Injury recovery suggestions

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I am recovering from a head injury (8 months ago). I have about 80-90% of my usual energy level back, but am anxious to re-start a fitness routine... any thoughts about a low stress but still calorie burning activity? I want to do yoga, but I have little balance and I can't really handle any inversion or go from standing to sitting... it's upsetting when an hour injury prevents activity and caused me to regain the 10 pounds I lost plus 5 more.

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  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    cool_trek1 wrote: »
    I am recovering from a head injury (8 months ago). I have about 80-90% of my usual energy level back,

    I have little balance and I can't really handle any inversion or go from standing to sitting...


    What has your doctor said? Are you getting rehab therapy?
  • cool_trek1
    cool_trek1 Posts: 5 Member
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    tomatoey wrote: »
    cool_trek1 wrote: »
    I am recovering from a head injury (8 months ago). I have about 80-90% of my usual energy level back,

    I have little balance and I can't really handle any inversion or go from standing to sitting...


    What has your doctor said? Are you getting rehab therapy?

    No, I'm not in any rehab, and all my doctor says is stop when you're tired. She's not real helpful.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited September 2015
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    cool_trek1 wrote: »
    tomatoey wrote: »
    cool_trek1 wrote: »
    I am recovering from a head injury (8 months ago). I have about 80-90% of my usual energy level back,

    I have little balance and I can't really handle any inversion or go from standing to sitting...


    What has your doctor said? Are you getting rehab therapy?

    No, I'm not in any rehab, and all my doctor says is stop when you're tired. She's not real helpful.

    I think you might need a new doctor :/

    I just googled this... might be helpful.
    http://www.msktc.org/tbi/factsheets/Balance-Problems-After-Traumatic-Brain-Injury

    Ways you can improve your balance:

    Increasing your strength and flexibility will help your balance. Specific exercises include stretches for your ankle and hip muscles or strengthening activities for your legs, such as mini-squats, toe- raisers, or standing leg lifts. Go to www.nia.nih.gov/Go4Life for more information about these exercises, or talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
    Find your limits in balance by moving your body over your feet as far as you can without lifting your feet. This will help you develop balance strategies to prevent losing your balance. You can also practice movements that allow you to transition from one position to another, such as going from sitting to standing, reaching above your head to get something off a shelf, or picking up something off the ground.
    Practice standing or walking in different conditions. For example, you can practice standing with your eyes closed to decrease your dependency on vision for balance or stand on a pillow to improve your ability to use vision for balance. Change how far apart your feet are and work on balance by bringing them closer together, in front of one another or even stand on one leg.
    Practice activities that will improve your balance while walking, such as walking longer distances; walking and keeping up with someone else while carrying on a conversation; walking over different surfaces, such as on grass and sidewalks; and walking in crowded places such as the grocery store.
    Be cautious when working on your balance, and make sure you work at an appropriate level to avoid falling when no one is around. A physical or occupational therapist can help design a program that is safe for you to practice at home.
    BPPV is treated by using movements to relocate the crystals in your inner ear back to where they belong. To learn more about the treatment of BPPV, go to http://www.tchain.com/otoneurology/disorders/bppv/bppv.html.

    - See more at: http://www.msktc.org/tbi/factsheets/Balance-Problems-After-Traumatic-Brain-Injury#sthash.sJKXJtv2.dpuf
  • cool_trek1
    cool_trek1 Posts: 5 Member
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    If only.... not on my salary/insurance...

  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited September 2015
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    :( You in the US? I'm not, but maybe someone has ideas about how you could get PT/OT...

    (If you do try any of the stuff on that page, at least try to do it with another person around, just in case)
  • Becky_charles29
    Becky_charles29 Posts: 125 Member
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    I would get a second opinion. Head injuries are something to be really careful with. The only suggestion I would have is light swimming - nothing that increases any pressure in your head or hard/heavy breathing but I would seriously double check