Last post Wed, May 21 2008 10:06 AM by Misin1. 9 replies.
I am looking for advice on getting a VERY late start to rehab. I lost my leg to cancer when I was 17 well I am now 37 and have never used a prothetic. What can I say I'm lazy and when I have tried it I failed miserably. I need to get to it already but don't know where to start.
Hello Misin,
sorry I can't help You. I'm just dropping by to say welcome.
Daisies
Hi, I got many of my own problems, but I have a friend who is an anputee, and exersize is not one
of his favorite subjects either. Good for you, recognizing that you need to start, that is a begining, and
with that, I have a good suggestion: Join some friends, and go over to the park, maybe even have a
picnic, or just be packed with drinks.
The suggestion is: even if they walk and you ride, go to the juggle gyms, they can help you to these
platform structures that have ladders, stairs, slides, where the main platforms generally divide three
sided, between each side they have rail guards, not the chain guards.
Basically, you are not alone, you have help, your own support, you chose the time period, and don't
put it off, let them help you, they are there for support. Don't let them cave in, you need to have a work
out of exersize that you maintain and increase gradually. Let's say you do this 3x's a week, each week
you increase the time and don't you overdue the time, you know when it is too too hot, If you are too
weak, or not feeling good. That's the point of having refreshments, so you have the energy. To feel good,
you need to feel good about your program, or you will quit, so don't quit. So as you increase the theraphy,
maybe you can go home and have some sherbet, ice cream, big stick, or just go get a malt or a pizza.
Look forward to that treat that you are working forward to having. Never do more than 10 minutes at a time,
take it slow, just don't tense up on your workouts. You might even have one of your suportive helpers, be
ready for that foot massage, after you have done this work out. maybe even your shoulders could use a
massage. Don;t have them scared to help out, part of that help is you ride to the entrance, they get to
move the chair to the grass, it does get moved out of bounds, until you have finished your exersize. then
they return the chair over to the slide, so you can then transfer to your chair. Well, this can get you started,
the insurance pays for theraphy, tends to be short lived, but the doctors can give you a few months, if you
can show them, that you are trying even willing to go thru the endurance and they can look forward to your improvements, overall, not a waste of the time an money of the insurance. Insurance doesn't pay for this like
they used to, it is used a lot less.
Hope this helps, and at least give you a plan to try and work on with others, not ALONE, you will need help.
Best of luck, hope you like the idea, just a suggestion, anyways, and others, can enjoy the idea, as well.
You need to start by talking to your doctor or physical therapist.
I didn't say I didn't work out or exercise. I am VERY active just active on the crutches. I have never been in a chair. I know what you meant though. Good ideas.
I am referring to beginning rehab with a leg. My residual is very attrofied (sp?) and not in any shape to take on a leg. My center of balance over the years has shifted. I am looking for ideas to help get ready to use a leg.
I don't have a physical therapist and my doctor seems less then knowledgable on the subject. His solution is to give me a script for pt. But I need to start a bit further back then that. I probably need to start by finding a good prothetic maker.
hello again, in that case, you can expect to soak in a hot tub, and work out on paralle bars, and upper body
strength is what you want to increase, that platform has those bars, w/space between each access down.
one is a ladder, one is a stairs access, the other being a slide, you can pace yourself, and enjoy others,
as they become part of your theraphy, and this gets you started, motivated. this isn't a constant, it's a
trial run before the doctor's commitment, it is back up, the issurance loves to turn down physical theraphy.
wish you all the best in getting started, and those are the hardest steps, stock up on your rewards for after
the game, so, they are treats only, if they are received after you get your exerzise. Not at other times, that
would defeat the program. the treat don't have to be food of any kind, it can be a movie, a video game, it is
what you deside to give yourself, for the hard work you are about to accomplish. My friend, recent amputee
has the same problem, and has not done much exersize, stays dependent on the chair, not getting the same
exersize even using the walker five steps, accross the room, from the bed to a chair, to hop along, and do this
back and forth, again take your time, and it does help to have someone witness, just in case you should fall.
but the process of starting off slowly, a little at a time, and increaseing the time spent each week. still don't
overdue, you need to have the energy, and refreshments between breaks and limit the amout of time, don't
get burned out over trying to get your exersize, you want to be positive about doing the event. You mite start
with lifting weights before you start . a couple of weeks w/daily weights training, before starting the workouts
the weights, that I am suggesting are easy ones, each the same wt. can veggies.
there was a test done in my science class many yrs ago. in one hand, a cube of sugar, the other a friut,
one hand nutrition, and the other fast food, something that gives quick energy can be false energy, so
with the weights, keep it to any can of equeal weight, but make it stuff that is real food, not false. Not
telling you what to eat, just what can work better, when working with weight subsitution, make it easy.
make the second week a little heavier in weights, same rule applies.
work with the upper body, as getting stronger, then start your training periods, accross the room, five
feet, sit, try again, five times, a day, you can do the trips accross the room at five different times per day.
what is important is not that it is done at one time, but it's done five times each day It is the routine that
makes this exersize important. get the upper body stronger, then start the walker routine, good luck
Hope this set, helps your motivation to get started, maybe you hop to the refrig, for a cold drink, sit, drink
and return trip, to sit until you make the next trip. each walker trip anywhere, counts there and back
This doesn't extend by the time element, each week, you extend the distance that you travel, again
keep it safe, in the begining it is wisier to have someone there, until you are really doing it safely...
good luck...hope to hear more, I welcome you on my friends list, .
Hello. It's never too late to start rehab. I was lucky. My prosthetist had his office right across from the rehab gym, so I just went there. You might want to try looking for something similar. Find the prosthetist first, ask a lot of questions and see what he has to say. Your stump has probably matured to some point, hence the atrophy, but it may mature further in the prosthesis. I needed rehab for a while, because I spent a year in a hospital bed in my living room. You will be, as I was, weak as a kitten at first, but you'll get better and better. Good luck to you!
hi missin and jackie, it's nice to meet you and welome!
