Two Steps Forward, One Step Back... And Two To the Side!

Last week I explained that I had begun taking the stairs, rather than the elevator, to my 8th floor office. I mentioned that I was taking it a step further, going down one flight for every two I go up, thus doubling the number of stairs climbed. Today--in part to increase the range of muscles worked, and in part to help with my IT band issues--I added another twist. I climbed several flights of stairs sideways.

I looked for pictures of people climbing stairs sideways, but to no avail; these pictures are, I think, meant to demonstrate a particular stretch. Nevertheless, they illustrate what I did for several flights of stairs. I would climb one flight to my right, then one to the left. Then I'd go straight down one flight and go sideways up another two, and so forth.

My physical therapist yesterday explained that our exercise tends to be almost exclusively straight ahead or straight up, with little 360° movement. He said that next time we met he would give me a couple of exercises to do that would involve moving side-to-side and in all directions, which should help loosen up the IT band and strengthen the connective tissues. That inspired me to add this twist to my daily climb.

Whether or not this proves effective remains to be seen. However, I didn't have any knee pain after the climb, and even if it doesn't really help, it can't hurt to strengthen the surrounding muscles and tissues not exercised when climbing the stairs only straight up and down. I wonder what twist I'll think of next...