Well, that was a much better appointment. We discussed several things, did lots of exercises and stretching and she sent me home with 5 exercises that I am to do daily.
What we discussed:
I have essentially been pregnant since March 2002: (40 weeks of gestation + 1 year of nursing * 2 children) with a 6 month break in 2004. Which means that there's been signifanct trauma to my body AND relaxin has been free flowing for quite some time (I didn't know it continued while nursing and will continue until about 6 weeks after Jack is weened).
The squatting and deadlifting in the gym is overkill for the quads and hams as I do that A LOT being a stay at home mama for two small children.
I need good arch support for my feet (my feet have been aching when I get up in the morning). Is there a brand of shoe that is better at this, or is there a good store to visit?
What we did
We did some alignment stuff and finally after a few minutes she said, "Well, you are different today than last week" and everytime she adjusted something I moved out somewhere else. That good ol' relaxin!
She watched my knee as I tightened my leg muscle and she said that my knee cap is tracking to the outside instead of straight up. But she said she really felt like that was all about my hip instablility.
Here are the exercises:
1. Theraband wrapped around ankle, kick forward, extend out, kick back
2. Bridging (knees straight, knees in, knees out); this is like a "supine hip extension" I think
3. On hands and knees, squeezing abs to spine w/ kegels (I WAY feel this in muscles that are connected to my front hip bones!!! ouchie)
4. Sitting ham string stretch
5. ITB stretch on foam roll
An odd thing: We did a one rep max on leg extension and curl and my weight was equal (50lbs). Then my PT was sharing that with another PT and the other PT said "of course, women's quads are always weak after giving birth." What's up at that?
Ok, I am tired of typing. All of this to say, I am much more satsified. May not need to push anyone off your table this Friday! ha! ha!
Thanks for your input!
Jamie
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