Getting use to a wheelchair -- and leaving it behind Exercises are the name of the game when it comes to regaining your walking.
Exercises
If you are close to walking again, you can do these strengthening exercises -- with supervision. (Click on the image, and print it out.)
Here is a video of a couple of lower-body exercises for stroke patients, to help gain strength:
Another good video of simple leg exercises:
And don't forget about your toes when you are working on your walking:
- Two videos about foot drop:
See also:
Getting Up after a Fall
If you fall, pick yourself up! Here's how:
Foot drop
Many stroke survivors suffer from foot drop, which means they have a hard time lifting the front part of their foot, thereby dragging the front of the foot on the ground when walking. There are many approaches to the problem. The usual solution is a brace, or ankle-foot orthosis. Or you can try some of these inventions and gadgets, most of whom using a Functional Electrical Stimulation system.
- WalkAide uses functional electrical stimulation for improving walking.
- NESS L300 Foot Drop System uses stimulation to lift your foot.
- Dorsi-Strap for Foot Drop works with your own shoes.
Wheelchairs
If you are in a wheelchair -- even temporarily -- you might want to read the Guide to Wheeled Mobility on the ABLEDATA site. And to spruce up your wheelchair, check out PimpMyChair.com.
Consider making these modifications throughout the house as well.
Exercising in a wheelchair can be fun is to yoga, as this website shows: yoga-for-wheelchair-users-8-poses.
Also see the sites that talk about chair yoga, since whatever you can do in a chair, you can probably do a wheelchair.
Consider making these modifications throughout the house as well.
Exercising in a wheelchair can be fun is to yoga, as this website shows: yoga-for-wheelchair-users-8-poses.
Also see the sites that talk about chair yoga, since whatever you can do in a chair, you can probably do a wheelchair.
Getting into and out of a car is always a pain. Here are the basic steps:
Hotel rooms that are accessible to people with limited mobility are available throughout the United States. It is best to call an individual hotel to discuss your specific needs to ensure that they will be able to accommodate you. The following websites offer advice on the types of questions to ask when booking a hotel room.
- Tips on Finding a Wheel Chair Accessible Hotel: www.mobility-advisor.com/wheel-chair-accessible-hotel.html
- Finding Accessible Travel Accommodations: www.travelwithachallenge.com/Accessible-Accommodation.htm
You can find all kinds of ramps and accessible thresholds on the AbleData site. Then you can go to ramp page at Amazon
to purchase them.
to purchase them.
Railings / grab bars
See the good selections at Amazon.
If you are trying to walk again, always step up with you good leg first, and down with the bad. (Remember, "the good one goes to heaven.")