I get decent relief from hamstring/posterior chain stretches like:

• Child's pose
• Frog pose
• Downward dog
• Elephant walks
• Happy baby pose

To me, it seems like posterior chain stretches seem to be the go to for so many people here.
I therefore imagine so many of us actually suffer from posterior pelvic tilt or sway back posture and loss of lumbar lordosis. Our pelvic floor, hamstrings and glutes are in a state of constant contraction.
I wonder whether many of us would benefit from strengthening the hip flexors and erector spine to take some of the load off the hamstrings/pelvic floor?

Judo is extremely underrated in MMA. It is definitely under-represented as well, due to a multitude of reasons (MMA is no-gi, Judo doesn't train leg attacks, IJF bans its top athletes from cross-competing, most MMA is in the USA where Judo sucks and wrestling is world-class, etc etc), but Judo is still very much used in MMA. The problem is many times, nobody recognizes it. American MMA commentators are also almost always completely clueless when it comes to Judo, which doesn't help (you need not go any further than Karo Parisyan basically going through half the Gokyo on his opponents, only to be greeted with the same OH MY GOD ! JUDO THROW! by Joe Rogan). There are many fighters, both superstars (Islam, Fedor) and not (Gregory Rodrigues, Luana Pinheiro) who heavily use Judo in their matches.
Over the years, I have actively been looking for Judo in MMA. I am going to share my list of fighters displaying high level Judo in MMA, as a reference point for anyone looking to see how the art is used in MMA, or even for anyone just looking to see some banging throws. The list is by no means exhaustive. I would love for people more knowledgeable than me to add fighters I may have missed.
Disclaimer: Let's focus on Judo use in MMA. There are several fighters who have a background, even a black belt, in Judo but don't really use it (Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, Merab Dvalishvili, Shinya Aoki, Seika Izawa, Fabricio Werdum, Ronaldo Jacare Souza just off the top of my head). Also yes, Morote Gari is a leg takedown, and it is in the Judo syllabus. Almost nobody learned double legs in Judo, let's not go to these extremes.
Karo Parisyan
The OG of Judo in MMA, the man who single-handedly put Judo on the MMA map. Judo is displayed in all of his matches; several Youtube breakdowns and highlights exist as well. He also put out a Judo for MMA instructional which is gold, if you can get your hands on it. Unfortunately he got derailed by personal issues (I hear he's doing better now thankfully). Huge variety of throws, he used throws nobody else has used before or after against very high level opponents. Shoutout to his kimura grip hikikomi gaeshi that he almost beat GSP with.
Ronda Rousey
UFC champion, Olympic bronze medalist, WMMA pioneer - you know her, everyone knows her. Extremely one-dimensional, but a pioneer for her time. Her entire game plan was clinch JUDO THROW juji gatame (armbar). Shoutout to her textbook use of hip toss into kesa gatame into roflstomp (vs Alexis Davis). Her matches with Miesha Tate are also among the best MMA matches (male or female).
Fedor Emelianenko
PRIDE champion. Arguably the Heavyweight GOAT. Probably the best example of Judo adapted to MMA (together with Islam), as he did not rely on Judo as much as Karo or Ronda, but perfectly blended it with his striking to create an unstoppable force. I'd heavily recommend watching Sonny Brown's Fedor breakdown on Youtube, or pretty much any one of Fedor's matches, they're awesome. Shoutout to his use of the overhand right to switch stances when initiating clinches (as a R-handed Judo fighter fighting out of an Orthodox stance).
Islam Makhachev
UFC champion. Undefeated. Ideal example of Judo adapted to MMA. Yes, he's a Dagestani, and he has been training in MMA all his life, so obviously his style is not purely Judo, but it's obvious to anyone who knows where to look that his grappling base is more Judo than wrestling based. Shoutout to him submitting Charles Oliveira, the most prolific BJJ specialist in MMA history, with a Kata Gatame (arm-triangle choke, routinely taught in Judo as a pin with submission potential). His style is also very different from Khabib, who I will not include in this list for the opposite reason; his grappling base was significantly more wrestling based (although he did execute some ridiculously perfect Judo throws on occasion). The entire Khabib camp uses both Judo and wrestling though.
Jon Jones
UFC Champion. Contender for all-time GOAT. Is Jon Jones a Judoka? Nope. Do his matches feature Judo? Absolutely. You only need to watch one of his highlight reels to see a variety of Judo throws, Osoto Gari, Harai Goshi, Tai Otoshi, Sasae, a variety of Kosotos, along with his wrestling-based takedowns. He also uses a lot of inside trips, obviously from wrestling, but he's still a good example of how to use Ouchi Gari in MMA.
Jimmy Hettes
UFC former fighter. Old-school prolific grappler. Very high level Judo and BJJ. Did not have many matches, but they were all grappling clinics, and every one included a multitude of Judo throws (mainly Harai Goshi).
Kayla Harrison
PFL tournament winner. Double Olympic gold medalist. Her recent UFC debut against Holly Holm featured a Harai and a brutal Osoto Gari into a finishing choke.
Yoshihiro Akiyama (Sexiyama)
Heavy Judo base. Struggled in the UFC, but had some banging throws. Still competes at almost 50. Also his nickname was Sexy, can't go wrong with that.
Hector Lombard
Judo Olympian. Heavy Judo base as well, with very slick throws, although he preferred to stand and bang. Was once one of the hottest non-UFC MMA prospects, his career took a massive dive after he got popped for roids.
Satoshi Ishii
Judo Gold medalist. Heavy Judo base. Fought in a variety of promotions around the world, an absolute dog but with average results. He got brutally destroyed by Cro Cop, then went to train with him in Croatia, then denounced his citizenship and became a Croatian citizen. Lol. Also trains with Danaher, and has a bunch of no-gi Judo instructionals at ridiculous prices (because Danaher).
Serghei Spivac
UFC Heavyweight contender. Ragdolls everyone with sloppy but effective Judo throws. Shoutout to his landing in Kesa Gatame too.
Luana Pinheiro
UFC fighter. Judo black belt, (I believe) Olympic alternate. Uses Judo as her main offensive grappling base, has taken down all of her opponents with the same Harai Goshi / O Guruma hybrid.
Gregory Rodrigues
UFC fighter. ?Relative unknown. I personally never heard of him, until I randomly came across one of his matches were he executed one of the most brutal Harai's I've ever seen into a finish. All of his matches feature some degree of Judo, mainly uses Harai. No recorded Judo rank on his wiki (he's recorded as a heavily credentialed BJJ blackbelt), but it's obvious he has Judo training. Also very good wrestling and kickboxing (yes, he's very exciting to watch). Shoutout to his match against Brunno Fereira, a Judo black belt who escaped top position from Rodrigues by securing an Ippon grip, rolling to his knees, and chucking Rodrigues forward with a kneeling Ippon Seoi before brutally KO'ing him a few seconds later.
Tagir Ulanbekov
UFC fighter. Khabib's camp. Uses a lot of clinch takedowns. An absolute specialist in step around throws (I believe it's called "Polish" in wrestling?) - in Judo terms it would be Kosoto Gake +/- Ura Nage depending how you finish it.
Ayaka Miura
ONE Championship fighter. Heavy Judo base. Shoutout to her use of Kesa Gatame to finish opponents.
Rick Hawn
Judo Olympian. Twice fought for the Bellator championship. Unfortunately, I have not watched any of his actual matches, so I cannot confirm how much Judo he uses (I'd love for someone to chime in). Still has a highlight-reel standing Ippon Seoi Nage into KO, so I had to include him.
..
Honorable mention to Yoel Romero, an absolute unit of an athlete. Olympic silver medalist and World champion in Freestyle wrestling, fought for UFC gold. Obviously not a Judoka but he has the cleanest Sasae you will ever see in MMA, as well as a bunch of beautiful step-around throws and inside trips you've probably learned in Judo.

