Re: limp - gait training

[Guest guest]

Eleanor,

You asked about gait training. When I was on 2 crutches after the

earlier knee replacement and again after the hip surgery, the

visiting physio had me walking through the house alternating them,

crutch moving forward with opposite foot, i.e. left crutch with right

foot. She did this with the 2 sticks, too. I found this difficult

to " get " but with practice it came.

A mirror in the bedroom was useful, so that I could monitor what I

was doing between physio visits. The big breakthrough came when I'd

started using just one crutch, on the opposite side. I was leaning

sideways (as well as forward) and my mind told me I was upright and

not leaning to the side - except for the evidence of the mirror. One

of the physios worked on the mind/body connection and got me using

the crutch on the *operated* side and a cane on the other side.

Bingo - it took only a couple of days! I was straight (not leaning

to the side) and my mind could recognise when I wasn't.

After I started walking up to the bus stop, I'm sure it was here on

Surfacehippy that someone wrote something about keeping as upright as

possible when walking uphill, and that helped my back. If my back

aches (I've an old back problem) I concentrate on straightening up.

Since then, I've improved my gait when I noticed that I wasn't using

one knee properly walking uphill. So I just noticed what the other

one ws doing, that was perfectly comfortable, and copied that.

I hope this helps.

Virginia (right Birmingham m-o-m on THR stem, 27/08/03)

> Dear Dianne

> For those of us that don't have 'gait training' available, it would

be

> most helpful to know what exercises you were given to do.

>

> Many thanks,

> Eleanor

>

> Re: Re: limp

>

> I waddled like a duck until I started " gait training " at 10wks post-

op.

> The

> various exercises my PT gave me to do at home and at the facility

had me

>

> walking 90% normal within 6 weeks. Be sure to tell your OS that you

> feel

> you need gait training & he'll probably write you a prescription.

Good

> luck!

> Dianne Bilateral C+ 8-25-03

>

>