For the past couple of weeks I’ve been indulging in some hard core geekdom and my “nerd file”, filled with research papers is getting fatter and fatter. Horrifyingly enough, it makes me yearn to go back to college for a—gasp—4th degree. Because, you know, the perfect compliment to an English BA, a creative writing masters and a library science masters is a degree in exercise physiology. Relax, Mom and Dad, I won’t be quitting my job any time soon. I suck too much at math to study anything technical. But to indulge my nerdy side, I’m resurrecting a research feature here in my own virtual fifedom. The goal is to spread the word about research relevant to this blog—CP research, exercise research, obesity research, etc., and to allow me to pontificate and gush about the geeky stuff I read. It’s my soapbox, after all. 
So this week’s read was: Neural plasticity and treatment across the lifespan in motor deficits in cerebral palsy by George F. Wittenberg, MD, PhD.
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Despite the fact that most fitness experts will tell you that long-haul cardio is generally a waste of time, I often put in one or two hour+ sessions a week. My body seems to like repetitive motion, a lot. After an hour on the eliptical, the stationary bicycle, or the treadmill, the spastic muscles in my legs have generally given up the ghost and walking home feels more like gliding.The last three days were pretty amazing, physically speaking—as is usually the case immediately following my botox injections. And, as per usual, today some new aches and pains have cropped up. I’ve learned that for me, this is 100% normal—my posture is shifting thanks to an additional stick in my right hip and some muscles that haven’t been working are being recruited to keep me upright. So they’re a bit pissed. This time, instead of freaking out, crying and sending PTE a panicked email, I just went to the gym. I canceled my planned lifting session and just did some steady-state cardio for an hour or so.
There’s something about repetitive, low-impact cardio that clears my head, makes me feel sane, enlightened, capable. When I want to think and think constructively, the gym is where I go. I’ve said here before that my new goal for this blog is to encourage other people–no matter what their struggles are– to become involved in, and invested in physical fitness. But I’m going to admit right now that I feel like I’ve hit a mental stumbling block. I’ve been feeling discouraged and like it might be a fruitless endeavor. . .or some sort of self-congratulatory exercise. So I went to the gym to think on it. Read more…
So it’s the day before Botox, Round I-Have-No-Idea-What-Number, and I feel freaking phenomenal. I keep thinking that by now I should feel like the drugs are wearing off. I keep waiting for the back pain to come back, or for my calves to feel like they’re in a vice. Or to fall on my face and get some fresh road rash. Something that let’s me know that it’s time for a top-up. Funny thing is, I feel really really good.
Sure there’s some occasional tightness in my glute med which has been working hard lately to get rid of some of the remaining scissor-gait and internal rotation of my thigh. But I’ve been able to manage that with strategic long-haul cardio and stretches. And some days, particularly after a long day of sitting, or a hard day at the gym, my left hamstrings get angry (ok, livid might be a better description), but a couple of hours in my oh-so-stylish AFOs (ankle-foot orthotics) and they usually chill out. I feel so good that it scares me.
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So I’m still going through my contemplative quiet time—yeah, I know, ME quiet? Something must be out of sync in the universe. I have about three volume settings: not-so loud, let-me-make-sure-everybody-noticed-me loud, and yeah-just-try-to-ignore-me-I-dare-you loud. This is particularly true if I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about something—and clearly I’ve got a swarm going about CP, fitness, access to care, etc. Actually, truth be told I’m spending this time using my mad librarian skills to build a bibliography. It’s a list of studies and resources on CP research (particularly CP and exercise), disability and obesity, barriers to fitness/patient treatment compliance, and muscle growth in folks with brain injuries. So I promise I haven’t abandoned this blog or this project. And of course, my personal fitness quest continues, as do the Botox treatments—I feel great for the most part, I’ve got zero acute pain 99% of the time. Some days I feel so grateful it hurts—and I spontaneously burst into tears.
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