RE: A Way to Walk!

[Guest guest]

Hi Mata,

Just want to welcome you to the group as a poster! Must say it was a

very good one and I hope you continue writing!

dale

A Way to Walk!

> Hi all,

>

> This is my first message to the group. Was diagnosed with PLS in

> Oct, 2002, having had symptoms of left foot dragging since 1997 or

> so, then slowed-down left arm and hand movement since eaarly 2002

> (oops, that lethargic little finger!). I live and work as a

> librarian in Manhattan, just limp and wobble some and don't enjoy

> walks anymore since I have to concentrate so much on what I'm doing.

[Guest guest]

Hi Mata,

Welcome to our group. Hope you enjoy your stay with us until the cure is found.

Thanks for the tip on the gait. See you around the PLS strip! Take care.

God Bless

Yolanda

A Way to Walk!

Hi all,

This is my first message to the group. Was diagnosed with PLS in

Oct, 2002, having had symptoms of left foot dragging since 1997 or

so, then slowed-down left arm and hand movement since eaarly 2002

(oops, that lethargic little finger!). I live and work as a

librarian in Manhattan, just limp and wobble some and don't enjoy

walks anymore since I have to concentrate so much on what I'm doing.

I recently got a brace (AFO)--clear plastic like a wide shoehorn

bent at a right angle with a velcro strap to anchor the top. It

helps keep my toes from dragging, but it hurts my heel (yep, tried

twice) and is a little awkward to wear, so I think I'll use it only

for long walks!

Now to the REAL point of this message. I've discovered or devised a

gait which helps me walk almost like a normal person (!) and I

wanted to share it with the group, though it's difficult to

communicate such a thing in words. THE KEY PART IS TO LEAD WITH YOUR

HEEL. I concentrate only on that--a very little on turning my foot

outwards (splayed). Once I get into the gait, I find I'm using the

muscles of my buttocks (glutes?) more and that my left leg stays

straight with no bend in the knee. My right knee does bend a little.

It's not as easy as it would have been before to lead with the heel

(meaning landing on the heel, then the toes) becauses of diminished

muscle response, but I usually manage after about a block and can

keep it up until it feels almost natural. This gait also seems to

have eased my bursitis (burning pain in the upper right thigh)

problem because I'm not listing to the right to hike up my left leg.

I won't go on more now. If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to

follow up.

All the best!

Mata

[Guest guest]

Hi Mata

Welcome to the group.

I too try to walk heel - toe. I say this to myself to help me concentrate

and it helps. Works well on longish walks but on short movements I just

can't get into the swing of it. So walking behind chairs and to a table I

just end up swinging my toes wide - which gets me nearly tripping on

protruding legs etc. quite often. But at this point I'm just thankful to

still manage to walk.

from kiwi land

But just have to add

Three cheers for and Lord of the Rings.

A Way to Walk!

Hi all,

This is my first message to the group. Was diagnosed with PLS in

Oct, 2002, having had symptoms of left foot dragging since 1997 or

so, then slowed-down left arm and hand movement since eaarly 2002

(oops, that lethargic little finger!). I live and work as a

librarian in Manhattan, just limp and wobble some and don't enjoy

walks anymore since I have to concentrate so much on what I'm doing.

I recently got a brace (AFO)--clear plastic like a wide shoehorn

bent at a right angle with a velcro strap to anchor the top. It

helps keep my toes from dragging, but it hurts my heel (yep, tried

twice) and is a little awkward to wear, so I think I'll use it only

for long walks!

Now to the REAL point of this message. I've discovered or devised a

gait which helps me walk almost like a normal person (!) and I

wanted to share it with the group, though it's difficult to

communicate such a thing in words. THE KEY PART IS TO LEAD WITH YOUR

HEEL. I concentrate only on that--a very little on turning my foot

outwards (splayed). Once I get into the gait, I find I'm using the

muscles of my buttocks (glutes?) more and that my left leg stays

straight with no bend in the knee. My right knee does bend a little.

It's not as easy as it would have been before to lead with the heel

(meaning landing on the heel, then the toes) becauses of diminished

muscle response, but I usually manage after about a block and can

keep it up until it feels almost natural. This gait also seems to

have eased my bursitis (burning pain in the upper right thigh)

problem because I'm not listing to the right to hike up my left leg.

I won't go on more now. If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to

follow up.

All the best!

Mata

[Guest guest]

Laurel,

I am so sorry for your fall and resulting injuries. Those things take so long

to recover from with this @#$% PLS. I wish you strength. I don't know why, but

was surprised to see you had been to the Boundary Waters. When I was still

married, we had a 18' canoe and canoed all over northern Mich as well as once to

the BWCA. That is an amazingly beautiful place, but we were there 10 days and I

think it rained 7 of them. I was miserably cold most of them, but still able to

appreciate the beauty. We saw moose, bear, mink, eagles, peregrine falcons, it

was simply bey9one words. I find it hard to believe I did it now, what with

portaging and the storms sweeping across the lakes, doing laundry on rocks and

sitting at night by the fire listening to the loons. We even found wolf tracks

on a portage trail next to our last campsite. The ex kept the canoe and all the

camping equipment, just as well, I can't see doing that now, but it is a

wonderuful memory.

By the way, your computer inserts some icon after measurements that mine doesn't

read - this is what shows on your email " until I've either been standing or

walking for 15 " or more " . I bet you can walk further than that! Anyway, hope

you feel better soon.

Regards, Sue Ellen