What is in your cup?

[ProfCrash]

OJ and skim milk with breakfast.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

True... I did miss those. But I did get the Meadow Muffin! That should count for something, right?



Your back acting up again? Heal up, son! The Nude Jello Wrestling is going to start soon! You do NOT want to be left out of that!


Stitchawl

Never heard of the Meadow Muffin, and having just looked it up, I realise why . Two of those for breakfast tomorrow, methinks.

Yes, I'm still struggling with my back - the Nude Jello Wrestling will have to wait (though I fail to see what is so interesting about Nude Jello ). I've finally given in to pressure and will see the doc about my back next week.

Back on the coffee for now.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

Never heard of the Meadow Muffin, and having just looked it up, I realise why .

Sorry 'bout that. I just couldn't resist.

Yes, I'm still struggling with my back - the Nude Jello Wrestling will have to wait (though I fail to see what is so interesting about Nude Jello ).

That is Karma-worthy...

I've finally given in to pressure and will see the doc about my back next week.

In 2007, the head of Orthopedic surgery at a large hospital told me that I had to have three of my vertebra fused, and the spinal canal enlarged, if I ever hoped to be able to move around without pain. I didn't want to do that. Then, just a few weeks later I met Jolie Bookspan.

We met quite 'by accident,' if you can believe such thing as 'coincidence,' and she 'fixed' my back. She and her husband have become our good friends since then, and we try to meet up at least once a year when we are in the same country at the same time. Take a look at her 'Fix your own back pain' page on her website. All the information is free. She was named "St Jude of the Joints" by Harvard Medical School clinicians for a very good reason... My own back being one of them! I never did get that surgery... Turns out I didn't need it. She solved the problem.

BTW... the guy with all the muscles on the cover of her books (at the bottom of that page) stands 6'8", hold a 3rd degree black belt, and is her husband... So just cuz she's young and cute, be careful. (Actually, she holds a 3rd degree black belt too...)


Stitchawl

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

In 2007, the head of Orthopedic surgery at a large hospital told me that I had to have three of my vertebra fused, and the spinal canal enlarged, if I ever hoped to be able to move around without pain. I didn't want to do that. Then, just a few weeks later I met Jolie Bookspan.

We met quite 'by accident,' if you can believe such thing as 'coincidence,' and she 'fixed' my back. She and her husband have become our good friends since then, and we try to meet up at least once a year when we are in the same country at the same time. Take a look at her 'Fix your own back pain' page on her website. All the information is free. She was named "St Jude of the Joints" by Harvard Medical School clinicians for a very good reason... My own back being one of them! I never did get that surgery... Turns out I didn't need it. She solved the problem.

BTW... the guy with all the muscles on the cover of her books (at the bottom of that page) stands 6'8", hold a 3rd degree black belt, and is her husband... So just cuz she's young and cute, be careful. (Actually, she holds a 3rd degree black belt too...)


Stitchawl

Thanks. I will whizz over to her page when I get back from collecting my car. I do usually make frequent use of a Chiropractor, but with the budget cut-backs, that has been one of the areas to suffer... I'm going to have to revise my view of essential vs. non-essential services.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks. I will whizz over to her page when I get back from collecting my car. I do usually make frequent use of a Chiropractor, but with the budget cut-backs, that has been one of the areas to suffer... I'm going to have to revise my view of essential vs. non-essential services.

Jolie is NOT a Chiropractor. Her doctorate is for Environmental Physiology and Exercise Physiology.

She is the Founding director, AFEM—Academy of Functional Exercise Medicine, the International teaching and certifying body for evidence-based advances in functional exercise medicine, and a University professor and instructor of anatomy and physiology, environmental physiology, exercise physiology, statistics, physical training, health, orthopedic and pain rehabilitation.

You've probably heard about hyperbaric chambers... the device in which they put divers who are suffering from 'The Bends' to recover, right? Jolie is the person who wrote the book (literally, not figuratively,) about hyperbaric medicine and the figured out the times and tables for the use of the chamber.

At the same time, she is a lively, funny, fun-loving young woman who enjoys wearing silly costumes, sitting on the floor, watching re-runs of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E., who simply LIVES to help others! She's amazing!


