• Take 2 (or 3) ibuprofen tablets about 1 hour before running. I know this does not sound like much of a solution, but it allows me to run normally without pain since any inflammation is minimized. Normal running allows me to strengthen muscles to work together in a normal balanced manner, and strength conditioning is listed as one of the best ways to combat this problem. In this case I am using the run itself to condition as opposed to special exercises. Truthfully, I don’t like the idea of taking the ibuprofen, but it works, and I find that each “normal” run seems to leave my knee feeling a little better. On occasion, I try my run without the ibuprofen, but I am still not to the point where I can run without irritation – and a run while the knee is inflamed will further aggravate the problem. To minimize the amount of ibuprofen I take, I abstain from using it otherwise for headaches (if I can). Also, I am considering the use of aspirin as an alternative.
• Ice down the knee if it is inflamed. This is very helpful after any inflammation occurs, and helps to prevent further aggravation.

In summary, insuring that I am not using the knee while it is swollen and/or inflamed seems to be the ticket to recovery. Aggravation of the Runner’s Knee condition occurs when I walk or run on an inflamed knee. Abstaining from running alone did not seem to help me at all and in fact almost seemed to make things worse for me. Also, I continue to take the Glucosamine Sulfate, although I very much doubt it is doing much if any good. I have discontinued use of the fish oil pills – my Runner’s Knee problem started when I started taking these and got significantly better when I stopped taking them. I have found no evidence in internet searches that fish oils pills should cause this, but I am still going to abstain from them to be on the safe side. The only way my fish oil pills could possibly be causing problems would be via mercury contamination, a remote possibility I guess.

Runner’s Knee, more formally known as Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome,
is generally is caused by one of the following:

• Over-use – This could occur when one does not take breaks of one or more days between running or suddenly increases the speed or duration of the run. Also, poor shoes could cause this due to the extra pounding against the pavement. over-use of the knee.
• Injury – Falling and bruising the knee could cause this. Also, other injuries may contribute.
• Mis-alignment or Foot Problems – Running on the same side of the road (which slopes toward the outer road edge) causes uneven use by the right vs. left legs. Also, back problems could cause one leg to work harder. Fallen arches or other foot problems could cause extra load on leg and calf muscles.

In my case, I believe a number of things may have led to this  condition. My shoes were in need of replacement. I may have suffered a bruise to the bone shortly before this condition occurred, although it was not severe. I consistently ran on the left side and shoulder of the road, causing uneven strain on my leg muscles.

My knee problems seemed to start when I started taking fish oil, so I stopped taking the fish oil, just as a precaution. But truthfully, I do not believe the fish oil was causing any problems – in fact, it is supposed to help with joint problems. Abstaining from the fish oil had absolutely no effect so I once again am taking 1 capsule a day.

The doctor recommended taking Glucosamine Sulfate, so I am taking it. Truthfully, this seems to have had no effect, positive or negative.

In addition to new running shoes, I am switching sides of the road frequently to even out the stress and strain due to running on the side of a slope. Also, I find that by running on the shoulder (rather than the blacktop) I can lessen the impact on my knees.

I have read that icing down the knee(s) after a run can help. I will try this.

In addition to my left knee experiencing “runners knee”, I managed to moderately strain my medial collateral ligament (MCL) in my right knee! So this has only added to the problem. I have re-injured this knee a few times as well by doing things like kneeling in an awkward position to clean the gutters on my roof. This has only prolonged the problem in the left knee I think.

In conclusion, I will have to find a way to heal up the right knee while doing whatever I can for my left “runner’s knee”. If you have Runner’s Knee, I would recommend new shoes, icing the knee after running, running on a softer surface (rather than blacktop), and trying not to consistently run on the same side of a sloped road. Note that if you switch sides of a road, take all possible safety precautions to avoid being accidentally struck by a vehicle.

The solution is to walk.

Get your coat and boots on and take a stroll. Check out the neighborhood Christmas lights, or perhaps drive to a local mall and check out the stores. A half-hour walk after two of the major meals can cancel out as many as 260 calories taken in and this exercise will also get your metabolism going. And invite your host and/or spouse along. You can combine fitness with celebrating the holidays.

We then drove to a nearby lake-walk area and took in some sights (on foot) and rode in one of the horse-carriage rides. We must have spent about 3 hours walking around, and I would bet we walked several miles if not more on the very nice lake-walk, enough to even burn up much of the calories of that super-duper meal. And it was on the lake walk that I noticed something:

Nearly every one of the people that we walked by was very trim and fit! There were older people and very young people, and people of different races, but almost all were trim.

So what does that say? People that make a point of getting in some regular exercise, even when on vacation (and there were a lot of vacationers here) will stay trim. They will never get fat!