A lot of this stuff may have already been covered but I just want to give my two cents.

1) We need female ai and player enemies. To be honest I didn’t check the character creator enough to verify, but all I ever see is dudes on the game. I would really enjoy having a ‘cartel muscle mommy’ as a n enemy boss.

Good now I have your attention…

2) The AI are super broken. We all know it. The aimbot hip fire kills across a zone of interest are starting to get on my nerve. Like I get 5 seconds of continuous arm stamina to pull off maybe one or two headshots on stationary AI while I’m stationary, and the ai is just like, ‘React, Spin, Hipfire Kill.’ And it seems like it’s only gotten worse since ai reach level 29.

3) The suppressors have to actually do something for the ai for me to use them. From what I can tell, the ai is aggravated regardless of the use of suppressors. The ai should become suspicious, not immediately activated by the sound of the suppressor unless they were hit or they were in direct eye line of another enemy ai. The ai should aggro even more if they find a body. At this point the only thing the suppressors do is alert enemy players that I am in the area. I know because that’s what I do against the enemies.

4) LZ camping. Easy fixes include random placements within a certain area with smoke discharge from helicopter.

5) Fratricide. My proposed fix is after two instances of friendly fire (does not have to result in kill could just injure, i.e. if a total of 200 friendly HP damage - assume each player has a total of 100HP is dealt within a single life) the player is now marked as AWOL. A bounty is placed on the AWOL allowing all friendlies to hunt. At the same time a group of guard AI from the base get into a helicopter and fly to the nearest LZ to eliminate the AWOL. The guards are killable and only one helicopter of guard AI will be sent out.

6) Base Raids. They should be more fun and flushed out. There should be an ability to initiate an official raid on an enemy base after having trekked from a preexisting LZ. When the raid is initiated (either by flare, task, timed event, etc) two friendly LZs should spawn in proximity to either the enemy starting town or base. These LZs will remain active for the use of 3 to 5 reinforcement helicopters each and one exfil chopper from each of the newly spawned LZs.

7) General bug fixed and optimization. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been killed by an ai that’s stuff in a wall, floor, or ceiling and can shoot through it.

8) Gear FeaEconomy/Loot Pool. It’s too easy to get gear. Maybe that’ll change with the introduction of new lootable items and gear. I don’t think I’ve dipped below 200k since level 7.

9) AI health and seeming invincibility. Maybe it’s a server issue, but holy cow… you dump a full 60rd M855A1 into an unarmored skinny and they’ll still spin around and one tap you. That NEEDS TO BE FIXED.

10) Faction ID. We need to be able to better distinguish teammates. Optional armbands would be a start. Also dog tags would be awesome for tasks or collection.

11) More task variety. I’m level 29 (~100hrs) and I still haven’t gotten any specifically PVP missions.

12) Stamina. Give me some way to improve my stamina without having to take the in game drugs

13) Helicopter Speed/redirection. The meta is already to switch servers if waiting for a pick up takes just as long as finding a new server. Speed it the heck up or give more chopper. Also give us the option to redirect the helicopter when on the helicopter. Also to see where a chopper is heading to prior to it landing at base camp.

14) Coma. Allow me to activate a beacon friendly visible within 250m so that as a solo I don’t always waste my Coma state.

15) Logs, Roots, twigs & pebbles, need a rework so that I’m not getting caught on every single thing while walking in the forests .

These are the things that irk me right now. Feel free to add in the comments.

Dog
I thought I'd start here. Long story short I recently adopted a dog. We took her to 2 vets and had some xrays done and a orthopedic specialist looked at her leg and discovered she needs surgery for a acl injury. She's had this injury for over 6 months. She was in foster care and our local humane society. I'm wondering if i could possibly geet a lawyer to look into this.... she had x-rays done on her hips only in December and there was never any follow ups regarding this limp. I feel as there was neglecting by this company...due to thee reason she continued to have this injury. We were told oh its only if she is laying down to long then when's she's up she is fine. This isn't true I take her out for walks and could see the limp. I plan to look and contact lawyers. Now my dog needs a over 6 grand surgery. I contacted the Humane Society to complain how they didn't rightfully takecare of her. I am heere just to see who or how to look up lawyers or hell if i have a case. I just want what's best for my dog. We plan on doing surgery to get her better. I feell they should help in some way, i am looking into trying to get some financial help where i can and i wont atop looking. People who i have talked to said thry have never heard of this situation happening.

