In another post, I reiterated that I cannot lift weights or do treadmill right now, due to a shoulder injury (that I may have to have surgery on, again!) - and those are my two chosen forms of exercise.

Someone suggested Yoga and/or Pilates. I have two DVD's at home that I haven't even broken open the seal on! - but are those really fat burning exercises? I know that they can help you stretch out & "elongate" your muscles... but can they really help you lose weight?

And what does everyone do for exercise here?

Having gone through shoulder surgery last January, I understand your frustrations! I found the best cardio during recovery to be the recumbent bike because it didn't jostle my shoulder (I was in a sling 24/7 for the first six weeks and under strict orders not to fire the muscle or bump it in any way). The elliptical and treadmill were both too bouncy. Even walking hurt! But the bike worked - do you have access to one?

Are you allowed to work legs? I was able to do leg press, extensions, and curls while still in a sling. I also did lunges and squats with my own body weight. Since you're not able to add weights, shoot for high reps and burn 'em out that way.

Good luck and I fervently hope that you can avoid surgery!

Thanks Meg! - yeah, I had a torn rotator cuff surgery about 4 years ago, and just last year, reinjured my shoulder. We've tried everything, including phys. therapy (which I'm still doing). But doc now says it looks like he will have to "go back in" - the MRI showed some swelling around the area, but he can't tell if it's torn again, or if a suture popped loose, or if it's just scar tissue or what.

But that walking... people think you can just walk - but a shoulder injury really prevents it! I cannot swing my arms because it hurts so much - and that is what propels you forward.

However, I COULD do the bike. Maybe I'll try that. And I could do a few of the leg exercises (tho last time I tried I literally tilted over, LOL!!!).

Thanks for the suggestion, Meg!

Oh wow, that just plain sucks! I'm so sorry to hear about the re-injury (and that scares me too).

I had a complete tear so it was open surgery rather than arthroscopic. Even though - as you well know - it's a hard surgery and recovery, for me it's been so worth it in the end. Not sleeping was the worst, but being so limited in exercising and every day activities was hard too. I hated watching my body turn to Jello!

Now my range of motion is about 95% and I can do every exercise in the gym, though I don't go to failure on upper body any more. My strength is back 75 - 90%. So in the end, it was worth the pain and frustration.

I hope if you have to go through surgery again, it will be worth it for you too.

Tell me, how did you re-injure your shoulder? Was it while working out or just a gradual deterioration? Any advice for a fellow post-op?

Yes, when I hurt my shoulder, I was riding the exercise bike every day, with my arm in a sling to keep it from jostling even a little bit. It really DIDN'T hurt the shoulder, unlike walking, running, etc.

Hope it feels better soon!

With a shoulder injury I don't know if pilates is right for you, I guess there are alternative versions of each position on the video that I have, but I know there is a lot of being on your back with your head up, I cant imagine that feeling to good with an injured shoulder.

I do an exercise bike, treadmill, pilates and weights, but I have no injury to worry about.

I hope you recover soon!

I am a fan of t-tapp ( www.t-tapp.com ) It is totally rehabilitative and fat burning for sure. Take a look at the site and if you go on the forums there you can read many testimonials of people who overcame various injuries using these exercises. pm me if you want!

As for your question. I alternate between t-tapp and running on my treadmill for exercise.

Emily ???? I just looked at the t-tapp website...Looks really interesting to me. I am a little confused as to what to order to start with?? Can you recommend what you started out with?

I am VERY curious about the hoe-down..Do you find the exercises difficult? Any info would be great.

Well, I will say this: The first surgery was TOUGH. Even tho it was "scopic" it was still very painful. Took a year for full recovery, and lifting weights was a slow process - especially over my head (I could barely do 5 lbs!) But I was FINE, cured, good, and working out & losing weight.

Was within 3 pounds of my goal weight Sept'05. I was trying to be "extra-good" with my exercise... you know, park extra far away in the parking lot so you'll walk more, and "Don't take the elevator, take the stairs!" yeah right.... without the gory details, I tripped & fell going UP the stairs, and in a natural reaction, grabbed the railing & actually pulled my arm up & out. I felt it pop. It hurt a little initially, but I didn't realize I'd hurt it that bad until the next day at the gym, when I couldn't do a single military press.

Been seeing the doc ever since. And now, it's gotten so bad, my elbow has started hurting! - 2ndary pain, the doc said. "Tendinitis." Got a couple of cortisone shots; that's always fun! And right now, I'm going thru therapy, hoping against hope that I won't have to have surgery again!

But really, the worst part is not being able to exercise (or sleep.)

I had the pain in my elbow! And all the way down into my wrist and hand! In fact, after the surgery, my elbow always hurt more after physical therapy than my shoulder did.

Aw, I just feel so bad for you. It's so hard not to give into comfort eating, I know (I had a few pity parties myself). Here's hoping that it gets better soon, with or without surgery.

Thanks Meg! It's nice to know that someone understands this kind pain; but I'm sorry you have to understand because of experience!

And thanks to everyone else too - I think I will check into the T-tapp!!! (And Yoga & Pilates are still on the exercise menu!)

Ok, it's been almost a month since the last post of this thread, but I have been researching T-Tapp (thanks jelynn!!!!!) & even bought the book. It is SO INTERESTING! - I cannot wait to get started doing this exercise! I even joined the T-Tapp forum! I'm just afraid that I won't have the proper form & that the work I do won't show good results because of that. But after reading everything I could about the T-tapp exercise, I'm convinced it is a very good exercise, especially for people who need rehabilitative exercises.

And with Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow, I'm thinking there's no time like the present to start a good exercise program!

Thanks again jelynn, for telling me about T-Tapp!!

Oh, & HAPPY THANKSGIVING Y'ALL!!!!

I'm very boring exercise-wise...I have an exercise bike that my parents bought me to replace the former exercise bike I'd used for 2 years...and I go on it 4 times on average a week, for 30-60 minutes a time.

I used to walk (alone) too, but since being diagnosed epileptic, I can't really be alone in the countryside/on roads any more. Huh.

I wanted to add as well, that Pilates might not be for you with the shoulder injury-because you DO use the shoulders in a lot of the exercises. However, to address your other question-Pilates does more than stretch/lengthen the muscles-it has a lot of strength training properties-especially for the core areas of the abs, back, hips, and butt. Just like with abdominal crunches/reverse crunches and other ab exercises-Pilates uses your body weight for the resistance. I have found that Pilates really targets the core muscles much more effectively than a lot of the traditional ab exercises.
So it isn't a "fat burning" workout, like cardio-it is more of a strength workout focusing on the core areas-with stretching at the same time. It was started out as a strength training exercise for professional dancers-because it strengthens/stretches at the same time-leaving the muscle looking more lean and improving the flexibility at the same time.

As far as the other question-my main form of exercise is belly dancing, strength training, and walking. I also do Pilates and yoga-but the first three I do the most.