As our knees age, it becomes harder to exercise our legs. One tool that has been helping me is the elliptical trainer, which I have heard referred to as a "strider". The main difference between it and a treadmill is that the footpads for the feet move but the foot does not repeatedly strike the running surface. Once the user takes the position for "running", the feet remain fixed on the footplate and the footplate moves in an ellipse much as in actual running or jogging.
It is difficult to get a good workout if the legs are not involved. Of course, "a good workout" changes over the years. A couple of years ago, I had clean-up surgery on my knee, which lost its ACL in the back of the joint years ago. At the time, the only way for the surgeons to remove loose cartilage jamming the joint was to cut that ligament, which stabilizes the joint. Since then, I have had trouble with some pivoting and landing from a jump. The recent surgery was scheduled when I started feeling extra pain in the knee while jogging.
I have found it much easier to go for a jog or a walk outside where the scenery and changing view placates my busy mind and helps me avoid impatience and checking the time every five seconds. Snow and ice, temperatures well below zero and basic common sense drive me indoors during the winter months. The clean-up surgery and further aging have not completely eliminated my ability to run but the strider in the workout room where I am a member has been a nice challenge. At first, I could barely stand 5 minutes of steady work. Yesterday, I am up to 13 minutes. My plan is to reach 20 and then stay there.
My basic cardio health is good but the actions of the strider and my lessened routine have combined to make using the machine difficult. Two years ago, I jogged the neighborhood in a continuous run for 40 minutes. I can tell from my muscles that it is the action of the machine that is a challenge and not the general body job of heartbeat and breath.
Both Lynn and I find that our home blood sugar readings are affected by our exercise program. Some work with weights and some aerobic workout brings the readings down.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
It is difficult to get a good workout if the legs are not involved. Of course, "a good workout" changes over the years. A couple of years ago, I had clean-up surgery on my knee, which lost its ACL in the back of the joint years ago. At the time, the only way for the surgeons to remove loose cartilage jamming the joint was to cut that ligament, which stabilizes the joint. Since then, I have had trouble with some pivoting and landing from a jump. The recent surgery was scheduled when I started feeling extra pain in the knee while jogging.
I have found it much easier to go for a jog or a walk outside where the scenery and changing view placates my busy mind and helps me avoid impatience and checking the time every five seconds. Snow and ice, temperatures well below zero and basic common sense drive me indoors during the winter months. The clean-up surgery and further aging have not completely eliminated my ability to run but the strider in the workout room where I am a member has been a nice challenge. At first, I could barely stand 5 minutes of steady work. Yesterday, I am up to 13 minutes. My plan is to reach 20 and then stay there.
My basic cardio health is good but the actions of the strider and my lessened routine have combined to make using the machine difficult. Two years ago, I jogged the neighborhood in a continuous run for 40 minutes. I can tell from my muscles that it is the action of the machine that is a challenge and not the general body job of heartbeat and breath.
Both Lynn and I find that our home blood sugar readings are affected by our exercise program. Some work with weights and some aerobic workout brings the readings down.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