Apologies if this is messy, I haven't sorted out all my thoughts and just need to vent. I was finally diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia in my right hip last October and since then, I have been to 4 surgeons who all agreed I had hip dysplasia and needed a PAO but didn't do the surgery themselves. Today, I finally went to a doctor who specializes in hips and he said that a PAO is unlikely to work at this point due to how damaged my hip already is. I apparently have a part of my pelvis that is fractured and my hip is sublexed both due to the dysplasia. My surgeon is instead recommending a THR. I'm a bit disappointed and nervous since I'm only 23 and already need a hip replacement.

Went on a quick shopping trip to pick up items for dinner. On the way home with a full backpack and holding another bag of items I came across a bad situation that I thought that I could assist with. Long story short, there was big traffic jam caused by a stray dog walking down the middle of one of lanes. There was a guy trying to chase it down in a truck, but this guy was clearly going to cause an accident so I took over the chase to try and guide the dog off of the road. I was able to get the dog into the parking lot of a hardware store. Once again, the guy came roaring in his truck and spooked the dog who headed back towards the busy street. I was able to intervene again and got the dog heading away from the busy road. The dog got a good jump on me and was about 50 yards ahead of me heading towards cars again. I mashed it and was going around 30-35 when I caught up with it. There was a inlet/court just ahead of where we were so i got in front of the dog and did a hard stop turning to the left to get the dog to head down the court. I was able to get the dog re-routed, but as I made the turn while braking my pedals dipped and the wheel over-leaned and dumped me off of the front of the wheel. I was able to run it out for a little bit, but with a full backpack and another bag of crap in hand I decided to take the fall before I hyperextended a knee/hip or twisted an ankle. Fortunately I fell in loose tanbark so no abrasions or major injuries to myself or the wheel.
I was riding a Begode EXn high speed. I think that I am going to buy the high torque frame from AR and go that route as I am no longer a fan of the high speed configuration. It was a eye opener having the wheel cut during evasive actions.
And of course, no thanks or recognition from the dog owner who was able to finally wrangle the dog after I got him routed to the court.

I hate to ask for things but my mother and I had to move to Lethbridge with our 3 small dogs on emergency short notice due to abuse and are now living in our car as we don't have any money since we're both unemployed and disabled. We discovered we could move our stuff into the front at night so we could sleep properly (horizontally) in the back, however it is extremely painful (I have bruises on my ribs and Hips from how hard the folded seats are) and we don't have enough blankets so we are cold at night. We have tried local shelters but we dont fit their criteria, especially with our dogs. I'm adding a list of chores/jobs i could do and things we could use, if anybody has these items and are willing to part with them for free or for the completion of a task or chore, please comment or message me!
Suggestions for jobs I can do: - mow lawns or pick up dog Poop - vacuum/sweep/dust - wash windows - walk/wash/lightly groom dogs/cats/other pets (I'm very good with animals) - wash cars - babysit (my mother ran a day care most of my life and I grew up naturally learning how to care for kids as well as babysat most of middle/high school) - Help move furniture - And more! If you have a job I didnt list, let me know and if I'm capable I will do it!
Things we need: - Air mattress or mattress topper. This is a big need for us, absolutely high priority item. We are both in a lot of pain from the hard, uncomfortable seat backs of the car, but it's still better for our disabilities than to sleep in the front seats, even reclined. - Air pump (if we recieve an air mattress) - Portable charger batteries to charge our phones when the car is off at night - camping gear, such as a tent, heater, tarp, camping stove, cooler, etc. - sleeping bags or blankets, believe it or not, it gets quite cold still at night when you don't have indoor heating haha - car chargeplugs with USB ports - sun reflectowindshield and/or window covers, to keep the sun out so we and the dogs can stay cool - 2 peoples worth of plates, mugs/cups, and cutlery. We can't keep a lot of dishes but a couple plates and cups would make eating a lot less messy, 1 dish and mug for each of us is perfect - Cash or gift cards especially for gas or dollarama (you'd be surprised what we can find there) - in exchange for helping you with a task

Where I live the heat and humidity can be brutal, and this year spring is already cooking. So how chuffed was I when Outlier sent me a ramielust tank to test. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been wearing it into the ground. I wanted to really test it, so I leaned into it a bit more than I generally would. At this point it’s seen eight full days of wear (and a cpl partial), has been washed five times, slept in, worked out in, dressed up (a bit), tugged on by a small child and a small-legged dog, and is still in one piece. I know this form, in this fabric, has been highly anticipated by many (myself included) - so here’s what I’ve got:

• Quick Stats:
  • I’m 5’10” (or so) and I’ve generally considered my “true size” to be L for Outlier, but have been sizing up lately and enjoying it. I took an XL for a loosebreezier fit in Lilac Mist. I likely will stick with XL however I think I could definitely wear L and fit would still be solid.
• Fabric
  
  • Ramie is a natural fiber, it’s old and it’s bast, if you’ve never encountered it before here’s a better description than I’m going to write: https://outlier.nyc/products/ramielustIn-hand
  • In-hand, this batch of ramielust is weighty and smooth, with a dull shine that almost makes it look slightly metallic (ramie-lustrous). The feel of it is like cooled silk. It can be counterintuitive to pull on a heavier (200gsm) fabric to head out into the heat, but in practice the fiber is always pulling heat away from you, while the openness of the fabric welcomes any breeze right through. Along with the weight comes drape that isn’t typical of lighter and stiffer summer fabrics – in motion the sway of the fabric is elegant and special, especially with the cut of the garment (more on that later). The shine of the fabric does become milder following the first wash, but I didn’t notice any significant change after the second or third wash, it’s still got a light gleam to it.
  • To be honest, I’ve been looking forward to this fabric, but I didn’t expect it to feel this nice having only ever tried the very first run of ramielust some time ago – I didn’t intend to wear it four days in a row. But I kept reaching for it in part just because I wanted to feel the fabric again.
• Fit + Form
  
  • The only Outlier tank I’ve tried prior to this was the Push/Pull Tank. Compared to that cut (in the same size), the Ramielust Tank is a much looser format. The neckline falls lower, and the chest/body is cut wider – it’s a much easier, more leisurely feel, and the ramielust weight makes the additional fabric really drip down and around you in the most lovely way.
  • The cut is open and refined. As with the push/pull tank, the straps are nice and broad, which matches nicely the width of the ramielust tank in the body; it’s substantial, loose, and breezy. When I first tried the tank on pre-wash I immediately thought it was too long, bunching around my hips, but after the first wash/dry the length felt perfect; not cropped, but flowing freely around my midsection when I moved. The fabric sort of leans against you a bit, instead of giving you a full on hug. Not prone to static, just luxurious wavy folds. I really hope this cut shows up more in the future.
• Items of Interest
  
