These foots were made for flappin'

[Randall]

It's been almost 11 months (http://www.aota.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=150321#post150321), but I got back on the treadmill today. Yes, it's been that long.

Just one mile this time -- I think I can safely push myself on effort but not on stamina -- and I'm starting from less than zero. Last July I was losing weight after ditching one of my medications and had high hopes of getting my exercise program in gear. Well, over the next two months I began a death spiral into uncontrollable sleepiness, which totally derailed my exercise plans (and threatened the same for my life in general).

The upshot: I'm back on the fat pills and heavier than I've ever been. :blah: This is the backdrop for my attempt to restart the exercise thing.

One small change over last year: I did my walk/trotting (mostly) barefoot today ... just me and my socks. I think I'll keep that up if my feet don't mutiny.

Wish me luck. :surrend:

Randall

And no, I am not going to read Sheila's marathon thread until I can go two miles without stopping.

[Wassercrats]

From less than zero miles? I think walking backwards counts the same as walking forwards, so you may have been in better shape than you thought.

I had an uncontrollable sleepiness thing a few months ago. I was in bed with no symptoms but sleepiness for about three days pretty much straight. I'm not sure if that happens when you need to make up for missing just about an hour of sleep for a few days straight, so I may have had something.

Try this (http://www.provigil.com/). It looks so yellow and wakeful. Also, sunlight during the day is supposed to help.

I remember your tooth problem despite the milk you drank. Your body may be having trouble absorbing nutrients. Try some Recombinant bovine somatotropin (http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/index.php?mode2=detail&origin=ibids_references&therow=397844).

I don't accept insurance, but my fees are reasonable. Pay only if it works.

Oh, good luck.

[Andilinks]

Best of luck with your new regimen and with your health in general.

My treadmill had plastic covers on the roller ends that would injure my heel if I caught on them so I removed the covers before using the treadmill barefoot. But I still prefer shoes, I think it's safer.

Andi

[Mandi]

:clapper:

There must be something in the (New England . . .) air . . . my oldest DD fired up our treadmill out of the blue today too. It's seen precious little go-time since garden season started. I can't justify walking on a belt, when there are productive things to do outside that can make me just as sweaty. But come fall, I'll be there again I'm sure.

Keep it up! Do you have some good tunes to listen to?

[Wassercrats]

Another tooth-fatigue link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8909560&dopt=Abstract

[Randall]

Among males in their 30s, those engaged in transport/driving and engineering/production had more missing teeth than others. We found a relationship between the number of missing teeth and subjective symptoms of fatigue among men in their 30s. I'm not missing any teeth :eek:, but thanks for the ... something. my oldest DD fired up our treadmill out of the blue today too I doubt she's as fat as I am right now (where's the fat smiley?), but at least I'm in good company. Do you have some good tunes to listen to? That's something I haven't worked out yet (no pun intended). The treadmill isn't remotely near to any decent sources of music, and I'm still waiting for a 32GB iPod Nano before I jump back into the portable thing.

I need to do some looking around -- maybe somebody's come up with a decent set of wireless (Bluetooth, maybe?) headphones by now. Then I could leave the laptop safely on the floor with no wires to trip over or strangle myself with.

If I had to, I suppose I could put some speakers in that area just for the laptop. But headphones would do a better job of blocking out the treadmill and flappy-feet noises. (You have no idea how loud you are until you try to sort-of-run on one of these things. :blah: I'm half afraid that I'll plunge through the floor.)

Randall

[Trilby]

No connection to the discussion, but the title reminded me of the Rose is Rose comic strip (http://www.comics.com/comics/roseisrose/archive/roseisrose-20070623.html) of the same date.

[sheila]

Yesterday I went to the gym (which I haven't done in a few weeks) and was going to do a bit of running on the treadmill and also some work on the weight machines. Generally I prefer to run outdoors, but it is hot here and I didn't want to get up early. So afternoon treadmill at the gym it was.

I fell. Well, I tripped. Never ever done that before. And I don't know rightly how I did it. One moment I was running along as nice as you please, laughing at the I Love Lucy program that was showing on the TV, and the next second I was holding on to the hand rail in front of me with both hands, body at about a 45 degree angle, feet way out behind and trying to "catch up" to the rest of me. I did catch up and stand back up and pick up running again and I didn't fall off the machine. It was kind of disturbing/humiliating in any case.

Also kind of re-injured my groin/pelvic area that's been almost completely healed from February. It's much better today.

Randall, so glad to hear your at it again, and hope it goes well for you this time. Just take it one day at a time. ;)

And try not to fall off!

