Home PT Week 3 Aug 1st - Aug 5th 2016

Home Physical Therapy Week of
Monday August 1st - Friday August 5th 2016: 

Home PT day 15 - Spondylolisthesis BJJ
Monday 8/1/2016. Continuing to try and increase my workload this week.  Today I did a 30 minute walk in the morning, another 30 minute walk during lunch and a final 30 minute walk this evening. 
Total of 1.5 hours of walking today.    

Pelvic tilts:  

 

Increase of 5 reps.  While lying on the floor I did 35 pelvic tilts holding each tilt while pressing my lower back into the table and making my core tight.  I held each tilt for a count of 10 then release and rest for 1 or 2 seconds.   


Increase of 15 - Bridges with pelvic tilt hold.  45 reps and it was same as above but instead of pressing my low back into the table I hold the pelvic tilt and bridge lifting my hips off the table.

I held this bridge in the air for a count of 5 and then back down and relax for 1.  45 reps.


Isometric hands against knees:   Both knees at the same time (different from picture below)

4 sets of 60 seconds each.  Hands crossed right over left, straight, hands to side and 4th set left over right.  

Deadbug abdominal exercise: 

Increase today 4 sets 1 minute each.  This is like a modified bicycle crunch but instead of bring your elbow to your knee - you kept your arm straight and it went back behind your head as the knee came up and then switched for the other knee.  This was done for 4 sets of 60 seconds.  I also made this more difficult by keeping my legs straighter with less bend in my knee.  It made my legs feel heavier. 

Plank. 

4 sets of 1 minute holds.  2 from the elbows as in the above picture and 2 from the pushup position. 

Leg raises. 

Increase today - 20 leg raises.  Lay flat on the floor with my hands underneath and I did 20 leg raises total.  Once again around 10 my low back started to feel a some pain but I felt as though it would be ok to keep going.  I made 2 mistakes today.  First, I didn't eat enough and did not drink enough water.  This ended up giving me a headache.  Second, I didn't begin my abdominal PT routine until late in the afternoon.  Usually I do it in the morning or at lunch.  Between not enough food and water and waiting later then normal today - I almost quit 1/2 way thru my workout.  My headache was pounding and I was tired from lack of food/water.  I was very tempted to stop 1/2 way thru and say that was enough.  Thankfully, I remembered I'd be putting this on the blog so I forced myself to push thru and complete it.  I'm glad I did.  Note - do your PT/Exercise earlier in the day if possible before you are too tired and be sure to hydrate.

After having dinner and drinking plenty of water I felt a little better and talked myself into going to the gym. My physician recommended to continue the light weight for a few weeks so this week I decided to go up in reps each exercise if my back felt ok.  Exercises were 3 sets of 16 reps.  Up only 1 know but it is progress!

Here was my workout for the evening: 

Dumbbell bench press.  35 pounds each hand for 3 sets of 16 reps.  Again I tried to consciously engage/activate my core during every exercise.  It felt like I was doing ab exercise during every weight lift.  I held my core tight when I lifted the weights from the rack, when I laid back to begin bench press, etc. 

Seated machine shoulder press.  This one I did very light as I didn't want to compress my spine or have any pain.  3 sets of 16 reps around 40 pounds. 

Lat machine pull downs.  3 sets of 16 reps 70 pounds.  Again - very light weight to ease myself back in. 

Seated machine rows.  I was extra careful on this was as it worked my middle and low back and I wanted to train smart.  3 sets of 16 reps around 60 pounds.  Again - very light weight - taking it slow.  This particular exercise concerns me and I'm not sure how I'm gong to go about increasing or continuing this exercise.  I plan to do some research or ask around with PT's or PTA's. 

Triceps press downs.  3 sets of 16 reps 45 pounds. 

Standing bicep dumbbell curls.  3 sets of 16 reps 25 pound each hand 20 pounds last set.  I kept my core tight the entire time during each rep.  It felt like I was doing 2 exercises at the same time - ab work and curls.  Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - tomorrow will be my first time going back to Jiu Jitsu in 2 months.  Feels good to be back in the gym. 






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Home Physical Therapy day 16 - Spondylolisthesis BJJ
Wednesday 8/3/2016.  Continuing to try and increase my workload this week.  Today was a busy day and I only did a 30 minute walk in the morning.  But I did do a few increases in my abdominal exercises tonight.     

Pelvic tilts:  

 

While lying on the floor I did 35 pelvic tilts holding each tilt while pressing my lower back into the table and making my core tight.  I held each tilt for a count of 10 then release and rest for 1 or 2 seconds.   


Increase of 5.  Bridges with pelvic tilt hold.  35 reps and it was same as above but instead of pressing my low back into the table I hold the pelvic tilt and bridge lifting my hips off the table.

I held this bridge in the air for a count of 5 and then back down and relax for 1.  35 reps.


Isometric hands against knees:   Both knees at the same time (different from picture below)

4 sets of 60 seconds each.  Hands crossed right over left, straight, hands to side and 4th set left over right.  

Deadbug abdominal exercise: 

4 sets 1 minute each.  This is like a modified bicycle crunch but instead of bring your elbow to your knee - you kept your arm straight and it went back behind your head as the knee came up and then switched for the other knee.  This was done for 4 sets of 60 seconds.  I also made this more difficult by keeping my legs straighter with less bend in my knee.  It made my legs feel heavier. 

Plank. 

4 sets of 1 minute holds.  2 from the elbows as in the above picture and 2 from the pushup position. 

Leg raises. 

Increase today - 25 leg raises.  Lay flat on the floor with my hands underneath and I did 25 leg raises total.  Once again around 10 my low back started to feel a some pain but I felt as though it would be ok to keep going and I made it to 25 tonight. 

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Home Physical Therapy day 17 - Spondylolisthesis BJJ
Friday 8/5/2016.  Continuing to try and increase my workload this week.  Today was a busy day and I only did a 30 minute walk in the morning.  But I did do a few increases in my abdominal exercises tonight.     

Pelvic tilts:  

 

While lying on the floor I did 35 pelvic tilts holding each tilt while pressing my lower back into the table and making my core tight.  I held each tilt for a count of 10 then release and rest for 1 or 2 seconds.   


Increase of 10.  Bridges with pelvic tilt hold.  45 reps and it was same as above but instead of pressing my low back into the table I hold the pelvic tilt and bridge lifting my hips off the table.

I held this bridge in the air for a count of 5 and then back down and relax for 1.  45 reps.


Isometric hands against knees:   Both knees at the same time (different from picture below)

4 sets of 60 seconds each.  Hands crossed right over left, straight, hands to side and 4th set left over right.  

Deadbug abdominal exercise: 

4 sets 1 minute each.  This is like a modified bicycle crunch but instead of bring your elbow to your knee - you kept your arm straight and it went back behind your head as the knee came up and then switched for the other knee.  This was done for 4 sets of 60 seconds.


Plank. 

4 sets of 1 minute holds.  2 from the elbows as in the above picture and 2 from the pushup position. 

Leg raises. 

25 leg raises.  Lay flat on the floor with my hands underneath and I did 25 leg raises total. 


Side leg raises: 

30 repetitions for each leg. I was surprised by how much they burned at the end.  No weights just my leg. 

Hip ups:  

1 set of 20 reps.  Pushing off the ground and raise my butt/hips off the ground like a reverse crunch.