Stitchawl

[orlok]

The things she has to say seem very commonsense and straightforward. Not sure how easy all her advice will be to follow just by reading what she has to say, as a lot of it requires being self-aware at all times, being conscious of the way you are sitting or standing, which is hard when you get distracted. I would certainly try to secure a private session if she was local to me so that I could get some initial guidance.

Anyway, I'm off to sort out some lumbar support right now. Thanks again for the links.

Filtered water in my glass.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

The things she has to say seem very commonsense and straightforward.

She's one of the most straightforward medics I've ever run across... And what she says IS all plain common sense, which is what makes it so amazing that the rest of the medical community doesn't follow it to the letter. I guess they are just too busy writing insurance claims...

Not sure how easy all her advice will be to follow just by reading what she has to say, as a lot of it requires being self-aware at all times, being conscious of the way you are sitting or standing, which is hard when you get distracted.

It is NOT EASY AT ALL. Which is why so many people suffer from joint pain. How can we stay focused on moving 'exactly' the correct way all the time?!? The actual movements are dead easy. Remembering to do them ALL THE TIME is the hard part. I still screw up often. But my back reminds me quickly when I do, and so for the next few days I am very careful how I lift my arms or tie my shoes. But... because of her, I do notice other people as they move, and THAT serves to remind me to move correctly.

I would certainly try to secure a private session if she was local to me so that I could get some initial guidance.

That's how we met in the first place. She e-mailed me and signed up for my photo safari/photography class. I had known her name from her dive physiology books (she really is world famous because of them, more so than her other works) and joking around asked her to bring me a few new vertebra when she came. She asked why, and I told her. That led to her sending me a multi-page questionnaire about 'my' back. I answered, she wrote back with some suggestions and more questions. I answered and she wrote back with even more suggestions and a series of exercises for me to do until we met face to fact. (I was in Thailand, she in the US) A few months later, when we did meet, my back was feeling fine already! In fact, it started feeling better within a week of doing what she had suggested. Now, there are some photos of me in her books demonstrating certain stretching exercises. You can see my lovely legs!

I owe my mobility to that young lady. I haven't seen her or Paul (her husband) in two years now, and am looking forward to spending a week or two with them next year. They visit Thailand every year. Maybe she can fix my baldness?


Time for a glass of Bombay Sapphire!


Stitchawl

[CRussel]

Maybe she can fix my baldness?

Good luck with that. And sign me up if she does.

Catching up on multiple MobileRead threads today, since being pretty much tied up with software and hardware issues most of the week. I'm hoping today goes better!

Fresh squeezed orange juice, and a cup of Peet's Anniversary Breakfast Blend Tea.

[ProfCrash]

While not my back, I have real problems with my hip that effects, well, everything. My left hip is not fully formed. I was in a splint as a baby to try and force the joint into the socket. This left me with a foot that points pretty far out to the left, twisted muscles and ligaments all down my left leg because of the hip issue, and issues on my right leg which has compensated for my problems with my left.

I used to have enough pain that I could not walk some days. If I was active, I tended to be fine. The movement and activity helped strengthen all the muscles so I tended to not have problems. When I got lazy, ie college and graduate school, I could be in excrutiating pain. When my Husband proposed, I knew I wanted to lose weight, I was over 200 pounds. I found a trainer who took one look at my left leg and went "That is bad". We spent the first month only doing flexability and balance drills to start to help the left leg and he kept reminding me to focus on pointing my foot out straight, just like my right foot. It felt so weird.

Three years later and I am in week 37 of my pregnancy. I have had two bad hip days the entire pregnancy (and they were bad) but that is remarkable given the way the hip is structured. I have learned to walk with my foot forward pretty much all the time and it no longer feels strange. There are still issues but there is no way to solve those without surgery.

We can retrain our bodies to perform better if we want to take the time and make the mental adjustments. It is not easy but I prefer the lack of pain and increased mobility that comes from having focused on correcting my stance and strengthening the leg to the pain that existed when I did not focus on it. I might be able to postpone a hip and knee replacement for many years. These are good things.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by orlok

I do usually make frequent use of a Chiropractor

While I don't know about your Chiropractor, they are often charlatans dispensing woo and dangerous manipulations.