[Andilinks]

And try not to fall off!These possible injuries were the beginnings of my preference for the StairMaster. But once started on the StairMonster I realized another advantage of being able to exercise while mentally detached from external dangers.

Since there is virtually no danger of falling from the SM while you remain even slightly conscious it is possible to achieve a trance-like state which can collapse the passage of time, eliminating boredom. Actually the detachment allows a focused concentration for me but it could easily be meditative as well. Sure you can "zone-out" on a treadmill or even while running in the city but the more dangers and distractions you can eliminate the safer and easier it is.

It is the just endorphins that kick in for the "runner's high," but if you can eliminate external distractions this can be harnessed. Or maybe you just get high. But hey, it's healthy. :)

[Mandi]

I fell while running on a treadmill once. It was a machine without a safety-off clip. I fell smack on the tread, which was bad enough - but instantly, it SHOT me off the back off the machine. Man, that was embarrassing (and painful, LOL!) Of course it was at a gym, too.

There are reasons I have one in the privacy of my own home now :hahaha: . . .

[Randall]

and the next second I was holding on to the hand rail in front of me with both hands, body at about a 45 degree angle, feet way out behind and trying to "catch up" to the rest of me. I think I came close to doing that once. Usually if I get behind it just trips the safety clip, which is annoying ... but better than falling on my face. I fell smack on the tread, which was bad enough - but instantly, it SHOT me off the back off the machine. Eek. If that happened to me, I'd get crunched into the wall behind the machine and probably break my legs (or head, depending on how I flopped).

So yes, even having the safety clip, I will try my very best not to fall off.

At work today I mentioned that I finally got back on the treadmill, and my boss asked me if it was turned on. Everyone's a comedian. :rolleyes: But once started on the StairMonster I realized another advantage of being able to exercise while mentally detached from external dangers. There is something to be said for that. I compromise by periodically placing my hands on the rails (just for orientation, not cheating) and closing my eyes for a while. Haven't fallen off ... yet.

:ytyikes:

Randall

[Andilinks]

...and closing my eyes for a while. Haven't fallen off ... yet.Lest I be misunderstood, if you don't pay enough attention you will fall off. That is why I prefer the Stairmaster, the effort it requires is just as great as the treadmill but the chances of falling off are much less and there's no moving tread if you do.

[tknterry]

Owwww Mandi!! I thought all treamills were required to have safety-clips. Although I never wear mine anyway for my treadmill.

Randall,
I use wireless headphones like this while on my treadmill:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-RS-130-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B0007QN18U
You can read reviews of it there. I use mine to listen to my TV on the treadmill so I dont have to turn up the volume. It works great and Im cord-free!

I fell while running on a treadmill once. It was a machine without a safety-off clip. I fell smack on the tread, which was bad enough - but instantly, it SHOT me off the back off the machine. Man, that was embarrassing (and painful, LOL!) Of course it was at a gym, too.

There are reasons I have one in the privacy of my own home now :hahaha: . . .

[Wassercrats]

If that happened to me, I'd get crunched into the wall behind the machine and probably break my legs (or head, depending on how I flopped).

So yes, even having the safety clip, I will try my very best not to fall off.I'd move that wall if I were you. There should be a recommendation in the instructions there shouldn't be obstructions behind the treadmill.

[Randall]

Lest I be misunderstood, if you don't pay enough attention you will fall off. I'm payin' attention, I really am. Just with my eyes closed, that's all. Not looking to go into a trance or nothin'. I use wireless headphones like this while on my treadmill:
http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-RS-.../dp/B0007QN18U I've been skeptical about RF wireless headphones, since the reviews I've read over the years haven't been kind to them. That's why I'm curious about how the stereo Bluetooth variety stacks up (with the laptop I don't need much range).

Ideally I'd just get a wireless box I can plug my own headphones into. That doesn't seem to exist in the Bluetooth sphere, but RF should offer more options, I would think. Time for more research. :winky: There should be a recommendation in the instructions there shouldn't be obstructions behind the treadmill. Spoilsport.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

I don't think I've ever been called a spoilsport before, but in the last two days I've been called one twice (24/06/07 22:47:43 (http://www.ccgb.org.uk/q_and_a_forum/simpleforum_pro.cgi?fid=05&topic_id=1182669035&page=2)).

I imagine that the recommended way to fall when on a treadmill with a wall behind you would be to do quick somersaults until you outpace the treadmill and roll off the front. Better practice that.

