Breakthroughs Can Happen When You Believe In Yourself

I've worn out my patellar cartlidge in my left knee and the right one is complaining it's quitting soon - bummer to say the least.  So, while I wait for some 'goop' to be injected into my knees to buy me a few more years of jumping and kicking fun, I'm back to yoga and sometimes some good old boxing.  This is a self reinvention; the warrior is becoming a yogi again.   I've bought myself proper yoga clothing so I don't stick out in the class like Godzilla in my Muay Thai shorts.  I've been wearing a specially fit hinged brace for my left knee which enables me to walk, do yoga and box - basic activities we all take for granted that have been impossible or just plain painful.  Hence, the reservations of taking a chance to do different yoga poses (although I taught yoga to martial artists for years)....ah, fear and what torments it will play with your mind.  Today, I went into class and decided that my 'magic brace' was going to hold me steady as my physical therapist swears.  I had a mental and physical breakthrough.  For the first time in a few months, I jumped back into my chattaronga pushups, bent my left knee without pain and truly enjoyed the class....my mantra and devotion to today's practice was 'I CAN'...not the "I can't" I've allowed fear to shout to me previously.  I forgot how much yoga could be fun and challenging.  Breakthroughs and transformations...I think I'll explore this thought a bit more and get back to you on it....to be continued....

Heres Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Believe in Yourself...breakthroughs CAN happen!

SO...You Wrenched Your Back...Again...

You played that Saturday morning tennis match or round of golf....thought you were Serena Williams or Tiger Woods and really went for that tough shot....now it's Sunday morning and you can't move without yelping in pain and realize I don't work weekends.  What's a doggie to do???

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  How many times have I had patients call early Monday morning because they wrenched their backs out on Saturday morning and haven't been able to move since then.  How many times have I suggested daily yoga, stretching and a weekly acupuncture session to ensure this doesn't happen?  If you listen to what I tell you to do, and come in for your weekly treatments, you would improve your game....not regress.  If you come in for treatments only when you are injured, you defeat the purpose of your game - to get better, stronger, faster and much more precise.  Get with the program today:  exercise, stretch and come in for weekly sessions!

Post Operative Recovery Tip

I've just had arthroscopic surgery performed on my left knee 8 days ago. Too many years of jamming my knee into too many competitors' ribs led to an inevitable 'cleanup' job. 8 days post op, I'm on the exercise bike everyday for 30 minutes, I have full extension of the knee, almost full flexion, and am doing all my physical therapy exercises to strengthen my core and quads. We expect I will be on the elliptical machine within 7 days and I WILL RUN AGAIN! '
Here's the tip of the day:
If you are surgery-bound, get set up for your physical therapy sessions and get to them as soon as you can. This makes a huge difference in the healing process. DO WHAT I DID: acupuncture before and after surgery speeds up healing, reduces swelling and scarring. Low Level Laser treatments twice weekly for the first 4 weeks will shave so much time off your road to full recovery.

Stay tuned for more on my personal progress and stay healthy!