The Glade 4.0

Over the past year, due to health issues, I've gone from 135 pounds and feeling and looking good back up to 148 pounds about 2 months ago, and now back down to 135 pounds. Unfortunately I've lost a lot of muscle this past 2 months, mostly in my legs. I am unable to get down on a floor mat to do some exercises, and my left leg is very weak. What can I do under these circumstances to rebuild muscle mass in my legs and still not aggravate the pain in my left leg? I don't want to put on weight, just improve the strength and muscle mass in my legs.

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"Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use one!"~ Matthew Quigley

"nothing like a little meow in bed at night" ~ Bruskey

"I gotta float my stick same as you" Hondo Lane

"Fill your hand you son of a *****!"

Others may have better suggestions, but swimming is the first thing that comes to mind for me. Either gentle treading and lap swimming, or any type of water aerobics.

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Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.

I wish I could, NephyrS, however hubby took it upon himself two years ago to drain our above ground pool in order to repair a couple of small tears in the lining. He never repaired those tears and the pool has been sitting in the sun, without water, for the past two years. What would have been a minor fix then is now going to be a major lining replacement.

(Yes, I know I could have taken care of this, but we both have our "jobs" and his is to deal with contractors, since that is what he has done for the past 30 + years...besides, he promised to take care of it and promises should mean something)

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"Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use one!"~ Matthew Quigley

"nothing like a little meow in bed at night" ~ Bruskey

"I gotta float my stick same as you" Hondo Lane

"Fill your hand you son of a *****!"

I'd recommend you talk with your doc, Jasmy. In all likelihood, though, some sort of water exercise is going to be your best option. So if your pool is out of commission for a while, then I'd look at a health club or a community pool. There may be some kind of water aerobics class offered. Another option might be bicycling for low impact on your knee, but definitely talk to your doc first.

Also consider a muscle building/retaining supplement. But you dont neccisarily need to get some kind of bodybuilder stuff, the Revigor they advertise as being in Ensure is basically the same stuff that's given to at-risk post-surgery patients (except what we give is called Juven and requires a doc's order).

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Women are from Hoboken, men are from Trenton. ~ Jimmy Kimmel

Look into the local Y and see if they offer swim aerobic classes, alternatively, talk to your doctor and see if he can recommend something like that.

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The U. S. Constitution doesn't guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself. B. Franklin

"A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone." -- Tyrion Lannister, A Game of Thrones

Not sure what kind of strength you're looking for, but if your knees aren't too bad I'd recommend a stationary bike. That will build up the muscles you use to walk up stairs and the like. And if you pedal with the front end of your feet (instead of placing the pedal under your arch) then you'll build your calves nicely too.

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Les Zombis et les Loups-Garous!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I emailed my doctor last night to update him on my pain situation, which is improving, with the exception of my left knee. When he gets back to me I will talk to him about exercise, etc. I think the first thing he and I need to do is figure out the knee pain issue and go from there.

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"Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use one!"~ Matthew Quigley

"nothing like a little meow in bed at night" ~ Bruskey

"I gotta float my stick same as you" Hondo Lane

"Fill your hand you son of a *****!"

I'd worry about biking with leg pain- if the bike isn't adjusted just right, you can really cause ankle, knee and hip issues even if you didn't have them already.

I'd definitely look into a local pool, or even a local gym membership for a few months. I think it's going to be your best bet.

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Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.

To be honest if your left leg has lost more muscle than the right, I'd be looking at physical therapy. This is not something I would try to DIY because you can cause permanent damage trying to catch up.

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Where is the pain exactly? Knees?

I'd say see what you can do that doesnt aggravate it. General rule of thumb is work around injury not through it. If it hurts dont do it but if it doesnt should be ok.

Walking, step ups, air squats... hopefully wont hurt. I'd say just make sure any time you're bending down or squatting make sure your knees are not buckling in but rather they should track right over your feet.

Hope you feel better!

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“Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general”. - Mark Rippetoe

The pain is from the shingles and postherpetic neuralgia I've had all down my sciatic nerve in my left leg for the past 7+ weeks. The first 5 weeks I was unable to do any kind of activity, but I also had a loss of appetite due to a side effect of vicodin. I lost 15 pounds, mostly muscle, and mostly in my legs. My doctor gave me a shot of cortisone in my knee, which helped most of the pain, but my knee is still causing me trouble. I can walk with a cane, slowly, but squats, bicycles, stairs, etc., are all no no's at the moment. I'm thinking the water exercises are my best bet, but my doctor and I seem to be playing phone tag these past few days, so I haven't been able to speak to him about it.

_________________
"Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know how to use one!"~ Matthew Quigley

"nothing like a little meow in bed at night" ~ Bruskey

"I gotta float my stick same as you" Hondo Lane

"Fill your hand you son of a *****!"