[Andilinks]

I dug my treadmill user's manual out of the second drawer of my file cabinet and found that page two and three are filled with nothing but warnings and cautions about all aspects of its use and misuse.

Among these many abstruse warnings is "...at least eight feet of clearance behind it.."

Nobody ever reads these warnings they are just there to protect the manufacturer from frivolous lawsuits.

[Wassercrats]

I think most first time treadmill buyers would read them. I would.

[Randall]

I imagine that the recommended way to fall when on a treadmill with a wall behind you would be to do quick somersaults until you outpace the treadmill and roll off the front. Better practice that. If I could do that I'd be in the circus. Among these many abstruse warnings is "...at least eight feet of clearance behind it.." I've got that much clearance behind it ... if climbing up the wall counts.

But then, I'd be in the circus again.

Randall

[Wassercrats]

Lion patties, anyone?

[Mandi]

Perhaps it is required now (I hope so, my accident could have been horrible instead of just embarrassing;) this was in 199 . . . 4, I think.
My home treadmill has handles you move back and forth similar to cross country skiing; it gives me a TON more security because it forces me to be centered on the tread, without having to devote a bunch of brain power to that activity. (I do also have a safety clip.) The arm motions also really ups the energy expended for the workout, involving the upper body like that. The handles aren't motorized like the tread, they are just levers on an axle - but you can tighten down the resistance to increase the workout (...or not, LOL!)

I probably should move mine further out from the wall, though. It is kind of close right now.

This was just a Craigslist score, but I've been super happy with it. Craigslist in my area rocks. There's something to be said for living in an area full of wealthy retirees who are constantly downsizing. What it lacks in volume for not being a metro area, it makes up for in reliably fantastic scores.

[Melissa]

Wish me luck.Always.:)

Sounds like the last year has been rough.:sad: Glad it's looking up now though.:smile:

[Wassercrats]

At least mount another treadmill sideways on the wall behind you so you'll be pushed away from the machine when you fall.

[Andilinks]

Naahhh, just a giant spring with a pillow on it is enough.

More seriously I was thinking of a tumbling mat hanging on the wall and on the floor behind the treadmill. Though I've had a few mishaps on treadmills and have never had the occasion to bounce off the floor or the wall. If they were padded it might be easier just to fall on them when you got tired.

Bubble wrap on the wall would work. Or you could wind the bubble wrap around yourself, securing it with velcro. It might be hard to run all wrapped up like the Michelin man...

[Wassercrats]

If you fall on a treadmill with a wall behind you, you'll need Carol Brady's plastic surgeon to fix the stretch marks on whatever part of your body lands on the treadmill. You'd probably end up scalped too, which would greatly affect the resale value of the treadmill. I suggest shaving your head and spraying yourself with teflon.

[Andilinks]

Those are some compelling reasons to wrap yourself up like the Michelin man before running.

http://www.andifashion.com/mm.gif

[Wassercrats]

I posted some stats here (http://www.polisource.com/PublicMisc/exercise-equiptment-injuries.html). Not all about treadmill injuries though. For example, it includes "PATIENT COMPLAINING OF RT-SIDED FACE/SCALP PAIN AFTER YOUNGSTER SWINGING ON A ROPE KNEED HER IN FACE."

[Randall]

I can't keep up with this thread anymore. (Scalping? Bubblewrap?) I think I'd better get back on the treadmill before I suffer a brain injury...

Randall

[Wassercrats]

My favorite two injuries:PATIENT HAVING FOOT PAIN AFTER DAUGHTERS FOOT SLIPPED OFF TREADMILL AND HIT PATIENTS FOOT. DX-FRACTURE FOOT FRACTURE TOE - 48 YOF KICKED EXERCISED EQUIPMENT INJURING RIGHT 4TH TOE

[Melissa]

Quote: FRACTURE TOE - 48 YOF KICKED EXERCISED EQUIPMENT INJURING RIGHT 4TH TOEThey got my age wrong.

[Andilinks]

I can't keep up with this thread anymore. (Scalping? Bubblewrap?)I'm sorry if the bubblewrap/Michelin man joke was inappropriate and broke the thread.

Truth is I'd find bubblewrap or any padding a distraction to be eliminated. My goal is to remove as many distractions as possible to maintain motivation and concentration. Injuries are the worst kind of distraction, these have broken my routine and messed with my motivation more than any other thing. Be safe and good luck. :)

[sheila]

The biggest problem with the bubble wrap in my mind would be excessive sweating. I suppose this would be a subclass of distractions.