Osteopaths are rather better regulated and with less woo. And the one I'm going to is doing wonders for my frozen shoulder. It's very nearly back to normal.

[ProfCrash]

I have enjoyed going to the chiropractor during my pregnancy. At first, I was seeing her once every three weeks. I see her once a week now due to things shifting and loosening. The key is finding one who has a good reputation and who is prefectly willing to say "If you are doing X, Y, and Z then you only need to come in once a month" which is what mine does.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

That's how we met in the first place.

It was indeed very surrendipitious. What a great friend to have made.

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

While not my back, I have real problems with my hip that effects, well, everything. My left hip is not fully formed. I was in a splint as a baby to try and force the joint into the socket. This left me with a foot that points pretty far out to the left, twisted muscles and ligaments all down my left leg because of the hip issue, and issues on my right leg which has compensated for my problems with my left.

I used to have enough pain that I could not walk some days. If I was active, I tended to be fine. The movement and activity helped strengthen all the muscles so I tended to not have problems. When I got lazy, ie college and graduate school, I could be in excrutiating pain. When my Husband proposed, I knew I wanted to lose weight, I was over 200 pounds. I found a trainer who took one look at my left leg and went "That is bad". We spent the first month only doing flexability and balance drills to start to help the left leg and he kept reminding me to focus on pointing my foot out straight, just like my right foot. It felt so weird.

Three years later and I am in week 37 of my pregnancy. I have had two bad hip days the entire pregnancy (and they were bad) but that is remarkable given the way the hip is structured. I have learned to walk with my foot forward pretty much all the time and it no longer feels strange. There are still issues but there is no way to solve those without surgery.

We can retrain our bodies to perform better if we want to take the time and make the mental adjustments. It is not easy but I prefer the lack of pain and increased mobility that comes from having focused on correcting my stance and strengthening the leg to the pain that existed when I did not focus on it. I might be able to postpone a hip and knee replacement for many years. These are good things.

You have done remarkably well, especially to have gone through pregnancy with this condition. Well done.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

While I don't know about your Chiropractor, they are often charlatans dispensing woo and dangerous manipulations.

Osteopaths are rather better regulated and with less woo. And the one I'm going to is doing wonders for my frozen shoulder. It's very nearly back to normal.

I might have said the same thing a few years ago, as I first visited a Osteopath after having problems with my back as a result of falling the fulll length of a hard wooden stairway on my bum (in the Cavern Club in Tokyo, of all places!). He was superb, and really sorted me out. However, much more recently I started using one again, and all he used to do was the back-crack/spine alignment thing (where they lie on top of you and press down hard until it pops), and then he would just run his hands up and down my legs, "realigning my body waves", or some such rubbish. Put me off completely, and didn't help in the least.

I have since tried a Chiropractor practice who are registered with the General Chiropractic Council, and they have been very good, so I have continued with that.

[ProfCrash]

You have to find the ones who have the actual Doctorate in Chiropractcy (sp) and are do not do the weird stuff. I would say mine focuses a lot on stretching, flexability, and allignement. She has been known to use the bioflex with message when my back is bad. She was recommended my my GP which helped me feel more confident going there.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by orlok

I might have said the same thing a few years ago, as I first visited a Osteopath after having problems with my back as a result of falling the fulll length of a hard wooden stairway on my bum (in the Cavern Club in Tokyo, of all places!). He was superb, and really sorted me out. However, much more recently I started using one again, and all he used to do was the back-crack/spine alignment thing (where they lie on top of you and press down hard until it pops), and then he would just run his hands up and down my legs, "realigning my body waves", or some such rubbish. Put me off completely, and didn't help in the least.

It sounds like the woo was strong in that one!

Stitchawl's recommendation does seem to be very good - I read some of the site, and the idea that you need to change movement habits rather than do specific exercises seems very sensible to me.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

It sounds like the woo was strong in that one!

Stitchawl's recommendation does seem to be very good - I read some of the site, and the idea that you need to change movement habits rather than do specific exercises seems very sensible to me.

yes, it makes sense here, too. Very interesting.

On my 5th or 6th cup of tea today, I've lost count. Been rainy when it should have been sunny, and I want to whine. But the plumber is gone, and it was less than $1,000, so I can't complain.

Lapsang Souchong.