[hyperk]

#1018084

Hello, everyone,
I’m happy to report that I’ve been doing quite well since my Grave’s diagnosis in Feb. ’07. I’ve gotten much better in avoiding the push-then-crash cycles. I’ve hit a bump in the road, though. I thought I was superwoman and got back on my x/c skis after being away from the sport for about two years. This landed me in the doctor’s office with a torn miniscus in my left knee….I’m finding the hard way that I’m a mere shadow of the woman I used to be! My question to any of you is this: Once I’ve had surgery to fix the meniscus, I’ll want to look in to some weight and strength training to help balance my physical activities with my physical conditioning. How do I go about finding a gym/trainer that is knowledgable about the nuiances of chronic illness so I’m given the most helpful information for a Grave’s warrior?
Thanks a million,
Kathy

[Kimberly]

#1062601

That’s a great question — and I wish I had a great answer for you! ” title=”Smile” /> But I’m not aware of any particular certification that makes trainers more qualified to work with people with chronic illnesses. Perhaps someone else will chime in here.

My general recommendations would be to ask around for referrals, maybe even from your doctor’s office. Perhaps a sports medicine clinic that has experience with helping people come back from injuries would be helpful. Definitely have a conversation with the trainer in advance to see if he/she appears knowledgeable. And finally, don’t feel like you *have* to do any particular exercise that the trainer suggests. Trainers are used to pushing people to exhaustion…which is fine for 99% of their clients…but remember that YOU are the expert on your body!

Take care — and keep us posted!

[snelsen]

#1062602

Well, I am thinking that your incident with the torn meniscus while cross country skiing is just something that happened.
It’s easy to do, for the skis don’t release like downhill. I did that a couple times over my years of recreational cross country skiing. Had a couple meniscectomies, they are easy to recover from, and one or two times with a physical therapist should help you do any strengthening you need to do.

My experience with trainers reflects Kimberly’s comments. They have not been good, and I did not feel, at least in my own experiences, that they really knew very much and charged a ton of money. I’d use that money for more lift tickets instead! I suggest you get a referral from your doc for post op PT, plus some exercises to strengthen your legs. And if you can get another PT referral for arms and shoulders, learn a bit more, you’ll be golden. Plus some rapid walking. I have free weights sitting in my kitchen, they are not used enough, but you can go to a class at the Y and learn how to use them for biceps, triceps, etc.

It sounds like you are really doing very well, and of course, getting in shape for skiing makes sense. But what happened to you, happens to a lot of folks! When that ski goes sideways, it is not a pretty sight for a knee-and it is so easy to catch an edge!

Glad you are in a good place with Graves’!
Shirley

[hyperk]

#1062603

Thanks for chiming in. Classes at the Y sound like a wonderful way to accomplish my goals of strength training after my PT. I’m not sure I can motivate myself to do the work at home, so will go to the Y for starters. I know there are different certifications for trainers, making them supposedly more capable and knowledgeable when working with different populations…just don’t know what those certifications would be. Thanks for the tips on going through my MD’s and PT people for referrals. Hopefully, it will be back to the x/c ski trails, injury free, next season!
Kathy

[cantbgrave]

#1062604

Could you tell me a little bit about your issues with strength as it relates to graves?

I had radiofrequency ablation last spring. it appears that I’m at a pretty good level of levothyroxine replacement, but I’m a lot less strong at the gym. I used to have a six pack and do pull ups with a 15 pound weight in a napsack and these things are fading.

Did this happen to you?

D

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