Wednesday, September 16, 2015

FitBit - Hot Air Balloon badge - Your lifetime floor count has hit 2000

As long as my feet don't pain me too much, this walking is helping me keep my weight in check. My spasticity in my left leg still doesn't allow a smooth step upward. I would expect any PT in the world that works on stroke would know exactly how to correct that problem. But I know damn well that isn't happening.
With this series of images from Nathan Nicholson I finally got the understanding that you don't just lift the foot straight up, you  engage your hamstring to pull your leg up behind you at the same time pointing your toes down(plantarflexxing) to clear the lip of the step. I have to plan this all out on my own since most of my premotor cortex is dead. This currently is a very slow process.
1. Engage the hamstring
2. Point the toes down - plantarflexing 
3. Clear the step
4. Dorsiflex to lift the toe up
5. Straighten the leg 
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2 comments:

  1. Geoff.WenkerMarch 10, 2016 at 9:47 PM

    Dean,
    I live in a 2.5 story house and have to climb stairs daily. I go so slow my fit bit only registers about 1/3 of the floors I climb.
    1. My hamstring is just now starting to fire 3 years post stroke so not much on this step.
    2. AFO will not allow this
    3. Clear step with an exaggerated marching lift of thigh, trying not to hike up hip or swing leg out, like I did at first.
    4. AFO will not allow this either
    5. I try to keep some momentum going and not rely on handrail to pull myself up, but too slow and uncoordinated, but getting better.

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    Replies
    1. oc1deanMarch 11, 2016 at 3:51 PM

      This is where if we had any decent stroke protocols at all, every single PT in the world would know exactly the exercise to do for each tiny piece in the stepping sequence. But I'm dreaming and not lucidly.

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