LITTLE ROCK — I hope everyone’s new year is off to a good start. Mine is getting there, but it’s slow. I am looking ahead and planning so I’ll get the most bang for my fitness buck.
I have a lot to juggle at work so I have decided to wait until early February to have surgery to correct a broken foot bone. That means I’m looking for ideas about exercises that won’t stress the injured foot and provide activity after recovery.
I have a good friend named Georgia Abner whom I’ve known since Head Start at David O. Dodd Elementary School in the late ’60s. We’ve been in and out of touch over the years. Marriage, kids, jobs, etc., have kept us busy but since neither of us is married anymore and our children are grown, we have more time to get together and visit.
Abner is an OTR/L, which stands for occupational therapist registered/licensed. Not being exactly sure what an OT does, I visited the American Occupational Therapist Association’s website, aota.org. It says, in simple terms, that occupational therapists help people of all ages find ways to do things they want and need to do during everyday activities (occupations).
This includes helping those with disabilities, working with people recovering from injuries or surgery to regain skills, and providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Her advice to me includes activities that should work well in my situation, and I figure others can benefit too.
So how to start? She gave me ideas for a chair workout.
Abner says, “I prefer my folks to sit in a straight chair rather than a recliner, which tends to put us in a more slouched position.
“If there are range of motion issues, skip the affected area until cleared by a physician.” LOWER BODY
For the affected leg:
Bend and then straighten the knee.
March in place (if you can put weight on the leg).
Side leg in/out.
Tighten buttocks then relax.
Unaffected leg - all of the above plus:
Pull toes up.
Lift heels up.
Roll/circle ankle inward and outward.
The above exercises keep the range of motion good and help prevent joint stiffness while we are immobile or unable to put our full weight on a foot. Abner says that once the patient can do a couple of sets of 20 repetitions of any of the exercises without much fatigue and no significant discomfort, it’s time to try adding light weights or light-resistance bands.
The use of weights or bands should be based on your doctor’s restrictions and your recovery, just to be safe. If you are cleared to use added resistance or weight, start with 1- to 2-pound weights, or the least band resistance available.
You can increase the workload but you don’t want to overdo it and be overly sore, which could discourage and hamper your progress. When you add weights or bands, do fewer repetitions at first and gradually build back up to 20.
UPPER BODY
For the upper body, Abner suggests:
Shoulder shrugs or rolls.
Shoulder blade squeeze for good posture.
Lift arms up in front.
Lift arms out to the sides.
Touch hands to shoulders then stretch toward the front.
Touch hands behind the head, not pulling on the neck, and then reach straight up.
Follow the same advice as for the lower body, sitting up straight and gradually adding weight or resistance.
UP AND AROUND
Once I’m able to put weight on my bad foot and have been cleared by my doctor, Abner suggests I start heel and toe raises, ankle rolls/circles and walking, making sure to pay attention to form. The step should be a smooth glide from heel to toe.
And I should make sure shoes fit properly for whatever activity I plan, whether walking or running.
Thankfully, the shoes I bought for my 5K training should fill that bill but if you have questions, a physical therapist can help determine if an orthotic might be needed.
When I start walking, she suggests five to 10 minutes, and increasing by one to two minutes every few days if there is no significant pain. When I can walk about 30 minutes continuously without significant difficulty or discomfort, I should focus on increasing speed.
A cane or other device could be used as needed, but I really need to listen to my body so I don’t overdo it, and take rest breaks.
And, Abner says, stay hydrated as it promotes healing.
TRACKING THE PROGRESS
But the most important thing, she contends, is to start and keep moving, pacing yourself, and if it helps, use a progress diary. Abner says it can be as simple as writing down the date, amount of time walked, number of repetitions completed, etc., in a notebook. It helps you to see how you are progressing.
That sounds like a good idea. There are a ton of different journal options but a spiral-bound notebook would work too. The main thing is that if I start I need to keep it up.
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ActiveStyle, Pages 24 on 01/14/2013