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KIM'S JOURNAL

Part two in a series, the following is a continuation of the journal of Kim Reese,our stalwart board member and reluctant exerciser.

With our journal series we bring you the challenges and accomplishments of an average woman: someone who, like all of us, balances a life full of work, play, friends, family and occasional struggle.

We hope you find inspiration in Kim’s daily endeavors, and perhaps decide to try something new and challenging yourself!

* April 28th - I woke up this morning and popped in the Tae Bo tape. It’s good to get moving like that. I’m doing the beginner’s tape and am able to keep up with most things, other than some of the combination punching and kicking. I don’t think that has anything to do with my level of fitness though, but more to do with my lack of coordination.

I’m hoping that a person can work up to a certain level of coordination. Who knows? I’ve been thinking a lot about my fear of getting back to the gym for the weight training and it definitely has to do with me not liking to do new things. I’m like that in other areas of my life.

* April 29th - Walked for about a half an hour today. It’s definitely a time for me to clear my head from everything that goes on during the day. I’d like to start walking faster during part of the walk.

* May 1st - Went over to Alena’s yesterday. We took a long walk on the beach. It was fantastic!! I could definitely feel it in my muscles today . . .in my legs and my butt. It reminds me that I’m working on making my body strong, which makes me proud. We walked maybe 3 plus miles in the sand. I felt it on the side of my legs by my knees for some reason.

It’s such a wonderful feeling to live in a town where I can walk on the beach because it makes it not feel like work. I think I do better when I don’t label things as "exercising."

I just started to re-read a great book called "Feel the Fear And Do It Anyway." I’m looking for inspiration to get myself into the gym for weight training. I know that it’s just one of those things that I have to work through. I keep waiting for the feeling of anxiety to pass. I need to go in and just get it over with.

* May 10th - Today I walked at the beach again. The soft sand is harder to walk in and I can really feel it in my body the next day. I am so enjoying the walks. Part of what helps is that I’m not going by myself. That way I have to show up for someone other than myself!

* June 3rd - I have had a straight month of working out 6 times a week for the first time in my life. I can’t even begin to explain what a step this is for me.

I’ve been doing a combination of Tae Bo and walking on the beach with some stairstepping added in once in a while. On days that I don’t get to the beach, I walk around the neighborhood. Twice I’ve also (a little embarrassing to admit this) danced around the house for a half an hour. Hey, I figure whatever gets me moving.

I’m beginning to feel a difference in the shape of my body. I had a friend tell me a few days ago that I looked more toned. Toned? Gee, not really a word that I’m familiar with! I also have lost some weight over the past month. The best part of it is I feel myself wanting to move my body during the day. I’ve never had that happen before. I’ll literally feel like I need to go out and just move around.

The walks on the beach have continued to be inspiring. I’m enjoying the feeling of having my muscles being a little sore. Apparently that means I actually HAVE muscles. I can’t stand it!

* June 4th - Did the Body Electric Adventure Club hike. I made Whit call it a walk instead of a hike. Lis agreed that it sounded much better. I was surprised. I thought I was the only one that cringed at the sound of a hike. Once we got out there and started walking, it was great!

I have definitely found out through this process that the way for me to stay active is to make sure that I just get out and MOVE, in a semi-unorganized way. I think the minute it sounds like formal exercise, I don’t want to have anything to do with it. So my goal is to continue to get my body moving in any way possible that makes me happy. I’ve learned a lot about myself over the past 4 or 5 weeks.

* June 7th - Ok, news flash . . .I am actually getting the coordination thing down with those dang Tae Bo tapes. All of a sudden last week I realized that it was easier for me to do some of the combination moves. Today I did them without realizing it until later. Not bad!

I cracked myself up today too, because I was sitting at my computer designing and took a break to stretch. I ran my hand up along the outside part of my upper arm and it felt different . . .like a bit muscular. How cool is that? I’m so easily thrilled by the little things. Now, I’m assuming that I should KNOW what that bump (i.e.: muscle) is called. I’ll deal with it later.

* June 8th - Took the longest walk today on the beach . . .went from Shoreline all the way to The Brown Pelican, with the 1000 Steps added in. My calves are killing me . . .and it’s good!!!

It was our sophomore year in college. My best friend, a former high school basketball player, was playing intramural basketball. She was coming down from a layup, and it happened. It sounded like a pop, it felt like something snapped. She fell to the floor, having no idea the extent of what had just happened.

A visit to the hospital, some x-rays, and many excruciating hours of pain later, the diagnosis was a torn ACL. "An ACL? What’s that?," she asked. After surgery and many months of physical therapy, she can tell you exactly what it is. And so can many female athletes just like her.

ACL stands for "anterior cruciate ligament." It is a knee joint stabilizer that connects the shin to the thigh bone.

A sudden deceleration (coming to a quick stop), combined with a direction change while running, pivoting, landing from a jump, or overextending the knee joint in either direction can cause injury to the ACL.

One of the most devastating parts of tearing the ACL is the recuperation process. It usually requires reconstructive surgery and physical therapy, and rehabilitation that can go on as long as a year and costs an estimated $20,000.

The Center for Sports Medicine in San Francisco estimates 20,000 high school female athletes sustain ACL injuries each year. Sport Magazine reports that females suffer an ACL tear every 3,400 basketball games while males suffer one only every 10,000 games.

Females are anywhere from two to six times more likely to suffer from ACL injuries than males, depending on the research you read. Collegiate female basketball players, in particular, have been found to be as much as eight times more likely to experience ACL injuries than their male counterparts.

The research regarding females and ACL injuries is inconclusive. Here are some of the primary arguments:

It is clear with ACL injuries, as with many medical issues that relate to women, that more work needs to be done. More needs to be learned about why female athletes are more susceptible to these injuries and what can be done to prevent them.

As for my friend, her recuperation was slow and frustrating, but successful. Her surgeon gave her a videotape of the surgery which, along with a faded scar, will always serve as a reminder of her injury.

By Brenda Britsch, Ph.D.

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