Bye-ceps

     Well, this past weekend was fun. Fun as in I slipped out of my shower chair, missed my handrail, and then sliced my toe open as my feet slid into the vent cover. But there was a silver lining to this embarrassing cloud. Beginning around December of last year, I noticed that my falls had become more frequent and more crippling. I began to accept that whenever I would fall that it'll now just take me anywhere from 2 - 3 hours to get back to my feet. Needless to say, apathy started to fester.

      But, after working with a really good physical therapist on developing a routine for falling, exercises to help bolster my wobbly legs, and ways to 're-wire' how my arms work, I have been able to improve my recovery time. A few weeks ago I had a leg-extension spasm, similar to the one that caused me to wreck my car, and fell out of my rollator's chair in the middle of the kitchen floor. I used my arms and pulled myself across the kitchen and into the dinning room. I was actually able to lift myself into a chair, I call it my 'fall chair', and rest until I could return to my feet and wall-walk back to my walker. Then, just a few days ago, I fell getting out of the shower. I tripped on my shower chair and gravity took over. But, I was able to crawl out of the bathroom to my bed and lift myself to my feet by 'climbing' up the bed. Then, today after my shower I was able to take a shower without needing to my usual routine:

1. Sit on shower chair
2. Move to toilet
3. Lift shower chair into shower
4. Reverse to exit shower

I was able to move my chair to the shower without stopping at the toilet and didn't need to use my chair to exit the bathroom! Physical therapy can help, and especially in this case: Biceps.

     I wanted to highlight biceps this time because mine are rather lacking. I use a walker in the house a large mobility scooter elsewhere. So, I have stopped needing my arms as much as I thought, but this year I am keeping up with my PT routine of working arms and I am noticing some improvements when I have to pull myself up to a sitting position or off of the floor. Here's the big secret: I don't do it every day. 

     Biceps fall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I only do two simple sets of ten reps on each arm. For weight, I started with a small, green resistance band, about 2 lbs. worth. Now I have begun using a tougher band, five lbs. resistance, and hope to eventually move to a 10 lb. weight. Who knows.