This is a part of the Hot Topic podcast series from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center on Exercise After Burn Injury. Diana Tenney, Burn Survivor, discusses Cardio After Burn Injury.

Diana Tenney

Sustained a Burn Injury in 2010

Then I knew I needed to get some cardio exercise into my physical routine and I had already, Jerry had forced me into riding a bike, not literally forced me but he encouraged strongly that I get on the bicycle and try that and I did. And then he bought me a kayak for my birthday which I had to watch sit in the basement all year since my birthday is in October, until the next spring.

And, but I knew in the wintertime that I needed some type of cardio because like I said aging plus the burn, it’s not a real good combination. And so I started doing an actual aerobics gold class at one of my senior centers where the chair yoga teacher taught a chair yoga session and then she taught an aerobics gold class.

So she talked me into doing that first aerobics class and I really enjoyed it because it was to music. And so she decided she was going back into teaching, she wasn’t going to be teaching anymore and I’m going, I’m scratching my head going okay, what am I going to do? You know, I don’t want to go to a gym, I’m not a gym person. I can’t afford a gym and so one of my co-yogis said why don’t you try Zumba gold?

I said eh, I tried Zumba before the burn and I just took one class and I didn’t really get into it she said well just try it. So I did. And absolutely loved it, absolutely loved it. It was dancing, it does all the things, it releases all the chemicals in your brain plus gives you a really good aerobics workout. So I started that and then one of my other, my mat yoga teachers she works at the physical therapy facility.

And she said Diana we have a Zumba teacher that teaches Zumba on Wednesdays and Fridays, why don’t you try that? So I did, and now I really, really enjoy the regular Zumba which is a little higher impact. It makes my legs move much faster than they ever wanted to move before and especially since the burn, it’s kind of like going against your own force because of the tight skin on my legs.

So it makes me a little more dexterous I guess would be a good word for that, as far as my fancy footwork goes.

Visit https://msktc.org/burn and get the answers you need from experts who conduct innovative and high-quality research, provide patient care, and work to improve the health and overall quality of life for people with burn injury. That’s https://msktc.org/burn.