Russ's Grab-Bag Of Assorted PT Forum Goodness

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 3/26/2009 8:22pm

Originally Posted by Kintanon

If your goals in that area are cosmetic/aesthetic then wouldn't a purely visual assessment actually be more in line with your goals?

You'd think so - and indeed, a while ago I thought so - but it doesn't quite work out that way.

Originally Posted by TheRuss

For an example, consider my weight loss over the last year or so. You'd think that if my objective were to look better, I could monitor my progress by seeing how I look. Sounds reasonable, but it falls apart when my subjectivity as an observer comes out. I honestly saw no visual difference between myself at 300lbs and 270lbs, and if my own self-perception were my only tool of measurement, I would have given up right then.

I should note that the difference was visible for other people, but because of my personality and mental state, I couldn't see it.

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Personally I think you should discard the cosmetic goals and concentrate entirely on performance and nutrition. Unless you have a very specific reason to monitor cosmetic progress.

With the preface that I don't want this thread to wind up being about my love life...

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Get a girlfriend who is fitness minded.

Enough said.

Originally Posted by Kintanon

I would be interested in seeing some more data about the Omron scales accuracy across different demographics, athletes, etc...

n=1 consistency is the big issue for me. I don't really need to compare any of the numbers to anyone else - just to my past measurements. If it moves in the right direction in a roughly proportional amount, that's good enough.

Still, though, it's a lot of money to drop on a scale.

Anyone know of the specific methodology for using calipers?

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 3/26/2009 8:59pm

Not I, the doctor just pinches and gives me a number...

I can see now why you have some aesthetic goals. For some reason my mental picture of you was of a much smaller person....

I still think a "better" in terms of mental health methodology would be to just concentrate on the performance and nutrition aspects.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 3/26/2009 9:04pm

Originally Posted by Kintanon

I still think a "better" in terms of mental health methodology would be to just concentrate on the performance and nutrition aspects.

If my mind were as malleable as my body, I'd mold it to the Pauline ideal of contentment in every circumstance. But either my brain's a lot more rigid, or I'm not a very good sculptor, so until I figure out how to transcend vain desires, I'll stick with trying to piece together something so I can smile when I look in the mirror, rather than wincing.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 3/26/2009 9:33pm

Yeah.>:\
Changing ones perception of self is generally a hell of a lot harder than changing the self involved.
You'll get there though.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 3/27/2009 7:54pm

And to make sure credit's given where it's due... I saw this article on ESPN today.

It's one that details a courageous player who didn't give up despite being more than a year removed from the game he loves. It's also a story that reminds us about the complexities of concussion-related injuries.

---

Originally Posted by Kintanon

Are you sure of the cause and effect process here? The tendency of the eyes to deviate like that actually causes pretty massive headaches, but can be fixed with corrective lenses. Have you spoke with an optometrist about that tendency?

Pothier was right: His concussion symptoms had subsided after two or three months, but the concussion, and resulting trauma to the brain, caused an astigmatism in his eye. The astigmatism was causing the lingering symptoms.

---

Originally Posted by AeroChica

1. Walk in to ER. Stagger if possible.
2. Complain about worsening symptoms. Lie if necessary.

Normally I wouldn't advocate this but you need some real medical assistance and, given the doctor shortage and lack of interest/intelligence of the one you saw so far, it's probably your best option.

"It's a neat story," said Caps GM George McPhee. "This whole eye thing was quite a revelation to all of us. It reinforces the point that when you have one of these injuries [concussion], you have to do whatever you can to try and find a solution. As hard as it is to keep going, to see different doctors and [have] the same discussions, somebody might be able to come up with a solution.

Hopefully I hear from the ophthalmologist my doctor's set me up with soon.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 4/03/2009 12:41am

In case anyone's been wondering, this thread isn't dead. On the contrary - this is the calm before the storm.

-On the health front, I've got appointments scheduled with a neurologist, a surgeon, and a physiotherapist (and should be hearing from an ophthalmologist soon).
-On the n=1 study front, a new BIA scale, calipers and measuring tape are en route, and I'm hoping the neurologist will clear me to do some dietary manipulation. I probably won't be able to resume training for a while yet, but maybe that's a blessing in disguise (I can isolate the effects of diet before throwing in exercise).
-On the theoretical study front, I've registered for a night class in biochemistry.

Wish me luck.

**theotherserge** · Posted On: 4/03/2009 12:45am

still here bro, make some muffins and hang in there!!!

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 4/08/2009 12:19am

So I saw a neurologist about my head, and she was useless. Made me strip to my undies, shone a light in my eyes, told me I'd had a concussion and not to do anything. Pooh-poohed the notion that ibuprofen post-concussion was a bad idea. And for good measure, she recommended that I follow the Canada Food Guide, proving that she knows just as little about nutrition as about traumatic brain injury. As you might have guessed, the idea of doing a series of EEGs (or anything else, for that matter) to monitor my recovery was not even touched on.

I saw a surgeon today about my arm, and it was a different sort of experience altogether. He recommended against surgery (yay) because my current level of function is high enough that surgery would probably make it worse (which is probably true). Unfortunately, he didn't really have any diagnostic options for me, but at least he admitted why.

Waiting lists for public MRIs are on the order of months. Since it's a nerve injury, he could hook me up to the EMG (literally the next door over), but Canadian law prohibits him from taking money from me for the service. It's perfectly legal for a third-party insurer to pay him, of course, but I can't skip the middleman.

And the closest private clinic to get a MRI for my knee is literally five hundred kilometers away.

I'm losing the battle with the Canadian brand of socialized medicine. It's enough to bring a grown man to tears. If the physiotherapist I'm going to next week isn't a miracle worker, I'm pretty much shelved.

**Kintanon** · Posted On: 4/08/2009 9:44am

And this is the kind of socialized medicine that Obama and friends point to as the successful ideal. Ugh.>:\ List me as your third party insurer, send me the cash plus 5$ and I'll pay for it. Checks payable to The Kintanon Practical Insurance Group. Hopefully the optometrist visit will be more productive.

**dumblucky** · Posted On: 4/08/2009 10:19am

Russ - while you're waiting for your biochem class to start, have you seen this:

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/courses/courses/index.htm

It's the course material for a number of MITs classes. Good sections on biology, chemistry, and brain sciences. The way you research, it might be worth a look through.

In the meantime, I hope you start to feel better.