Exercising with Physical Disabilities (short or long term...)?

suibhan6
suibhan6 Posts: 81 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 64 years old, broke my left knee about 20 years ago and got it reasonably mobile, with the right knee taking the brunt of things like getting up from a sitting position without having to hold on to anything (I am six foot one), and when at first that knee got slowly larger I thought it was due to added musculature there.

About 3 years ago the knee took on a life of its own, and it was only about 9-10 months ago that a diagnosis was rendered (despite my looking in the interim). Getting referred to Yale Medical was the best thing! I had surgery last winter to remove a benign tumor that was huge and required two nasty incisions on both sides of the leg.

I made great improvements after physical therapy, which ended about 20 days ago. I just joined a gym (Planet Fitness) and am waiting until I can get an appointment with the specialist trainer before I start using the place. At the moment, while I can get up from bar stool height chairs, out of my SUV and off of my extra high bed without using my hands for support, anything smaller (regular chairs, and, yep, toilets) -- no. Stairs up are usually okay if 7 inches or under, stairs down need to be 4 inches or under, otherwise railings are required.

As I have a very uneven and bumpy back yard, I've progressed greatly on navigating that terrain without a hiking stick.

For fitness, I want: Lower body flexibility/agility/increasing strength. Ability to go from sitting to standing from normal height chairs. Cardio training, which will probably mostly come from the upper body for now. I've retired and am trying to set up a small scale farm here.

Why I really am posting here: I want to know if others are also dealing with physical limitations that are not typical -- and how they are dealing with these things. And some buddies along the way?

Thanks.

Replies

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Did your PTs at Yale's medical school (or wherever you ended up doing PT) give you a weight room equipment based program at all? If so I would defer to that. If not I would try to schedule a few appointments with a physical therapist who is accustomed to working with athletes (which isn't that uncommon in my experience).

    I also wouldn't discount cycling as an aerobic activity but I would start slow if I were in your position. I've had four major knee surgeries and cycling is my main focus when it comes to fitness/sports.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I would second working with a professional, someone who is trained in developing plans for your type of situation. We can offer some suggestions, but without knowing you or having specialized knowledge, we probably can't help as much as a professional could.

    If you enjoy swimming and are able to do that, then it might be a good form of cardio for you. You might also look into a yoga class with a teacher who specializes in adapting the practice to differing physical needs, in order to help build flexibility.
  • suibhan6
    suibhan6 Posts: 81 Member
    These are all great suggestions! I can continue on with some of the weight room stuff I was doing in PT, that particular piece of equipment appears to be standard. (I didn't do the PT at Yale, it's nearly 2.5 hours away from here!) I wish I knew of a pool around here, I will continue to look. Yoga may be a possibility. At home I'm doing stairs, and my back yard pretty much resembles the workout I got on the Bosu -- and I have to go out there twice a day since I do have chickens...

    I'd love to do cycling, I do want to find a real pro who can fit me to a good bike. Otherwise, the local community center has a stationary bike or two...
  • kristingjertsen
    kristingjertsen Posts: 239 Member
    Definitely work with a professional if possible. Some PT practices have trainers on staff or you could pay a PT to help you develop a program to safely exercise. Listen to your body and take time to figure out how to exercise safely. I live with a spinal cord injury due to stenosis which impacts the strength of my upper body, arms, back, and shoulders and it took me awhile to find an exercise routine that works well for me. Walking, swimming, stretching, light weights and more repetitions are all good options starting out. If you do Yoga look for a practice that offers restorative or therapeutic classes. Modify activities based on your physical needs, your balance, and your activity tolerance. Exercise is wonderful therapy for the body and soul after a life changing health issue.
  • suibhan6
    suibhan6 Posts: 81 Member
    Yes, definitely want that professional, Kris. I appreciate your advice! Also, Chieflrg, your "coming back" is inspirational.

    I do wish I could find a pool near here.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    I have a ruined ankle and I am still in my 40s. Trying to postpone surgery as long as possible, since the only option is to just immobilize my ankle permanently :( I used to be a runner, loved cardio and routines including lots of dancing, jumping etc, plus loved lifting. I had to change everything I do, as at the moment even walking for a couple of hours at a slow pace can mean I need painkillers for the rest of the week. My dr also has placed me on a ton of limitations: no hopping, no jogging (he explicitely said "not even 1 min to catch the bus"), no lifting anything remotely heavy while standing and a few more things, that were a huge change. I am now swimming, doing modified strength training, and added pilates mainly for the balancing aspect which I absolutely need. The hardest part was to get used to considering walks as a mini adventure, that has to be carefully planned, with stops, company that can really slow down or even stop etc.
    Regarding trainers, my experience is that most of them are useless. Even ones with universtity degrees in sports. They simply have no experience training people with disabilities. Talk to your dr and physical therapist, and ask for specific routines. I have found a dr specialising in athletes and related injuries, and he really helped me get specific advice on what to do and not do, he showed me exercises to do and ones to avoid, how to do them etc. If I had followed what trainers were telling me, I would have been in a wheel chair by now, most of their advice was terribly wrong.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    Not new advice but just another vote for physiotherapy.