It's kind of embarrassing to admit I tripped on the silly machine last week. I guess Andi must be right, that I wasn't paying enough attention. Otherwise I would certainly be aware of what exactly I did. I didn't think it required that much of my concentration, I guess. I've certainly put down enough miles in the last year and a half, I thought I knew how to put one foot in front of the other automatically. When I run on the road, I do think more about what I'm doing.

Anyhow, fortunately I didn't really sustain any injuries. I'm fine now, thank goodness.

Randall, getting on the treadmill and ignoring this sillyness is probably a very smart move. ;)

So anyone going out to do a 5K or 10K walk or run on Fourth of July? Hubby and I think we will do this one (http://surfcityrun.com/).

[Mandi]

I hurt myself on a rowing machine and landed in the hospital for 12 days when I was a teenager . . . I can't believe I've never told you this scare story, Randall :rasberry:!

I scraped my ankle - just a scrape, didn't even bleed! - on said rowing machine. A week later, I had a horrible infection in the lymph nodes in the back of my knee. It wasn't staph (which is usual for environmentally-acquired infections like that) - it was STREP, and the whole soft tissue back there was dying. It also attacked my kidneys (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-infectious_glomerulonephritis) for good measure before they got on top of it. I had a surgery to clean out the knee, daily hydrotherapy to keep it clean, serious wound care responsibilities for it when I got home (it had to heal shut, no stitches - that would have trapped infection) and spent those 12 days on IV antibiotics. I seriously think it was probably "flesh eating strep" but they weren't calling it that back then. I was a very lucky girl. I also trace this massive infection as the trigger event for my lupus :eeww: - I would consider myself completely recovered from the infection itself - even my kidneys are good, thankfully - but the lupus is something else altogether.

I've never used a rowing machine since, which is stupid but I'm traumatized :dopey: LOL!!

[Andilinks]

I scraped my ankle - just a scrape, didn't even bleed!Yikes, that is scary. I do occasionally use an antibiotic ointment (https://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/Uses/0,3915,553%7CTriple+Antibiotic+Ointment,00.html) on skin breaks, I think I'll be more vigilant with its use after hearing your story Mandi. In fact I think I'll buy some extra tubes for gym bag, purse, glove box etc. The house brand at Wal-Mart is very cheap which is good because they always reach the expiration date before I use them up. I think that's actually a good thing. :)

So anyone going out to do a 5K or 10K walk or run...I'm getting addicted to a/c in this climate, I do miss running and walking on the beach. I even miss the smell of low tide. I drive to the ocean about four times a year, any more often and it would make more sense to go back there to live. I think the housing market there has to weep and bleed for another year before I go back to live though, no more "interim" homes.

[Mandi]

I'm sure adequate care of the scrape would have circumvented the whole episode - but I was 14, we were in the process of moving in, and I just didn't think it was very bad.
.
I've since realized that I can't see germs :dopey: .

[Andilinks]

...and I just didn't think it was very bad.Well that's the thing, most scratches and scrapes just heal. You never know which one might do you in. This is what fascinates me about history, people lived such entirely different lives until just recently. And few today in the US have any clue how different things are now.

[Wassercrats]

I once got a puncture wound on the sole of my foot from stepping on a rusty nail, and I wasn't sure if I had a teatnus shot recently enough and I knew the dangers but I didn't do anything about it. It healed and I was OK.

Every time you go to the hospital or any doctor with appropriate ID, they should contact all of your past doctors (probably electronically) to get your medical history so they don't have to ask you all those questions and hope you remember, and they should give you two copies of a little card showing when you got all your shots. You should carry one with you and keep the other in a safe place.

[tknterry]

Mandi, I would be averse to rowing machines too if that happened to me. I hope your lupus is well under control :smile:
By the way, I think the concern of having a wall close to the rear of the treadmill is that if the user loses his/her balance and is flung to the rear of the machine, instead of flying off the rear and surviving with a loss of dignity and a few scrapes, he/she would be sucked back into the machine under the moving tread and then being flung out the front after the unpleasant journey underneath the machine in a flattened state. It would be a quick, if not healthy, way to lose weight though. :shocked: Thats why I ride my bike on the trails whenever I can instead of using my treadmill which is close to a wall.

[Andilinks]

...I ride my bike on the trails whenever I can instead of using my treadmill...Having grown up on the mountain where mountain bikes were invented (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamalpais) I think I can assure you that falling off your treadmill is a more pleasant and predictable experience than what ever may await you on a bike mishap. I haven't checked the stats but I would wager that nationwide bike accidents are way worse than accidents on all types of stationary exercise machines combined. There's a reason people wear helmets on bikes.

