I had back surgery so that sucked – but here’s what I’m doing to recover.
[I posted this on the Slowtwitch.com Triathlon Forum after I had back surgery in July 2020]
Preparing for a Microdiscectomy and Laminectomy – L5/S1 Lumbar Spine
I wanted to start a thread about “preparing for a microdiscectomy and laminectomy” in the hope it would help a lot of you who have made a decision to have the procedure. And I also wanted to give an overview of immediate life after microdiscectomy surgery based on the specific instructions I was given by my surgeon. And also give readers a list of the items I bought pre and post-op that helped in my recovery. Standard disclaimers, I am not a Doctor, don’t rely on anything I say as medical advice, do everything at your own risk etc, etc, blah, blah, blah…
- Introduction
- Treat your Pre-Hab as Seriously as your Re-Hab.
- Microdiscectomy Immediate Post-Op Life.
- Stuff I bought Pre and Post-Surgery to Help.
- Other Stuff that Helped.
- Current Status and Exercise Program – September 1, 2020.
Introduction.
Lots of readers are searching this forum in anticipation of having a microdiscectomy as well as those, like me, that have had the procedure and are looking for help in recovery. Lots of you are also trying to get some form of reassurance as to the path back and what your prospects are for training/racing again. So I’m assuming for the purposes of this post that you’ve made the decision to have a microdiscectomy/or are about to have one. “Misery” loves company but so does “hope”. That’s why this forum was a great inspiration for me as I debated the “surgery” or “no-surgery” question right up to the night before when I finally started freaking out about what I was getting myself in to. I wanted to be that guy who came out of surgery positioned to be stronger than before as well as better educated about how to manage my training at 57 years old in a way that was going to keep me pain-free and turning up at the start line. Read More
Some thoughts on investing in the outdoor and consumer sectors
Lifelong adventurer Craig Cooper is continuing his search for passion and profits. The former co-host of the CNBC’s outdoor investment show “Adventure Capitalists,” is joining the judging panel this month for The Pitch, a OneSeed sponsored event where budding outdoor entrepreneurs present their gear ideas for a chance to win a cash prize and product exposure.
Six alternative sleep therapies I’ve been experimenting with
The last 6 months I’ve been experimenting with a number of alternative ways to increase the quality of one of the core foundations of my wellness program – sleep.
In fact, I would go so far as to say that sleep, above everything else that I do to stay healthy and fit at 55, is the main foundation of my overall wellness program.
Without a good nights sleep, everything else that I do falls apart irrespective of how well I eat, how much I train or meditate, or anything else I do for my overall wellness during my waking hours.
For 50+ guys like me sleep is not just a number – it’s a critical part of overall health and it can have a massive metabolic and hormonal affect on us as we age if we don’t get enough of it. The health affects of too little quality sleep? Everything from decreased testosterone and human growth hormone, increased insulin resistance to decreased memory and cognitive function, to increased systemic inflammation (which is seen by many as probably the #1 killer of men). The list goes on – it’s no joke. Read More
Latest podcast is up with OpenSkyFitness
Finding your tribe. How to live a life of peak performance after 40 – and much more. Merry Christmas people! Listen here.
Here’s 11 health changes I’ve made in my 50’s (that I wasn’t doing in my 40’s).
Remember your 40s? I certainly do, and although I’m approaching the middle of my fifth decade, I’m feeling just as good as I did a decade ago. I credit this well-being with recognizing I needed to make some lifestyle adjustments as I became more chronologically established in middle age. So here are 11 things I’m doing for my health in my 50s that I wasn’t doing in my 40s…and why. Read More