Posted on Nov 27, 2016
PO2 Michael Henry
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Edited 8 y ago
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SFC George Smith
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Yoga... strength and stretching helps...
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1px xxx
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8 y
I like yoga. Very underrated form of exercise. More people should use this!
MCPO Couch Potato
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8 y
Yoga is one of those things that many folks just ignore. You stand around for an hour and do silly poses and pretend to stretch, and when the instructor says, "Okay, that's it for tonight," you suddenly realize you are all sweaty... and you have no clue how you got that way.

I can NOT recommend it highly enough. It's to the point that I urge people to spend money on classes - and I'm a cheapskate.
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SGT Writer
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I've always heard being in the pool was great for injuries. Not sure that applies too well to your injuries.

MAJ Charles Blake may be able to help.

I'd also recommend adding more tags - e.g. "strength training", "fitness", "health & fitness".
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PO2 Michael Henry
PO2 Michael Henry
8 y
I just did that. Thanks.
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PO2 Michael Henry
PO2 Michael Henry
8 y
There is a pool at the gym, just not sure how to utilize it effectively.
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1px xxx
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SGT (Join to see) and PO2 Michael Henry without knowing the specifics is difficult to give you an firm answer, but on the whole aquatic therapy/rehab is a great place to start with multiple issues.
First the pool will decrease the pressure on your ankle allowing you to practice movements such as walking forward, backwards and lateral without pain or fear of rolling. You can generally progress to jumping in an aquatic environment quicker than you can on the land.
Your arms will have buoyancy, so they will tend to float. This can be good for nerve damage depending more on the issue of the damage.
Generally speaking, I'd suggest a visit to your PT and ask about the options they have for treatment.
PO2 Michael Henry
PO2 Michael Henry
8 y
The nerve junction between the arm and neck, located near the shoulder is stretched. Surgery is like flipping a coin. It may work or I could lose full use. My ankle has been unstable since 2007 shortly after boot camp. Navy medical is more or less a joke. I roll it every 3-4 months since 2007. 2 rounds of PT, 3 if you include the torn calf on same leg, have failed to keep it stable long enough to heal significantly. May just need to bite the bullet and get into the pool. The torn calf took 1.5 years to heal because my command interfered every time I tried to go to PT. It healed after I got out and saw a real therapist who got applied hands on treatment.
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PO2 Michael Henry
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I couldn't fit this in. I am watching what I eat, but exercise is a big part. I also have lower back issues so bike, elliptical and treadmills are limited in time. I am trying to strengthen my lower back so I can get back on those. I also have hypothyroidism, which the VA has tried to deny to my face. I have 3 labs including 2 from the Navy and a diagnosis with prescription that say otherwise. It has a big impact on my energy levels and focus.
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PO1 Senior Medical Department Representative (Smdr)
PO1 (Join to see)
8 y
Were these labs evaluated by an endocrinologist? And if so how can the VA try and deny that? What is your Rx if you don't mind me asking? And yes pool PT and water aerobics would be a good start, along with yoga and stretching.
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PO2 Michael Henry
PO2 Michael Henry
8 y
2 were done by the Navy, 1 while in the ER at a Navy Hospital, that one they said I was dehydrated and sent back to work. I had no energy at all. I almost crawled in to the ER. Dehydrated at 7:30am, give me a break. Both were using dated standards and the new ones put me under the threshold for normal. This was withheld for 3 years, 2 years after I got out and had multiple health problems. A VA doctor with an Internal Medicine specialty backed my results but due to conflict of interest BS... My former PCP who is a DO, wrote a statement backing the findings including more recent lab work and physical changes while on medicine. She is my former PCP because I moved out of state. A recent C & P visit at the VA, had a doctor question it even with my records in front of him because my reflexes were really fast. My reflexes were never an issue and not on the disability rating schedule. I have done my homework.
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Maj Kim Patterson
Maj Kim Patterson
8 y
PO2 Michael Henry I have been that, done that, had the surgeries, PT, etc. It took 7 years to turn my head to the left after a severe injury. Thyroid cancer played havoc with every aspect of my life. I'd be hard pressed to find a centimeter that I haven't injured. My advice comes from experience. Continue with slow PT. Without it, you will be stuck forever; to get through it, you must do it. Three years of therapy to have opposable thumbs. The therapies I have found most helpful are equine therapy and dance. Dance allows minuscule adjustments in the way your body moves and compensates. The social aspect can be daunting after injuries and with chronic conditions. The worst thing to do is nothing. The second, to try to do too much too quickly and risk reinjury or worsening a conditioning. Sometimes the best cure is rest, elevation and a combination of hot and cold. I now have a disease that affects everything. I alternate activity with rest. Horseback riding gives me a place for core strength building without being on foot. It is a great place for emotional care as well. Many programs work with all kinds of injuries, abilities and disabilities. Recently I got a stiff collar for my neck because the muscles are weak. I was skeptical but wore it while awake faithfully. Unbelievably the spasm in my neck, back, arms and torso began to relax and pain faded without medication. I did not think this would be possible. If you need to talk one on one, send me a message, I am also a nurse so I gave medical insight as well. Not a doctor so I am not qualified to diagnose but I can recommend.
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