Pit Bulls and hornets never chase treadmills, rowing machines or Stairmonsters. But the bikers will never be deterred by anything, I know that. :)

Well maybe it's because I always fall off bicycles, sometimes off of treadmills, but never fall off of stair climbers. :ytdrums:

[tknterry]

Im sure that is all true, but the post was made in jest. I ride my bike (with helmet even) when the weather is alright outside. I use my treadmill :eek: , placing my mortal life in danger, when it isnt. :smile: I think that common sense in both cases would alleviate most risk of accidents. For example, I avoid riding my bike on busy roads.
Having grown up on the mountain where mountain bikes were invented (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tamalpais) I think I can assure you that falling off your treadmill is a more pleasant and predictable experience than what ever may await you on a bike mishap. I haven't checked the stats but I would wager that nationwide bike accidents are way worse than accidents on all types of stationary exercise machines combined. There's a reason people wear helmets on bikes.

Pit Bulls and hornets never chase treadmills, rowing machines or Stairmonsters. But the bikers will never be deterred by anything, I know that. :)

Well maybe it's because I always fall off bicycles, sometimes off of treadmills, but never fall off of stair climbers. :ytdrums:

[Andilinks]

...but the post was made in jest.oh ok....he/she would be sucked back into the machine under the moving tread and then being flung out the front after the unpleasant journey underneath the machine in a flattened state.You mean that's never really happened? It happens in cartoons... :ROFL:

[Randall]

I think the concern of having a wall close to the rear of the treadmill is that if the user loses his/her balance and is flung to the rear of the machine, instead of flying off the rear and surviving with a loss of dignity and a few scrapes, he/she would be sucked back into the machine under the moving tread and then being flung out the front after the unpleasant journey underneath the machine in a flattened state. Da... da... :eek: I think I can assure you that falling off your treadmill is a more pleasant and predictable experience than what ever may await you on a bike mishap. When I was a kid, I hit an exposed tree root and went flying over the handlebars. Don't think I was damaged, or I'd probably remember that part.

When I was even younger I bounced off my bed and landed headfirst on a floor vent. Bleeding, probably stitches involved. But that's one of those incidents I "remember" only because my mother has a better memory than I do. I hurt myself on a rowing machine and landed in the hospital for 12 days when I was a teenager . . . I can't believe I've never told you this scare story, Randall :rasberry:! Well, no one will get me near a rowing machine now. (Another thing to add to the warning labels: "May cause lupus." :blah:) PATIENT HAVING FOOT PAIN AFTER DAUGHTERS FOOT SLIPPED OFF TREADMILL AND HIT PATIENTS FOOT. DX-FRACTURE FOOT Injuries caused by other people falling off and hitting you don't count.

...Though it might make me think twice before approaching a foot-flapping person on the sidewalk.

Randall

[Andilinks]

I've been resisting the Elliptical trainer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptical_trainer) for a long time but I think I'm going to check one out tomorrow. I know health clubs like them because they have been replacing treadmills with them. But they are as safe as stair climbers and considerably cheaper if you want to buy your own. They are probably cheaper for the clubs to insure since they are safer.

I have never been able to choose entirely between the privacy of working out at home and going to a health club and always do both, but each club will have its quirks and you really have to join up and get into a routine for a while to find out what these quirks are.

The best (excepting the premium priced) are the YMCA's because they operate like health clubs but they are also endowed well as charities.

[Mandi]

My husband is a rabid mountain biker - he sponsors a riding club here, in fact. He had a minor surgery on his scalp two months ago (a tissue overgrowth removed) with an obvious shaved spot and 2 inches of stitches near the parietal /occipital suture. Afterwards, everyone assumed he took a dive on his bike because he has a bit of a reputation as a daredevil in the woods LOL!

Randall, you a dedicated walker to take our horror stories in stride (...so to speak!) Keep up the good work!!

[Randall]

Randall, you a dedicated walker to take our horror stories in stride (...so to speak!) Keep up the good work!! Either that, or we've established that I've got a treadmill-wide self-destructive streak.

Took another walk last night. I've been trying to take shorter strides -- makes me work harder when I can't take advantage of my long legs. Also means I can crank up the speed without falling off the back edge and getting sucked into the machine...

This time I did a mile and a half. And just for fun I did the last stretch approaching 3 mph -- if the readout on this this thing can be trusted, which I tend to doubt. Anyway, it was considerably faster than my usual. And I managed to not fall off, even if I did wobble a bit. :rasberry:

Randall