I CAN backstroke, at least I could the last time I was in a pool - long ago. With my shoulder mobility I am unsure that I would ever be comfortable with it. I can't even dog-paddle!

On Friday's hike I noticed a big change on how the walking felt and and how the brace felt as well. Something like 3 weeks ago I attempted to hike without the brace, only got about .25 mile and I stopped and put the brace on. Today I decided to do another experiment. Made sure my brace was in my backpack (leftover from my college days!) and hit the trail. I kept waiting for my knee to start complaining. Outside of some very minor twinges underneath my patella, and some numbness in my IT band and lateral gastrock, it never reached the point where I felt I needed to put it on I had planned on a 2.5 mile hike, but I got turned around on a new trail and wound up with an even 3 miles. I am not saying that it is back to pre-fall condition just yet - and it was far from normal then - but I am encouraged. Tomorrow night will attempt my kettlebell class sans brace and see what happens!

Lovely trail, pretty gentle with some steep steps - I knew about those and started the trail in the proper direction to go down the stairs. Hit a new (to me) trail section that goes through a bird nature sanctuary. It wasn't signed well, and most of the trail was severely overgrown as it wasn't in the woods. I did get back on the path and am glad I tried the experiment!