  • Color + Transparency
    • The fabric is a bit transparent, but not too much - I have a lot of contrast between my skintone and tattoos, and I wasn’t able to easily see my tattoos through the fabric unless the light was pretty direct, and then only where the fabric was flat and close to my skin. The color is crazy, similar to the other lilacs Outlier has done, but with the added touch of the slightly metallic shine of the fabric. If you’re at all inclined toward this color (in tank or other format), you should go for it.
  • Shrinkage Etc.
    • I washed on delicate and dried on medium heat (despite the care instructions pleading to dry on low heat) for all five wash/dry passes. On first wash there was ~2” of shrinkage in length, and probably 0.5”-1” of shrinkage to width. The width, I think, released out a bit with wear but the cut is roomy enough that it wasn’t especially noticeable either way. The length also stretches back out a touch, mb 0.5" or so, I think it was calibrated with shrinkage in mind, as again for me the fit was better after losing length. The fabric always tightens up a touch after dry and then relaxes out quickly with wear, which has been true of prior ramielust runs. In comparison to the push/pull tank: I measured 24” across the ramielust tank after first wash/dry, and measured 20” across the push/pull tank which has taken the same wash/dry treatment. Length is similar btwn the two, with ramielust tank being about 1” shorter after wash.
  • Hand Feel vs. Prior Runs
    • The only other ramielust I’ve had was from the very first run, and I found it effective at dealing with heat but generally rough and a bit unfortunate in terms of texture. This ramielust is very different. I think it was described as “buttery” on live and that’s apt af. If you tried ramielust before and found it rough, you may be pleasantly surprised by how soft and welcoming this run is.
  • Twist
    • I mean, it exists. It’s not bad, but if you look for it, yea it’s there. If you’ve had ramielust before, it’s pretty much the same thing, either a dealbreaker for you or not. Twist has bothered me in the past but with the looseness and flow of this cut, you really have to be looking for it to notice it.
  • Durability
    • Not really a selling point for this fabric, but I was pleasantly surprised by how little battle damage I could find after multiple days of non-delicate wear. I found the fabric stretched out across the day a bit but with a wash/dry snapped back to regular form. I did find one small snag on the fabric, not sure where it came from (dogs).
  • Pet Hair
    • The secret metric for all Outlier fabrics: To what extent does it hold onto pet hair (or lint or whatever) - pleased to report that pet hair comes off of this fabric with little (relative) effort. Take the shirt off, give it a proper shake and a whip, and most of the fur will fall away.
  • Random Thoughts/Scenarios
    • Wearing under injex overshirts, I noticed that my skin was cooler where it was touching ramie vs. where it was touching injex
    • Wearing directly under a rain shell, same thing, felt much cooler where ramielust was touching me vs. the goretex-ish material (no surprise there)
    • Wearing as part of a semi-formal outfit works, I think, because of the very apparent quality of the fabric - both color and luster help give it an “elevated” look that can be pretty well dressed up, and Lilac Mist is nice against black.
    • Works pretty well as a workout shirt (especially in a small, hot garage with no airflow), handles sweat great, is still soft against the skin even with moisture in the mix; I did drag it against knurling a few times and didn’t find any abrasion damage. Not a replacement for a dedicated exercise shirt and isn’t meant to be, but in a hot and humid environment it’ll do the trick.
    • I did have a tiny hand, at one point, tug abruptly on a handful of the fabric, which caused an area to stretch out and bag slightly; a wash and dry snapped it back to normal
• My Feelings
  
  • In the end, my feelings are that this form is the highest and best use for the ramielust fabric (yet). This tank makes me feel protected and unrestricted out in the heat. It keeps me comfortable, it’s easy. I have to look for reasons not to wear it, and I’m running out of them.
• Pictures
  
  • https://imgur.com/gallery/ramielust-tank-pk02Sv5

Species: Dog
Age: 13.5
Sex/Neuter status: Female / spayed
Breed: Beauceron / shepherd mix
Body weight: 50lbs / 22.7Kg
Clinical signs: Nonambulatory tetraparesis
Hi there. This morning, my elderly dog got up like normal, helped me get the kids ready for school, had her breakfast, and laid down for her after waking up nap, as one does.
Around 1130am, I went downstairs to wake her and take her out to do her thing. Usually I need to clap loudly or snap to get her attention, as she doesn't hear very well anymore. She got up with her normal grunts, and made it about half-way to the door (about 8-10 feet), and then collapsed.
She has fallen before, as she has pretty bad arthritis in the hips, and is on a daily dosage of carprofen. However, this wasn't a slip, she just dropped like a rock.
I go to try and help her up, but she will barely use her legs and won't stay up without help. I called my vet, and I had an appointment set to show up within the hour.
During this time, she was alert and didn't seem to be in any pain I could tell that was obvious. It's not obvious with her anyways, but she wasn't even panting heavy. Took treats fine, wanted pets, but just couldn't walk.
I have a younger dog who wanted to play while she was resting and waiting, and he started barking, which got her barking and she attempted to run to us. She got up, and fell immediately. Before I could rush to her, she got up again, and wobbled her way to us about 10 feet away and collapsed again. This was the last time I saw her walk on her own.
When We get to the vet, he does a couple physical tests, and tell us it's most likely a ruptured / herniated disc, and would need to go to the animal hospital / specialty services to further diagnose her. So, we take her there, and see her for 5 or so minutes and came to the same conclusion, stating her nonamulatory tetraparesis could be disc related, but couldn't rule out neoplasia, or even a vascular episode. She said it was PROBABLY herniated disc related, but wouldn't know unless we did an MRI, and said the disc issue would be best case. If it was cancer, there isn't much they could do for her age.
They aren't willing to do an MRI unless we agree to surgery, as they would just perform it while she was still under from the MRI, and even still, the MRI by itself is about $4,000....the surgery in total is $8,000-$9,000.
We were told since it's affecting all four legs, and because of her age and her bad case of arthritis in her hips, even if the surgery went well, recovery would be very, very hard on her. This was also the same reasoning she gave us that she isn't a good candidate for a medicinal route (I'm guessing anti-inflammatories and steroids?)
As of now, we have an appointment set up for an in-home euthanasia tomorrow evening, and were prescribed 15mg Codeine every 8 hours to keep her comfortable until then. Obviously we are grasping at straws, and know the end is near....but, is there ANY chance a medicinal route COULD work? She doesn't seem like she's in pain, and I don't know if this is something that would just be prolonging her suffering. Is surgery risky? I don't know if paying almost 10k for my pup to suffer for the rest of her days is a route to go, if the surgery is indeed not a good option? I honestly don't know what to do.
Thank you in advance

