I am finding it almost impossible to keep walking and standing.
My GP gave me methylprednisinone which seemed to pick me up for a little while but now I seem to be worse again.
A normal day for me:
Struggle to get out of bed
Sit on rollator in bathroom to wash as best I can
Sit on bed to dress, then rest, as shattered by the effort so far
Using rollator, take very slow walk to lounge - barely able to lift feet off floor
Sit on sofa, waiting for someone to fetch me a drink or something to eat
Apart from occasional trips to bathroom, spend rest of say sitting on sofa.
There must be more to life!!!
Have hand controls in car but no way of carrying electric wheelchair so is of no use to me. Motability won’t let me have a drive from wheelchair as I had to retire from work (after 30 years) and they told me I no longer qualify.
Any tips for building up leg strength please?
hi
i was told by a neuro physio that i needed to build strength in my legs.
today i went on the wii fit and it said my wii fit age was 31, after laughing hysterically i decided to go to the gym because i’m having a relatively good day. now my legs are screaming at me. i know that i’ll pay.
on a serious note my physio gave me exercises to do wearing ankle weights.
i dont use them though.
maybe ask to see a neuro physio for advice
carole x
Hello Carole
Thanks for taking trouble to reply.
I have a wii fit but since deteoration, I am unable to lift my legs to stand on it, and couldn’t maintain balance without holding onto my rollator, which rather defeats the object of the exercises.
I did see a neuro physio but they seem to lose interest after a couple of weeks. She suggested using my reclining bike, but without her help, I am unable to lift my legs to reach the pedals.
Hope you have fun at the gym!
It’s tough isn’t it. The neuro physio I’ve been seeing gave me some simple leg strengthening exercises which I’m doing in the hopes they’ll help. I don’t know how much you can move your legs but if, when sitting you can try to raise and lower your lower legs? Lying on the bed, perhaps try rolling your legs from side to side with knees up, or dropping each knee to the side and back up. Bridging, that is, feet on bed, knees up, raising hips and holding, works the thigh muscles. If you can be on your feet at all, crouching down and up, going on tiptoes and down again, lifting leg to the side.
It’s not at all easy when your legs don’t work properly I know, and I can’t do many at a time before the legs can’t really do them any more, but I feel any little bit we can do may help.
I wonder why motability won’t give you a drive from wheelchair car? What difference does it make that you are retired? That’s crazy.
I hope things improve for you .
Hilary x
Hi, in the days when I was struggling to walk, I bought some gym equipment which I thought would help strengthen my legs;
a semi-recumbent cycle, like the one you mentioned. But I had to have someone place my feet on the pedals, but they kept slipping off. Also I didnt have the energy to pedal a full cycle, so I went half way round and back again. It went on e bay and i sold it for half I paid for it.
I also bought an electric treadmill, only to find i was dragging my left foot and tripping up.
It was obvious nothing was going to work, so I eventually got my first wheelie.
I was using a rollator around the house, but having falls a lot of the time.
I know this isnt what you really want to hear, but perhaps its time to think wheelie, eh?
Ive been a full time wheelie now for 9 years. It aint ideal, but its better than falling and feeling totally knackered. It`s given me back some independance.
luv Pollx