Be Careful What You Google

 As an early tech adopter way before the Internet became a household word, I was aware of unexpected search results.  I was teaching a STEM summer course for Middle School girls for a local university which they advertised as “Girls Online.”   I told them that wasn’t a smart title.  Sure enough, a search of “Girls Online” did NOT bring up the projects of my girls interested in Math/Science/Computer careers. 

Fast forward 20 years
I have been rehabbing a stupid injury for several weeks (details at end). My treatment includes a device to electrically stimulate my leg muscles for 15 minutes after my workout on the machines.  I remember that device from my last injury 5 years ago.  Now I learned that I can buy that device for home use.

So I googled something like “muscle stimulation devices” 
It was immediately evident that legs were not the only body parts people were interested in stimulating.

The search results produced a wide variety of options.  At least I was wise enough not to explore them at random.  I can only imagine the popup ads THAT would have generated in the future.

I decided to check whatever WALMART was selling.  It arrived the next day

I will take it to my next rehab session so I can be sure I am using it properly.  Situating the pads seems to be most important for the best results.

In the past I have needed rehab after a fall or accident.

This time it was stupid pride.

It was time for me to replace my custom orthotics. 
I have very difficult feet (flat, severely overpronating and with an extra bone that should have fused to another in the womb but somehow didn’t)
You know you are weird when the ortho doc calls in an intern to observe “something you don’t see very often”

Anyway, I credit my custom “industrial strength” orthotics for keeping me upright and “in the race” for the last 25 years.

No little piece of plastic in my shoes.  These are SERIOUS things
These are the 2 ½ year old ones I wanted to replace

Before I saw the ortho doc for reevaluation, I had to fill out a survey about my “problem”

I didn’t have a PROBLEM.  I wanted new orthotics.

The questions as to what I was and was not able to do seemed unnecessary. 
How far can I walk?  Can I do household chores etc.
Can I stand for an hour?  Can I stand on one leg?

CAN I HOP?    HOP?  What am I 12?
All I had to answer was YES or NO.  But I decided to HOP.

4 times on my left leg but only ONCE on my right leg when I got a searing shooting pain.
I couldn’t even put weight on the leg.
RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) helped some but it was obvious I did something that I couldn’t fix myself

I have a “fat pad impingement” on the right side of my knee which impacted the surrounding tendons and muscles.
I never knew a knee had fat pads. 
Supposedly rehab should be successful and I feel a LOT better than when I first started, but it will take several weeks to be back to normal assuming I don’t reinjure myself.

They remembered me at the rehab center so my home exercise sheet states in capital letters

Eileen, GENTLE NOT AGGRESSIVE!

Good advice.  I will file that along with “Rest and come back stronger” and “Slow and steady, gradual improvement”