As per usual, dude was plastered by lunch time…. I wasn’t very hungry so I ate a hotdog, marine guy had downed 3-4 dogs + a couple deviled eggs when I got the text book flick to the ear and the “let’s wrestle”. At which point I begrudgingly got up took my shirt off and went out into the grass. I immediately pulled guard and baited him with the “cmon man half your job is done I’m already on the ground 😉” keep in mind my family doesn’t know I train or compete.
Rules were first tap wins, I already knew I didn’t wanna tap this guy…. i wanted him to puke. A bit of scuffling nothing crazy fancy and I end up in mount and got pretty comfortable there. Eventually grabbed a gift wrap and sunk my chest onto the elbow got low mount and started trying to push my hips through him. But I wanted to leave enough room for him to think there was still an escape so he would continue moving. Got a little bored, moved to S mount and finished with a armbar was a solid HIGH INTENSITY (for him) 6m round.
He got up, took a sip from this solo cup filled with PBR and immediately upchucked 3hrs worth of beer and boiled hot dogs into the flower garden. Grandad stepped outside, pointed at the puke on the roses and told him to “put it in his pocket” 👍🏼

My husband and I adopted a 75 pound mixed breed 4 year old dog 8 months ago. He has bad hips and knees, and has undergone 2 knee surgeries. Initially we were only concerned with his medical condition but I’m beginning to see more of his personality. He is fearful during walks (tail tucked, yawning stiff posture.) he does not appear dog reactive. He is lacking in manners. He is not focusing on me. It has been many years since I have trained a dog, and I have limited financial resources. Unfortunately he is not food motivated. Can someone recommend a step by step training program, to help him (and me) gain confidence? We need something beyond “tips and tricks”. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The amount of information on line is overwhelming. Thanks in advance
Annette

Below are the upcoming events in Kochi.

Event Name	Location	Start Date	End Date
Mango Fest	Marine Drive	03/05/2024	19/05/2024
Ocha Vol2 - Hiphop Music Festival	Bolgatty Palace	19/05/2024	19/05/2024

Thanks to everyone who contributed. To add other events, refer to Events in Kochi
Recurring Events

Event	Date	Location
Kochi Silent Reads	Sunday 4- 6 PM	Panampilly Nagar Park
Kochi Book & Reading Club	Saturday 4:30 - 6:30 PM	Panampilly Nagar Park
Weekly dog meetup	Sunday 8 - 10 AM	Rajendra Maidan Park
Weekly dog meetup	Sunday 5 - 7 PM	Rajendra Maidan Park

Local business promotions

Business	Featured	Date	Additional details
Lila Curated Experiences - Fort Kochi	The Epic Sunday Brunch Buffet	Every Sunday

Follow Kochi on:

• Mastodon
  
• Telegram
  

Hi, im deciding to amputate or not amputate my 10 year old golden’s right hind leg. I’m hoping for some opinion from owners who have similarly amputated their dog’s leg to help me decide if i should do it. His case is extremely complicated and i am torn between whether i should do it or not.
My dog is currently a 10 year golden retriever who was recently diagnosed with Sarcoma. At the point of diagnosis (about 5 months back), the cancer was found to be localised to his knee joint and has not spread to the other parts of his body. Vet recommended us to amputate his leg but we did not do it. The reason was because he grew up having 2 major hip surgeries, and his other “healthy” leg is actually missing a hip joint. It was removed when he was around 3 years old as the joint was deformed and causing him problems with walking. Long story short, both his legs are bad.
As a result, we decided not to amputate his leg when he was diagnosed 5 months ago (Dec 2024) with sarcoma.
Fast forward to today (may 2024), the swelling in his leg has returned as a result of the cancer, and our local GP vet has suggested us to amputate his leg. The rest of his body remains healthy and he feels that it would be able to prolong his lifespan.
I love him very dearly and i am torn between whether i should amputate his leg or keep it. As you guys can see, his condition is very different from other dogs and he was not blessed with very good hips. I would really appreciate any feedback or comments regarding this, especially from those with similar experiences.

Here is an article I recently published on my Substack. If you'd rather read (or listen to an audio version) it outside of Reddit, you can do so here.
Why jump rope isn’t already touted as a leading running drill tool is completely beyond me. But then again…
I'm by no means an "experienced runner"—having started running in 2021 at the age of 34. So, at the time of this writing, about 3 years.
Despite this, I managed to silver-medal my age group in my first race ever.
And it was a 10k. And I was wearing barefoot-shoes.
And I had only been running before that race for about 3 months.
How the heck did I manage to pull this off?
The answer eluded me for a while. Then I remembered—ah, I’ve been jumping rope nearly every day for 2 years.
But how do those connect?
But first, why the heck would some guy start jumping rope at age 32?
About 2 years before I started running, I took up jump rope really just as a fun outdoor hobby.
Even though I was pretty inactive and a bit overweight, that’s not the reason I started skippin’.
One day, I came across some footage of boxer Lulu Hawton doing some jump rope training.
In addition to her seemingly effortless rope handling skills and rhythmic footwork, what caught my eye was a giant grin that spread across her face about 45 seconds into the video. While she was probably skipping to warm up for a match or a training session, something was abundantly clear.
She was having a blast.
And this was from a prize fighter! None of the usual boxer mean-mugging—she looked more like a kid on a carousel.
So, after buying a $10 jump rope on Amazon, I took to the driveway in my swim trunks (yes, I was so inactive, I didn’t own gym shorts).
And…whoo, did I suck.
After a few months of making puddles of sweat in my driveway as well as wheezing sounds so loud that I’m surprised the neighbors didn’t whistle EMS, I eventually got pretty decent at it.
And I lost about 45 pounds in 6 months—probably also from making some lifestyle changes merely to make jump rope less of a slog. Not the original plan, but hey, not too shabby.
After about a year, I found myself constructively critiquing other people’s beginner jump rope videos.