I observed something else this night as well: Right before going home my wife wanted a small ice-cream cone (she did not eat nearly as much as I at dinner) so we stopped at a local Dairy Queen. As I looked around, what did I see? Fat people. Really fat people. Of course not all were fat, but there were a fair number.

My conclusion: If your lifestyle (including your vacation) incorporates regular exercise and physical activity, then you are very unlikely to get fat. Conversely, if your lifestyle has frequent periods of eating very fattening foods (like on vacations and holidays) in the absence of physical activity, then you will put on the pounds.

It is all about lifestyle.

15 ft Above Ground Pool

My wife and kids bugged and bugged me to get an above ground pool. Living in northern Wisconsin, where it routinely freezes 10 out of 12 months, I opposed the idea, but finally relented. We bought a 15 ft above ground pool and after a week or two of preparing a site and setting up (twice!), it was ready to roll. This pool has 42″ deep water and is 15 ft in diameter. There is just enough water for an adult to swim around the perimeter, yet the pool is small enough that the water heats up fairly quickly. In fact, with the solar pool cover I got, the pool is swim-able on days where the temperature only gets up to 70 degrees!

So on the days I don’t jog, I am out in the pool swimming circles for 15 minutes or so doing the breast stroke. It is a nice workout that places no additional wear and tear on my knees or back! So I am the one using this pool, more so than even some of my kids! Unfortunately, about mid September I will have to take this pool down.

1. Weight loss is not as important as weight maintenance.
2. To maintain your weight, get enough exercise, especially after meals.

Why Is It Important To Exercise After Meals?
Many years back my wife was trying out the Hilton Head Metabolism Diet. Two features of this diet consist of exercise and a low fat diet. Specifically, according to the diet, exercise is to be done after meals in order to increase one’s metabolism. It is accepted medical fact according to Webmd.com and Mayoclinic.com, that exercise increases metabolism. And exercise that develops muscle, like weight lifting (or lifting heavy boxes in your garage), is even more beneficial. In fact, at Webmd.com they mention an “Afterburn Effect” of such muscular activity that can last for as much as 24 hours after the activity.

My Winter Exercise Plan!

What Types of Exercise Do I Do To Keep Weight Off?
The answer to this question is “Any!” Any type of activity will work. You can walk, jog, ride a bike, play catch with your kids, or work on a project. You should, however, try to work in some activities that develop muscle if you can on several days a week and try to do some aerobic type exercise like walking, biking, swimming, or jogging  on some days. Personally, I jog 3.75 miles every other day. And on the non-jogging days I will work on projects around the house for an hour or so after dinner that often involve lifting of some sort. One winter I cleaned and organized our incredibly cluttered storage shed – it took about 15 after-dinner 1-hour sessions! And truthfully, I don’t think I would have straightened it up any other way   Also, I reserve a fire wood pile for splitting in our cold winter months when physical activity is restricted, even though I could easily afford to buy a wood splitter and split it all in a day or two. The wood splitting is the ultimate in upper body muscle development!  So get active, and maybe clean up your garage while you are at it!

Of course, use good judgment before starting any exercise plan and consult a doctor if you have health or age-related concerns. For example, shoveling your walk after a heavy snow when you have a heart condition would not be a good idea.

But I Want To Lose Weight!
Losing weight is all about energy. As stated at Webmd.com, “… weight is dependent on the balance of total calories consumed versus total calories burned.” Burn up more energy than what is provided by your food intake and you will lose weight. I would suggest maintaining your current diet caloric intake (minus any fatty foods or excessive calories) and increasing or doubling your physical activity level. You will lose weight, since you are burning up more calories than you are taking in. And you will probably convert some fat (low density) to muscle (higher density) so even if you do not lose much weight, you will become trimmer.

More Tips
Get enough sleep. It is strongly suggested that sleep-deprived people tend to gain weight – see article at Medscape.com. It makes sense to me – When you are tired, you tend to not be physically active. Also, eat a balanced diet, avoiding excessive amounts of high fat foods and especially avoiding excessive amounts of  “empty calorie” foods like soda, candy, and snack cakes.

Yes, it is that simple! And the cost of this diet plan? Nothing, it is free. So get active, watch what you eat, and stay healthy and well rested.

Benefits of Keeping Physically Active
You will feel better. Much better! Personally, I feel bloated and all out of sorts if I can not get some sort of exercise on a daily basis. Often, I will not sleep well if I have not gotten some sort of exercise.  And personally, I would rather be able to take care of myself in my elder years instead of being a burden on my children – keeping fit will help achieve that goal. You can read about more benefits of exercise at Mayoclinic.com.  As an added note, upon receiving the results of my blood work done as part of my recent physical examination, my doctor recommended “Get 30 minutes aerobic exercise each day”. He also stated that he makes this recommendation to virtually every patient he sees.