My legs suck
February 15, 2009 10:04 AM Subscribe
Exercise options for a person with a history of compartment syndrome
I'm 20. Had compartment syndrome two years ago in my left leg due to overexertion from a in-retrospect-silly month and a half of kendo ; my left leg was operated on. My right leg at the time nearly needed surgery as well, but was not operated on. This last year, for fun, I did some swing dancing and a little bit of ballroom as well in my spare time, among the various things I did for fun, to get some exercise, and after doing it twice a week for a few weeks, two or three hours at a time, my right leg developed a bit of pitted edema which stopped as soon as I stopped going to the swing stuff, but I gained weight.
I want to get some exercise, but I am mortified that I will have to have another operation again, which would fuck things up for a whole week or two weeks. What can I do to lose weight and not end up back in the hospital? It's better if it's a mentally stimulating activity so it doesn't feel like exercise.
I'm 20. Had compartment syndrome two years ago in my left leg due to overexertion from a in-retrospect-silly month and a half of kendo ; my left leg was operated on. My right leg at the time nearly needed surgery as well, but was not operated on. This last year, for fun, I did some swing dancing and a little bit of ballroom as well in my spare time, among the various things I did for fun, to get some exercise, and after doing it twice a week for a few weeks, two or three hours at a time, my right leg developed a bit of pitted edema which stopped as soon as I stopped going to the swing stuff, but I gained weight.
I want to get some exercise, but I am mortified that I will have to have another operation again, which would fuck things up for a whole week or two weeks. What can I do to lose weight and not end up back in the hospital? It's better if it's a mentally stimulating activity so it doesn't feel like exercise.
Best answer: You have a problem caused/exacerbated by overuse. Stop doing activities for 2-3 hours at a go. That is overuse, especially when added with no ramp-up. Surely your doctor gave you some guidelines after your surgery about this. If not, perhaps you should ask them for some. BTW, a one or two week layoff is trivial. If you really do need the surgery on your other leg, just get it. It is much easier to find a week or two of downtime at 20 than it will be when you are older.
As for activities that won't cause you problems, well, I used to have a much less serious version of this when I mostly ran or used the elliptical trainer. Now that I mostly lift weights and occasionally run shorter distances, I never have it. I also don't work out every day and my workouts are almost always limited to less than an hour. So I think that is an option, if you find it mentally stimulating (I find weight lifting incredibly mentally stimulating, but ymmv).
If you're worried about your weight, eat better. Exercise is important but relying on it to maintain your weight is a suckers game that leads to exactly the sort of overuse injuries you are currently experiencing. Don't think of exercise as a thing that burns off calories so you can eat more, think of the food you eat as a means to sustain a healthy and happy body.
posted by ch1x0r at 11:30 AM on February 15, 2009
As for activities that won't cause you problems, well, I used to have a much less serious version of this when I mostly ran or used the elliptical trainer. Now that I mostly lift weights and occasionally run shorter distances, I never have it. I also don't work out every day and my workouts are almost always limited to less than an hour. So I think that is an option, if you find it mentally stimulating (I find weight lifting incredibly mentally stimulating, but ymmv).
If you're worried about your weight, eat better. Exercise is important but relying on it to maintain your weight is a suckers game that leads to exactly the sort of overuse injuries you are currently experiencing. Don't think of exercise as a thing that burns off calories so you can eat more, think of the food you eat as a means to sustain a healthy and happy body.
posted by ch1x0r at 11:30 AM on February 15, 2009
Well, none of us can read your mind to tell you what you find stimulating.
I think your best bet is non weight bearing exercise, such as swimming or recline bike. But you did not mention specifically what muscles are affected and your best bet would be to get some guidelines from a doctor.
Also 2 - 3 hours of activity should not affect a normal healthy person this way. Do you have a predisposition for this syndrome? Are you "overweight"? Neither of those questions are my business, but maybe considerations in asking a doctor about.
posted by P.o.B. at 12:38 PM on February 15, 2009
I think your best bet is non weight bearing exercise, such as swimming or recline bike. But you did not mention specifically what muscles are affected and your best bet would be to get some guidelines from a doctor.
Also 2 - 3 hours of activity should not affect a normal healthy person this way. Do you have a predisposition for this syndrome? Are you "overweight"? Neither of those questions are my business, but maybe considerations in asking a doctor about.
posted by P.o.B. at 12:38 PM on February 15, 2009
Response by poster: P.o.B., in response to your question, I have absolutely no clue whether I have a predisposition for this syndrome. I also do need to lose a few pounds, but I'm not sure whether I'm overweight or obese as I've got quite a lot of muscle.
posted by kldickson at 1:03 PM on February 15, 2009
posted by kldickson at 1:03 PM on February 15, 2009
Response by poster: Mostly because I've been told I look 30 pounds lighter than the scale says I am!
posted by kldickson at 1:05 PM on February 15, 2009
posted by kldickson at 1:05 PM on February 15, 2009
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posted by KokuRyu at 10:22 AM on February 15, 2009