• “Unlock your boxer skip. Then you’ll be able to skip forever without getting tired.”
• “Here’s how to do Double-Unders, though they’re overrated.”
• “You’re skipping like it hurts. Relax and skip easy. Smile every once in a while and you’ll feel it all over.”

But how did that turn into running?
Though jumping rope is inherently enjoyable, 30-minute skipping sessions of staring at the wall without something in your headphones can be a bit drab.
One fateful day, about 2 years into being student of the jump rope, I began listening to the book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall.
Even before I got to the end of the book, running—just like jump rope— sounded fun**.**
Yeah, I know that sounds counterintuitive—unless you’ve read the book.
“I knew aerobic exercise was a powerful antidepressant, but I hadn’t realized it could be so profoundly mood stabilizing and — I hate to use the word — meditative. If you don’t have answers to your problems after a four-hour run, you ain’t getting them.”
Ok, ok—I’ll bite.
I proceeded to dive into all of the normal “Couch to 5k” running programs I could find and took my jump rope to a nearby park with a 1k walking path—sprinkling in running between jump rope sessions.
But something wasn’t adding up.
There was a lot of advice about walk-running to build endurance until one could run a block, two blocks, a mile.
Not to brag, but I wasn’t experiencing most beginner snags.
**“Ah, I know why—**I did most of my newbie wind-sucking two years ago!”
This isn’t to say I wasn’t still periodically sucking wind but after two years of consistent boxer skips and double-unders, getting gassed felt like part of the fun and not a medical emergency.
I also felt much springier than the average beginning runner—able to run for miles all over the city in the most minimal of footwear.
And so, I tried my hand at my first race—a donut-themed 10k. And silvered in my age group.
(Ok, there was only two of us…but my time was still respectable. 😂)
Running became an amazingly freeing activity, like getting my driver’s license for my legs.
But I still didn’t understand why running was coming easier to me than the average newcomer.
Digging still deeper, I unearthed another exciting revelation—this time from multi-decade sub-3-hour Boston Marathon runner and one of the foremost running experts on the planet, Dr. Mark Cucuzzella.
“Running with a jump rope is also an amazingly simple drill for posture, balance, and rhythm.”
In other words—form. Overall technique.
Digging a little keeper and experimenting on myself, I discovered just how similar proper running technique and proper jump rope technique were.
Both require:

• An upright, chest-leading, elbows-back, joint-stacked posture
• A soft mid-foot landing directly under your pelvis
• A quick loading and unloading of “leg springs” from your tendons and ligaments to reduce “stickiness” and wasted energy
• A proper supination (roll out) followed by a quick pronation (roll in) of the feet to help launch one’s body
• A steady core without dropping hips from side to side to reduce energy “leakage”

And so many other commonalities. The list unraveled before me on every run.
And like running, without proper technique, jumping rope just doesn’t work—though the consequences are different.
For a jump roper, due to the lower impact, the risk of injury is quite minimal.
Most newbie rope slingers will report sore calves, slightly tender Achilles tendons, and the odd shin splint if they go full Rocky at it. No need to worry, though—most of these injuries see themselves out as the skipper becomes more experienced.
However, for runners, the injury story is more severe.
The next time you’re at a park with a good path, take a seat on a bench and watch the runners. See if you can spot folks reaching far out in front of them with straightened legs—smashing heels into the pavement.
This style of running results in everything from screaming knees, plantar fasciitis, lower back pain, to hips issues.
But why do all of these occur to new runners, but rarely to new jump ropers?
Most new runners commit a major physiological no-no when they begin their running journey: they treat running like fast, aggressive, airborne walking.
“Well, what is it supposed to be?”
Synchronized jumping.
Simply put, proper running is nothing more than a series of coordinated single leg jumps through space with each landing compressing the springs for the next stride.
To compare this synchronized jumping to the aggressive airborne walking of heel-led running, you can test these in just a few seconds.
Step 1: Stand up.
Step 2: Kick off your shoes.
Step 3: Jump up and down three times.
How did you land?
Probably on your mid-foot, knee bent slightly, with your weight stacked above your pelvis.
And did you use your compressed “leg springs” to launch you into the following two jumps?
Oddly enough, if you were to add a jump rope to this, you would on your way to spinning side swings like Lulu Hawton.
If you were to take this same technique one foot at a time moving forward, you would be running in a way that increases speed, preserves stamina (springs!), and drastically decreases your likelihood of injury.
Let’s try the same test with a few tweaks.
This time, jump, but land on your heels.
Your knees probably remained fairly straight and you felt the impact in your ankles, knees, hips, and possibly even your lower back.
Now, imagine attempting to jump rope this way.
It simply doesn’t work.
Not only would there be no second jump due to the lack of spring but the pain would stop you in your tracks—even in cushioned shoes.
But if jump rope technique and proper running technique are nearly identical, what are aggressive heel landings doing in running?
While a jump roper landing on their heels would resemble Frankenstein’s monster in an express lane to an orthopedist, this is how many people perform the aggressive airborne walk—aka, a heel-striking, over-striding run.
But why do we run this way? Well, our shoes let us get away with it.
Thick heel cushioning and a bit of forward momentum do a great job of masking the pain of repeated blows against every joint up the chain—for a while, anyway. Eventually, the chickens come home to roost in the form of stress fractures, meniscus tears, plantar fasciitis, “runner’s knee,” IT-band syndrome, and more.
Not to brag (and maybe to knock on some wood), I have never experienced any of these injuries in my three years of running.
Is this because I’m some kind of running genius with all of the cheat codes? Haha, I wish! It’s simply sheer luck that I started out with jumping rope before running—an activity that shares the same injury-preventing techniques.
So, are the shoes totally to blame? No.
It is possible to run with proper form in shoes with raised, cushioned heels. But it’s not as easy.
When your heel is totally cushioned, you will be able to run with a heel strike in the same way you can hit your head against a brick wall while wearing a football helmet. And in both instances, it will eventually become less about the forces outside of the foam and more about the forces inside the cushion against each other that do the most damage.
“So, how can getting a jump rope help me become a better runner?”
Jump rope is a tremendous training tool for runners for the same reason why running barefoot can also be helpful—the feedback is immediate.
Though running with inefficient and injurious form is possible, the feedback from doing so isn’t so immediate. When it comes to jumping rope, however, you won’t get through too many skips if you don’t learn to utilize the springs in your legs. The rope doesn’t pull punches.
So, get a rope and get started.
If you’re new to jump rope, I would recommend acquiring two pieces of equipment.
Firstly, find a jump rope with a little bit, but not too much, weight to it. The weight will help you feel the position of the rope during it’s entire rotation and remain in better sync with your wrist spins
My favorite rope for this purpose is a 7mm PVC model called the Hererope, which costs a whopping $15. If you find this to be too thick or heavy, a cheap 5mm PVC model will work as well.
Secondly, to protect your rope and provide a nice jumping surface, I would recommend a large foam-rubber exercise mat. My favorite is a massive 78” mat for $32—which is probably the cheapest jump rope mat you will find.
When it comes to footwear, barefoot is ideal. This will help strengthen and mobilize your feet—including your likely overly-supported neglected arches.
And just how does one begin to jump rope?