    I don’t have any known diagnoses at the moment but my L knee has been an issue since 2014 or so. I first went to a chiropractor (blind faith in parents) which was absolutely useless. Then my knee dislocated in 2015 and we still don’t know why exactly (I was just walking around) but that trauma has got lasting effects where the ligaments are stretched out.

    The knee is constantly sore and swelling, and the best I do is wear a brace when walking (I work on my feet) and do physio exercises strengthening my glutes, hips, and stretching/rolling my IT band & calves to reduce tension that the theory goes maaaay have been what yanked my kneecap out of place.

    It’s severely reduced my expectations physically. I used to jog and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever get to a place even if I’m small enough where jogging is safe for me.

    Maintaining an ongoing relationship with a physiotherapist has been extremely beneficial because then someone can let me know if I’m overdoing it & also hold me accountable. And refer me to a doctor when it’s beyond her pay grade. I go once a month.

    Work exhausts my abilities at the moment. But the activities that I’ve been cleared for safely are slow walking, stationary cycling, and swimming.
  • suibhan6
    suibhan6 Posts: 81 Member
    edited August 2018
    LKArgh, kiela64 -- thanks. I will have to see if I am eligible for ongoing monthly evaluation.

    I know I can do leg presses because I was doing them at the PT, and I've been cleared to walk up and down hills, and they want me to continue using my own steps to practice using steps on. I can also stationary cycle because I did that there, too, with resistance. They've encouraged me to continue navigating my uneven back yard -- they know I'm raising chickens out back -- and figure that complements the uneven Bosu equipment I used in PT. They also gave me a couple of exercises to do with resistance bands before my treatment ended. I was also encouraged to figure out how to stand from a sitting position on regular-height chairs without using my arms to hoist myself up. I'm using some solid patio cushions on them and will gradually remove them as I get more strength that way. (Leg presses at a gym should certainly continue to help.)


    I know at the gym I could definitely do upper body cardio, and I could do weight lifts of certain natures: ie, lifting from heights that do not require me to squat (or wreck my back), which I certainly cannot do.

    PS: I'm definitely cleared for swimming. The question for that is... where? sigh.

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    suibhan6 wrote: »
    LKArgh, kiela64 -- thanks. I will have to see if I am eligible for ongoing monthly evaluation.

    I know I can do leg presses because I was doing them at the PT, and I've been cleared to walk up and down hills, and they want me to continue using my own steps to practice using steps on. I can also stationary cycle because I did that there, too, with resistance. They've encouraged me to continue navigating my uneven back yard -- they know I'm raising chickens out back -- and figure that complements the uneven Bosu equipment I used in PT. They also gave me a couple of exercises to do with resistance bands before my treatment ended. I was also encouraged to figure out how to stand from a sitting position on regular-height chairs without using my arms to hoist myself up. I'm using some solid patio cushions on them and will gradually remove them as I get more strength that way. (Leg presses at a gym should certainly continue to help.)


    I know at the gym I could definitely do upper body cardio, and I could do weight lifts of certain natures: ie, lifting from heights that do not require me to squat (or wreck my back), which I certainly cannot do.

    PS: I'm definitely cleared for swimming. The question for that is... where? sigh.

    Ok given all of that, cardio wise I would really underscore what I said earlier in terms of not discounting cycling. Your PT exercises are all similar/the same as some of what I've done in the context of PT. Step downs, bike stuff, balancing on the bosu, sit to stand without help from your arms.

    Unless there's worry of a higher likelihood of breaking a bone if you crash, I don't see why biking outside would be problem as long as you can find relatively flat areas to bike on. Swimming would also likely be fine (though don't be surprised if the breaststroke kick is not fine), walking is obviously fine, etc.

    Also the sit to stand is going to be your friend, as will step ups/downs depending on what your gym has you can do both of those there. Sit to stand can be done on boxes (that are also used for box jumps) and step ups/downs can be done with the aerobic step things (Amazon is calling them "step platforms") which can also be adjusted for height.
  • suibhan6
    suibhan6 Posts: 81 Member
    Thanks!!
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    suibhan6 wrote: »
    LKArgh, kiela64 -- thanks. I will have to see if I am eligible for ongoing monthly evaluation.

    I know I can do leg presses because I was doing them at the PT, and I've been cleared to walk up and down hills, and they want me to continue using my own steps to practice using steps on. I can also stationary cycle because I did that there, too, with resistance. They've encouraged me to continue navigating my uneven back yard -- they know I'm raising chickens out back -- and figure that complements the uneven Bosu equipment I used in PT. They also gave me a couple of exercises to do with resistance bands before my treatment ended. I was also encouraged to figure out how to stand from a sitting position on regular-height chairs without using my arms to hoist myself up. I'm using some solid patio cushions on them and will gradually remove them as I get more strength that way. (Leg presses at a gym should certainly continue to help.)


    I know at the gym I could definitely do upper body cardio, and I could do weight lifts of certain natures: ie, lifting from heights that do not require me to squat (or wreck my back), which I certainly cannot do.

    PS: I'm definitely cleared for swimming. The question for that is... where? sigh.

    Any colleges around you? Most have pools and many will have some sort of pass for locals.

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