Talk

Flip

Chat to other fitness enthusiasts on our Exercise forum.

Exercise

Treadmill / SPD question

7 replies

BettySwollux · 18/04/2009 22:43

Has anyone had SPD that lingered and used a treadmill?
DS2 is 19mo, and I still have a fair bit of pain. I like to walk with the pushchair, but I seize up after about 20 mins, which leaves me having to limp home, so I have bought a treadmill in the hope of getting fitter and fighting the flab.
I so far have managed about 20 mins at 2.5 mph but was left feeling so creaky and painful that I have left it for a few days.
Any advice please?
I dont want the treadmill to be a wasted purchase (and really need to lose some weight)
Thanks.

OP posts:

Report

TheRedQueen · 19/04/2009 21:05

Hello Betty,

I had SPD during my pregnancy and for about three years after my daughter was born. It was terrible, and you have my greatest sympathy.

The thing which has solved the problem for me has not just been using a treadmill (always at a 1.5% incline - it lessens the stress on the joints!) but combining that with going to a gym and strengthening my leg/bum/stomach/lower back muscles by working out with weights (mainly using the various machines on offer).

Frankly, I was rather sceptical when the muscle work was first suggested to me - and also a bit nervous, especially about doing exercises for the adductors and abductors. However, I started with low weights and lots of reps and I have seen massive improvement. Eight weeks on I can now even run again slowly, and certain movements which I had not been able to do for nearly four years (like taking my shoes off by pressing my heels together and siding my foot out of the shoe) I can now do again with no problem.

Frankly, it may well be that the weakness in the public bone is still there and now just "masked" by the better condition of the surrounding muscles. (But even that has given me a lot more quality of life!) My gym instructor swears this is not the case though. He says that the area was getting weaker and weaker through lack of exercise and that the improvement has stemmed from specifically exercising the connected muscles, thus subjecting the bone and cartiledge (sp?) to gentle stress and causing them to lay down fresh cells and regenerate (that's the science bit!)

I hope this is of some use to you. I have seen such an improvement. My public bone does still ache every now and again, but it's nothing compared to previously (and certainly no more than my other muscles complain after exercise - especially my stomach muscles!). If you do consider giving it a go though, do talk it though with your doctor/physio first and definitely find a gym with well-qualified, attentive instructors, ideally with some experience with the problem. You don't want to go from the frying pan to the fire!

Incidentally, as regards weight loss, I was still carrying about a stone from my pregnancy and have lost virtually all of it and dropped a dress size within eight weeks without dieting!

Best of luck!

TRQ

Report

CarGirl · 19/04/2009 21:15

Visiting an osteopath is what helped mine, I have very tight ligaments that were pulling on my pelivc cage so they helped loosen them off so that I could exercise and improve the muscles to support it all.

Report

BettySwollux · 19/04/2009 23:09

Thanks, I am a bit reluctant to join a gym (embarrassed of my size)which is why I got the treadmill.
I saw a physio a few months after ds2 was born, she did deep tissue massage and gave me exercise and stretches to do, but never said specifically what the problem was.
She discharged me when my movement improved a bit and said to keep up the exercises, which I've been crap at .
Any idea of a routine I can do at home?
TRQ, congrats on your weight loss/dress size.

OP posts:

Report

beakysmum · 19/04/2009 23:19

Hi, my DD is 20m now and like you I still have lingering SPD, but can now manage a treadmill if it is flat (no incline at all!).

I agree about strenghtening the surrounding muscles, especially your core muscles by Pilates. You need a physio who specialises in pregnancy to show you. Might need to go private, but just one appointment is well worth it. I then did a fab Pilates class,which continued the same excercises the physio had shown me. Girls of all sizes there, or you could get a Pilates video.

Can't recommend Pilates enough!

I never knew how weak my stomach muscles were and therefore not holding my pelvis together.

HTH

Report

beakysmum · 19/04/2009 23:20

Report

BettySwollux · 19/04/2009 23:31

Ooh, thanks beaky, I'd not thought of pilates.
You're a fan then?

OP posts:

Report

beakysmum · 20/04/2009 14:40

Yup, on commission for it

Report

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.