• Keep a tall posture—imagining a string pulling you up from the crown of your head.
• Your chest should open, elbows back, hands about a fist’s width from your pockets.
• Jump from the balls of your feet, only high enough to clear the rope. When landing, let the skin of your heels “kiss” the floor—touching without taking on weight.
• Keep your knees slightly bent, using every landing to load your springs for the next take-off.
• Keep the cadence quick to maximize spring recoil. To help, listen to a song that’s at about 160 beats per minute, such as the song “Hey Ya” by Outkast (or a song of similar tempo) to get a feel for the speed for skipping rope. (For running, many recommend using “Rock Lobster” by the B-52s for cadence tempo reference.)

Start with short seasons hopping with both feet—maybe 30 seconds on, 30 seconds rest. Aim for minimal muscular activation, instead, using the recoil of your tendons and ligaments for suspension and launch as much as possible.
From jumping with both feet, move onto learning an alternating leg bounce—essentially a jog skip. Right, left, right, left—all while keeping an imaginary belt level with the horizon.
By now, you’re essentially running in place with an extremely efficient technique.
Now, apply your jump rope skills to your running!
This is going to seem quite bizarre, but it is possible (and even beneficial) to take your jump rope for a run.

• Start skipping rope on a road or path with the alternating leg bounce. Remember to keep your elbows back, shoulders relaxed, head pulled up as if tugged skyward by a string from your crown and your imaginary belt level with the horizon.
• Then, as though leaning forward just enough to give someone a kiss or have an imaginary umbilical cord lightly tugged, begin to jump rope forward.
• Remember to continue to land and load on your mid-foot—aiming to keep your weight under your pelvis just like skipping rope. Landing on your heels will likely snag the rope and keep your foot on the ground too long.
• As you proceed with this, remember how it feels—the quick foot turnover, the posture, the recoil in your leg springs, the core stability, and the lightness of it.
• In the middle of doing this, simply toss the handles behind you and keep running as though it was still there—still pretending to spin the handles.
• At a comfortable stopping point, run back to your rope—now using your hands in a wood-chop motion to counter balance your leg bounces while keeping your pelvis (imaginary belt) level and stable.

And there you have it!
You may find it quite helpful to return to this drill once or twice a week. Also if you find your form slipping a bit or becoming slugging mid-run, feel free to skip imaginary rope to try to correct your technique mid-stride. It will restore lightness and springiness to your running.
I still find myself bringing my wrists to my pockets and spinning imaginary jump rope handles if I feel my technique is collapsing a bit or if my running is becoming less springy.
And remember, most importantly—have fun. 👍
Enjoy this piece? Subscribe to my Substack blog!
You can also:

• Subscribe to the Kenetic YouTube Channel
• Follow my project of running every single street in Tulsa on Instagram.

Hello, my grandma has just gotten a spinal fusion and I’ve been helping take care of her for most of the days since her injury. The first ER she went to apparently only scanned her head and hip after she missed the last step on the stairs and sent us home saying “she’s fine with no fractures or brain bleeding” after a week of bed rest at home we took her to a different ER after a week of no improvement only to find out she had a burst fracture on her T12 vertebrae and it was pressing on her spinal cord. No numbness or loss of feeling anywhere thankfully. She had her fusion 6 days ago and is at a nursing home for PT right now but one thing that worries me is how when she’s falling asleep I can see either her hands or legs twitch and it just started yesterday. She also has osteoporosis and the dr described it as similar to drilling into particle board so I’m afraid of when I help her move because I don’t want to rip out the rods on accident or anything like that. Are there any valuable resources anyone has found in either taking care of themselves or others after this surgery? My mom had a fusion as well but that was when I was a child so I can’t say I remember any of that and it feels so different anyway as there’s a huge age difference for them in surgery ages. Any help or insight would be appreciated as I want to be able to help my grandma in any way possible because it hurts to see her in so much pain

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• Yes it’ll be my first pet. I never owned or trained a dog before.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• I prefer rescue.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• Low energy, friendly with strangers, can come with me on walks/runs

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• Great Pyrenees- gentle giants Rottweilers

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• def AKC Good Citizen Certificate,

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• no

Care Commitments
7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• i can train/play/interact everyday during puppy phase then hopefully it’ll become a bit more independent

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• i hope to exercise with my dog by going on walks/runs twice a day for at least a mile. I can take my dog to dog parks

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• i dont mind. Whatever the dog needs

Personal Preferences
10) What size dog are you looking for?

