Enough Already! Calf Muscle and DVT’s
It is really annoying when you think you are well on the road to recovery after an injury only to find there is another hurdle to get over.
After suffering a calf muscle tear 3 weeks ago, this week I had noticed huge improvements in my mobility and flexibility. My plan was to ditch the crutches next week and start walking on my own.
While at work on Wednesday, I started to feel quite a bit of pain in my leg and by the evening it was pretty nasty. Yesterday I went to my regular physio appointment and after a quick consultation my physio was quite concerned that I may have a DVT.
So rather than getting a physio treatment, I instead went straight to the Doctors and had the first of an anti-clotting injection.
I will be fine but the point here is that some injuries can have a really big impact on your health and during these times you need to be more disciplined than ever and not give in.
10 minute workout
This is a nice video from Craig over at Turbulence Training with a 10 minute workout.
It looks good, I will try this one out over the weekend. Thanks Craig.
A lot of people don’t believe it’s possible to get an incredible workout in only 10 minutes that will help with your fat loss program. But, of course you can and it’s very simple.
Start with a general bodyweight exercise as your warm-up. So, in this example I am going to do a bodyweight squat with hands in front, and pair that with a push up. If you’re a beginner, then you can easily substitute wall squats and kneeling push ups.
Complete two rounds of that superset, performing 10 repetitions for each. Once you have finished the warm-up superset, your body should be ready for the next round of exercises.
The two best exercises to couple together in a 10-minute workout are the dumbbell squat exercise and the dumbbell chest press. When doing the former exercise, obviously you are working your lower body, but you are also
working your upper back by holding those dumbbells in position.
For the first set I want you to pick a weight that is relatively easy. So, choose a weight that you could normally do for 15 repetitions and only do 10. After you finish the 10 reps move on to the chest press and follow the same method.
One of the great things about this dumbbell pairing is that you can usually use the same weight you used for the squat as you use for the chest press, saving you time. After finishing the first round of the superset, increase the weight, so that it is now a very difficult challenge. Now, you will want to complete the set performing 8 repetitions. If 8 reps is still too easy, then add more weight and continue on.
Do as much as you can in 10 minutes and that’s your workout. If you follow the guidelines I have outlined and combine it with a quick warm-up and the proper weights, then you can get a great total body workout in only 10
minutes that will increase your metabolism, burn fat, and build muscle.
Torn Calf Muscle – Update
One of the most ridiculous and surprising things about injuring my calf muscle has been the rising panic I am feeling about not exercising.
Not being able to be active and spending most of my day sitting on a couch or chair at work has done nothing to ease these feelings. It has made me realize just how much I enjoy being up, mobile and active.
I really miss my afternoon walks with my partner and our dog. I suspect my dog is also missing my company on his walk as he regularly stops to look back at me sitting on the park bench.
It has been almost two weeks since I heard that dreaded popping sound and what I thought was someone throwing a very hard ball at my leg. Today I finally get to have an ultra-sound to find out how bad the tear is and what muscle I have injured. I can then organize physio and work out a plan to get my leg back in shape.
To say that I am almost desperate to be exercising is an understatement. I really can’t imagine spending every day sitting on my couch and have had time to reflect and wonder how other people do it. Some, I realize simply can’t move much due to health issues that prohibit much activity. But I know there are many out there that simply spend most of their day and night sitting on their bum.
Office workers, drivers and others who have a job that involves mostly sitting down need to make a conscious effort to fit exercise in to their day.
For me, the rising panic isn’t that I may put on weight during this forced down time but more a niggling concern that my calf muscle may not be as strong as I thought and that perhaps in the future I may injure it again.
So for me the focus in the coming weeks will be to do everything I can to get my leg back in shape and finally get back on those afternoon walks with my family and the workouts I am missing so much!
App Review for iPhone & iPod Touch: 321 Run!
Sarah reviews another great application for those lucky enough to have an iPhone or iPod. This one is free as well, got to love that!
The Benefits of Beans
I love beans. We always have a variety of beans in our pantry from kidney beans through to bean mixes. They are one of those foods that are incredibly versatile, healthy and cheap.
On average, beans contain almost the same amount of protein found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products and nearly twice as much protein in a small bowl of oats or two slices of bread.
They contain two types of fibre that help to control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels and the other helps to keep you regular.
Beans are also sources of zinc, magnesium, certain B vitamins (thiamine, ribo-flavin, and niacin) and iron.
Because beans contain a naturally produced digestive hormone (cholecystokinin), a natural appetite suppressant, you will find it helps with weight loss.
Beans are an incredibly versatile food to have handy and can be added to salads, pastas, chili, rice dishes, tacos, soups and make an excellent healthy dip.
If buying baked beans, be sure to go with salt reduced or no added salt and stay away from those containing ham or other sauces.
All in all beans are an excellent healthy option to have in your pantry.
Torn Calf Muscle
We have just returned after a wonderful 4 day break on a friends farm.
It was a truly amazing short holiday with long walks taking between 5 hours every day. We walked over rough terrain, through paddocks, brooks and uneven ground.
This morning I woke with a really sore calf muscle which I put down to our long walks. I noticed when I was heading down to the kitchen to make a coffee that my right calf muscle was particularly sore. So sore that as I headed down the stairs I had to support my weight on the stair rails.
That probably should have been a warning ;)
After coffee and a shower I decided to head off for a quick run. The very moment I went to sprint I thought someone had thrown a ball at my lower leg. I looked around expecting to see my friend or partner standing there but instead lost control of my right foot and fell to the ground. During this time I heard a popping sound and not long after a fair amount of pain.
I tried to get up but realised my foot was dragging. Not a good sign ;)
Being on a holiday with you as the only driver with a lame right leg is not a particularly pleasant reality. I spent the next hour trying to walk it off which was challenging given my foot was not working!
I managed to get home in one piece, thank goodness for the automatic car!
The Doctor has confirmed what I already knew, I have torn my calf muscle and apparently “done a good job of it”, so my Doc says!
I can’t go to work at least for the next couple of days and he isn’t too sure if I’ll be walking by the end of the week.
So, what can we learn from my little experience today? Listen to your body. When any part of your body is so sore that you can put weight on it, don’t go running off or do anything that requires a quick burst.
Warm up! I didn’t stretch or warm up at all. It was a spur of the moment thing and I am really paying the price now!
I found this great post with plenty of comments from fellow torn calf muscle people that may be of interest, especially if you are sitting on the couch with your leg elevated and wishing your calf would heal quickly!
Free iPod Touch Application for Runners
This looks like a nice little application to run on your iPod Touch and it’s free!
I don’t have an iPod so can’t add my own thoughts to this but Sarah does a good job of summing up the features.
You can check out their website for further details with links to the application: http://www.applabs.nl
Let us know if you are using this or any health/fitness related application that you feel could be of interest to the IDH community!