Monday, September 18, 2017

Surgery Recovery Tips

   My father recently went through arthoscopic back surgery, at age 87. A hairline fracture in his lumbar spine (L4) developed into a full break when he was moving some packages around last month.
   He had about three weeks of inactivity as he tried rest and some moderate pain relievers, to no avail. An MRI finally revealed the break, and he went through successful surgery at St. Barnabas Hospital two weeks ago.
    His care at St. Barnabas was great. Truly caring nurses who attended to him at any time as he recovered from the surgery and the affects of the anesthesia that was required.
    With a couple of other health issues as well (nothing unusual for someone that age), my father, who has always led a very moderate, healthy lifestyle, was weak after the surgery. Most striking was the difficulty in getting up from a seated position, and lack of balance.
     The doctor prescribed a stay at Kessler Rehabilitation Institute in West Orange, and again, the care was top-notch. Morning and afternoon sessions with the therapists, regaining the skills we all take for granted, until they are compromised.
       At home now, we are working on re-building his endurance with walks in the outside air. Walking outside, with pitches in the road and slightly uneven pavement, requires more balance than indoors, engaging your core muscles more.
        The outside air is also a key component, especially after being cooped inside for most of a month. He lost about eight pounds off a thin frame with the trauma of the surgery and ensuing loss of appetite, so he's getting his calories back up, which is helping with his strength. We're making sure his water intake is sufficient, too, as dehydration due to fatigue and loss of appetite is common in seniors.
      He's working with a Physical Therapist at home, and we also are continuing a light weight workout that they did with him at Kessler to retain upper body strength. We're also incorporating balance into that, with things as simple as bicep curls with one foot flat, standing on the other toes; or one foot flat, the other on a soft pillow. He's making great progress!
     With a caring, competent wife as a partner, and large family around, he has a good support system around him, which is also key in the recovery process.  He's getting back to his old self.
     Endurance exercise, balance work, and strength training. The key components (as well as trying to maintain a positive attitude), to healthy aging, and a healthy life, overall.

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Pain Relievers and Running

  When I tore my meniscus a few years back, a couple of Aleve every day kept me functioning, working with training clients five hours a day, and, of course, my own workouts.
    Forgoing surgery, "K Tape," swimming, and a couple of visits with my sports therapist kept me going, along with my ibuprofen. So I'd remember, I'd take my Aleve first thing in the morning with my vitamins.
     That was a mistake. When I had my annual physical a couple of months later, the only number slightly skewered was the liver enzymes. The doctor told me to go "cold turkey" on any ibuprofen for three months, and re-take the blood test. While my knees were much creakier, my liver numbers had returned to normal.
     As much as I love running and want to remain somewhat relevant as a runner, I realize a fully operating liver as more important. I will still take Aleve (and it really does help!), but only one tablet when I'm really suffering ( I have arthritis in both knees), and and always with food.
    My mistake wasn't the medication as much as taking it on an empty stomach - just stupid!
    A recent column by Dr. Robert Schmerling of Harvard College addressed ibuprofen and exercise.
In his "Ask The Harvard Experts" column, Dr. Schmerling acknowledged that over-the-counter medications like Aleve, Advil, and Motrin can definitely reduce pain and inflammation in runners and other athletes, and also lower body temperatures when someone has a fever.
    "The safety profile is quite good," the Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Medicine
explained, and that's why they are available over the counter.
     However, like any other drug, you have to be careful. Side effects Dr. Schmerling listed include
upset stomach, intestinal bleeding, kidney injury, and and increased heart attack risk.
     He acknowledged that many marathoners and other endurance athletes take these medications before a workout to mask existing aches and pains and improve performance.
   However, marathoners and and ultra-marathoners are prone to dehydration and kidney damage, which can be exasperated with these drugs, particularly if taken during the midst of a competition .
   Bottom line, If you are taking any of these drugs, make sure you are going for regular blood tests, and stay away if you have any history of stomach ulcers or kidney disease. When in doubt, check with your doctor.
    Aleve has kept me running many times when I probably shouldn't have, and really eases my knee pain in a hard workout. As the doctor says, just be sensible, something that is counter-intuitive to long-distance runners!