• large! Bigger than a golden retriever but smaller than a great dane

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• dont mind shedding, or barking. Preferring little slobber

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• somewhat important. I want to trust my dog not to be aggressive towards people or other animals

Dog Personality and Behavior
13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• mix of both? Doesnt mind snuggles but not a clingy dog

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• eager to please but not attached to my hip

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• alert for noise by barking but calms down when greeting vistors

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• no bc idk how to either

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• aggression of any nature

Lifestyle
18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• alone for at least 4-5 hours a day during the week.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• just me caring for the dog

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• i dont have any pets right now but i plan to have at least 2 dogs so they can be friendos

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• no children

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• no restrictions

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• LA

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• can get to high 80s close to 90s in the summer. For winter lowest is like mid 60s

Additional Information and Questions
25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• i want my dog to work as a therapy dog. I know its dependent on temperament and not breed but hopefully its easily trainable

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.
EDIT~~~ WOW thank you everybody for sharing your input!!! Ultimately I just want my dog to be happy and not be put in a situation where they are uncomfortable or overwhelmed. Maybe one day when I’m more experienced I’ll rescue a Rottweiler and a Great Pyrenees! After reading everybody’s comments I decided that a Labrador would thrive working as a therapy dog so I’ll learn how to be a responsible dog owner for not just my lab’s wellbeing but also to respect other people and their animals as well :) time to join the labrador and puppy101 subreddits🤓

This occurred in Florida. I called 911 for my mom after observing involuntary muscle spasms and a hypotensive emergency. Though she requires assistive devices to walk, EMS had her walk unassisted to the stretcher, resulting in a fall, two fractures, hospitalization, and hip surgery. I have a video of the incident, though it appears I'm not able to include it in this post.
Was EMS negligent?

So I live with my fiancé, gf and step son. We have lizards as we run a rescue, two dogs, a cat, hamster and looking into getting chickens.
My gf and fiancé work full time, my gf is in the military. The cat is hers and has been living with her since before we all got together. One of the dogs is six years old and she is my fiancé's service dog. The second dog is my Service Dog in Training and I only got him about two months ago pretty spontaneously.
I grew up abused and was always told I could never keep a pet alive and would only cause it suffering if I tried, so when my fiancé encouraged me to get a dog, I got Bolt.
I am also the person who takes care of the household during the day, plus when my fiancé's other kids come here by the end of the month, I will also have to take care of them.
I love kids, I love taking care of the house for my partners, but I have an issue with her adopting a dog right now.
Especially because the dog she chose has anxiety issues and hip dysplasia. He would need even MORE care... and with her plan, I would have to handle him settling in since she only comes home around 4-5 and goes to bed anywhere from 8 to 10.
She planned to go on leave end of this month for 8 days and I proposed she gets the dog then since she could help him settle in, but even that seemed to slightly upset her, but she understood (didn't seem to make any plans to do that though?)
I would have never adopted my dog if I have known I was gonna be gone all day and my stepson (who does online school) would have to watch him, nor if I knew I didn't need a service dog.
And don't get me wrong, I want her to be happy, I want her to get a dog if she really wants one, but the timing is just really bad with the kids coming here. We all know I will already be exhausted with that! And when they move up here by the end of the summer, their mom and dog will probably be in our house for around a month too.
It's just not a good time, but I feel like she thinks I don't want her to get a dog out of... I don't know... just not wanting her to? When we talked about it, it felt like while my feeling where acknowledged, they weren't considered or taken seriously.
Plus, she wants a service dog once she retires for her PTSD as well. By then, her dog will probably still be here. But also, then she'd be home, so I don't really care then.
Obviously, I'll sit her down and talk about it again, but so far I feel like the asshole that doesn't want her to be happy by her reactions...
Update:
We talked and at first she barely said anything, but then said it felt unfair because she had given up on getting a dog when I got mine to allow me to get a dog (which I was unaware of). She also assured me I would not have to care about him a lot, if he showed troubling behavior he will probably be kenneled while she is gone.
My fiancé assured me that if I need my space from the kids and don't want to interact with them at all (which I want to do, I am literally planning activities), I could go to our part of the house and just close the door and he wouldn't be mad at all about it, he doesn't want me to feel like I will have full responsibility of kids that aren't mine (11,13 and 15. The oldest is three years younger than me).
In the end, with how we are planning it, it might work out. It's possible that by the time the dog gets here, my gf is on leave for a week, so she can help the dog settle in. She also fully agrees that she will make sure he isn't too anxious or has too big of a disability + gets along with our dogs. Plus, there is a lot to work on in regards to her communication (hence why my fiancé ended up involved/mediating), which probably brought some issues about.

Hey y'all,
My adopted blue heeler mix is pretty reactive. I have experience with leash reactive dogs, but not one more generally reactive or her size (45lbs). She barks at the mailman/deliveryman (to be expected, she's guarding her home!) and my neighbors (apt building) complained once (which scared the sh*t out of me), but the main issue is that when we are walking around the neighborhood, she'll see a dog and freak the heck out. It's gotten to the point where I am frustrated, upset, and unsure of what to do. I walk her at off-peak hours (i.e., not the 8 am/6 pm rush hour in my neighborhood), but it's leafy and relatively well off, so there are just so. many. dogs. I get her attention, which works sometimes, but if we're caught off guard, it's just absolutely unmanageable. She's big and loud enough that we get looks but not so big that I can't control her.
Part of it, I think, may be the pain she's in. I adopted her two months ago from a shelter that never had her see a vet. I adopted her two months ago, and took her to the vet about a month ago for the first time. She's got several fractured teeth, and she's getting surgery to get that fixed in a week. Have any of you had experience with a dog like this? What do I do? If nothing works and my neighbors complain to my landlord again, I may have to give her to my mom (who does keep making comments about wanting her, and she's retired and lives in a big house with a fenced yard -- it might be a better life for pup).

Most of my issues have been lower spine hip and joints throughout my body. For the last 6 months I've had a very stiff neck and been going to my doctor letting him know that I get light-headed in the afternoon. I recently realized that it's my neck causing the lightheadedness. Yes my doctor considered my blood pressure etc already. I've been going to PT for my neck for stretches and strengthening exercises and now my neck and my light-headedness is worsened to start in the morning throughout the day. I have another physical therapy appointment tomorrow and of course I will let the therapist know. But I didn't know if anyone here could give me any advice for a flare in their neck / cervical areas. I really need to get my vitamin d checked as well even though I supplement. Stress has been high in my life since I left my day job a couple years ago to pursue my two small businesses which are doing well but they are both biorhythm with the income. Really well and then very low very up and down. Being a single woman I have a lot to worry about and own my townhouse and I have a dog. So everything is on me. Thanks for any advice. And just for listening :-)