different things, see what changes. Over time, you can develop self-care skills that will help you avoid many injuries and effectively treat the ones you have. |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Well done in losing the excess feller..... keep doing so and that will ease the stress on your joints..... just listen and don't kill yourself.....
Improve your muscle tissue with either light weight training and/or a mixture of isotonic/isometric exercise and light weights..... when your joint issue is ok train squats gradually until you can do 100 with comfort....never rush it and start with what you can do comfortably...... add a little more each time. At 55 still do this regularly with fast walking for aerobic exercise or a bicycle if you have one.... Do whats reasonable.... Tony |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
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http://www.goodhealthinfo.net/mdr/home_remedies.htm http://www.imss.macrobiotic.net/home...#anchor3352697 Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Thanks James, that is a lot of support reading your post. I do have access to a great South Indian Vedic Doctor who has taught me a some good Asanas and Yogic exercises.
I do listen to my body, and I also get my bokken with me, and whenever I feel slight pain starting in my knee, or any other place, I spend the rest of the class practicing bokken strikes. Thanks for your post. I appreciate it. Mohammad Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
And a Salut to you Lynn, thank you. I will indeed train wisely. There is no rush as I'm in it for the long run.
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Great post, thanks Mary. I have come to realize that I need to attack from all angles. I'm grateful (through experience) that I am careful about what my body tells me and never push more than I can.
I have heard about tiger balm and I use a different kind of medicated plasters. I'm knew to ICE and I was told by my doctor that I should apply it within 48 hours only, then I should use hot... I'm playing with that and that works well. I will look into the Chinese medicines that you referred to, and will look into them, because frankly, my stomach is telling me to stop the anti inflammatory drugs. Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Hi Shaun,
I found your feedback to be very valuable. I loved the links you sent me on home remedies and I have been using the salt pach and the salts baths. I'll take your advice regarding the supplements more seriously, and regarding sieza. Many thanks to you. Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
It sounds like you are taking good care already. When soft tissue is damaged, there is a 6 to 8 wk healing time based on things going on at the cellular level; my understanding is that it is easy to mess up and redamage (and make acute injuries into chronic ones) but not much way to speed the healing - things like RICE, etc are good for healing but simply create an optimal healing environment during the above time period. In terms of ice vs heat: the usual rule of thumb is ice to an acute injury during the first three days PLUS whenever swelling recurs; heat to spasmed muscles and to chronic injuries. For things like arthritis and the intermediate healing period, mostly the advice now seems to be: whichever feels better to you.
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
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I've also heard good things about using turmeric as an anti-inflammatory but, while I cook with it a lot, haven't used it specifically for that. Mary, any details about amounts? |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
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I stopped with semi-regular ibuprofen and went on Glucosamine and my twingy shoulder is much better now. Everyone over forty who does serious physically stressful work or exercise should seriously consider regular glucosamine. We stop making it (it is the nutrient used to grow new cartilage on the ends of growing bone in children and young adults) and so healing of those types of tissues is much slower unless you have supplements for what the fully adult body no longer produces. Zinc is also very important for healing (and metabolism and immune function) and most people these days tend to be zinc deficient (that's mainly why zinc-based cold remedies work -- they provide in situ supplements for what the cells are systemically lacking). |
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Train safely and have fun! I'd bet that taking it easy and respecting the limits of your body at first will pay off in the long run with increased strength, stamina, and flexibility.:) |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Yes, I do, and sometimes I take stronger stuff.
I'm really glad you pointed out turmeric, because I've always heard about it but never gave it a try, now it will. Thanks for that. Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
I am pretty cautious, because I know the limitations of my body and I want to enjoy training because it does me more than just the movement.
I made a mistake with RICE when I applied ice for a whole week, and the pain increased, so I started heat and that did me better. Practicing Aikido has helped me a lot to learn about how to manage my health and how to find workarounds for common pain killers and pharmaceuticals. Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
This might help, even though it is a commercial product, but it should give you an indication as to the dosage and administration:
http://www.puritan.com/herb-products...apsules-000525 Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
You are right, NSAIDS are terrible on the long run, especially with GI issues.
Medical professionals argue that Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM/SAM-e are not cures for these problems, some studies prove them right and some otherwise. But I choose to supplement with it them as a food supplement, as we may not be getting the necessary nutrients from our food, while still keeping an open mind to updates on their status on health and new products. A friend of mine eats Lamb and Beef Feet (and oxtail) (he claims they are thoroughly cleaned and edible) and cooks them using a pressure cooker, mainly for the soup but he tells me that he feels his joints are solid for a good two days. I think I'll start with frozen oxtail from our local market... Not into the feet stuff. Quote:
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
First off, i would like to cheer you on your perseverance.
Take it from someone who's been at 120kg. Aikido at 75kg is a breeze on the knees and ankles. So the best thing to do is to get your weight down. Proper diet, weight management program, exercise - cardio and weights should get you on the right track. Meds - not a good idea in the long run. You don't feel the pain doesn't mean there isn't something wrong with your joints. Aikido in itself should be healing when practiced properly. Try to practice the ki movements more. Misogi, funakogi undo especially. |
Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
Thanks Jeremy, I'm going to consider turmeric and hopefully the taking it easy will pay off in the long run.
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Re: Love training, and I have a heavy build and joint issues.
That is very inspiring, well done! Aikido is healing for me already, in many ways, that is. I becoming more flexible and have better fitness as I am, but I will take your advice and I crave to practicing Aikido at a lighter weight, as I can only imagine how ecstatic that would be.
Thanks Ahmad. Quote:
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