ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Balance Issues => Topic started by: wcrimi on January 06, 2009, 03:47:45 pm
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I'm always looking for ways to stress my balance system a little but at the same time enjoy the exercise.
There are a few things I find will make any exercise tougher on me. Some you can combine.
1. Heal to toe postion
2. One leg
3. Moving my head side to side
4. Eyes closed
Right now I can't do much with my eyes closed other than stand still and walk, but I keep trying to stand still in heal to toe position with my eyes closed and can last about 5-6 seconds now. So I guess I made a little progress.
Moving my head side to side also complicates everything. When I simply walk I start veering back and forth with my head motion. If I stand still heal to toe and move my head back and forth I sometimes totally lose my balance.
I believe I am making a little progress based on my exercise results, but I still feel the same as far as dizziness when I'm walking goes. The problem is I can't really get past doing this kind of thing for more than 10-15 minutes a day before getting really bored.
I want to add something that will be fun that I can do for a longer time.
I was wondering if anyone goes bike riding. That's something I might enjoy a lot and be able to do for an extended period of time that might also be of some benefit. I haven't tried to ride a bike yet to see if I even can, but I suspect I'll be able to.
Anyone?
Also, when you go to PT, how long are the sessions and how often do you go each week?
How long does everyone else do their PT exercises daily?
I am curious because when I was checked out at 5 weeks, my surgeon suggested that he didn't think I needed PT and that I would probably feel better in a few weeks. It has been 4 weeks since then and I feel the same. So perhaps I should call him and reconsider.
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I didn't dare ride a bike. Fast moving ground without any vestibular feedback caused vertigo. Even though I've taken up paddlesurfing I still haven't been on a bike. Water is forgiving...pavement is not. I'm considering getting back on skis this year....stick to the center of trails and no going fast... >:(
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Perhaps I am overestimating my ability to bike ride at this stage, but regardless, I fully intend to wear a helmet and some pads if I even make the attempt. I'm not too keen on pavement either. ;) The problem for me with your sport is that I'm a city boy (Queens NY). There are no nearby lakes and I never even learned how to swim. It might be more dangerous for me to take a bath in deep water than ride my bike. ;D
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Donnalynn,
Two things.
1. Thanks for the encouragement. It's still too cold in NY for much bike riding and will remain that way for awhile, but my birthday is coming up on January 30th (I'll be 50). I think I'll be able to talk someone into buying me a brand new bike if I explain that it's part of my rehab. :D I can start soon after that. Hopefully, I'll be feeling a little better by late winter or early spring.
2. It sounds like you have a really terrific husband.
Wayne
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Great idea on the stationary bike. That was the exercise my surgeon recommended just to keep myself fit until I could become more active. The turning my head back and forth is a great addition. The best news of all is that I already have one in the garage! Time to find some space in my tight apartment. ;D
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There were about 4 things that they told me I could NEVER do. Two I get - skydiving & scuba diving - because of the extreme change in pressure. The other 2 were swimming and biking. The swimming was b/c sometimes after messing with all that stuff in your head & all, you get disoriented and go DOWN when you think you are going up for air. I don't have a problem with this and swim all of the time. At first, I thought the bike one had something to do with ability. Now I realize that it is the balance - just as you never know when your balance walking will give/sway, same while on a bike. What if you were riding in traffic and lost your balance and swerved out into traffic? I think if you were on a deserted dirt road or private property (parking lot), it would be OK, though!
K
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I have found bike riding to be okay.
It took me a while to get my balance and I've had to learn to not make fast head movements - it disrupts the balance - but I can do it.
I first attempted it a few months post op and I promptly steered my bike into a bush; I also wobbled a lot :P I didn't attempt it again until one year post op and I found with patience and practice I could do it.
I regularly use a stationary bike, and while it's good exercise, to me it's just not the same as being on the real thing.
So, Wayne, I say try it - but be careful. If you find you can't balance now, give it some time and try again.
Good luck,
Jan
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Wayne, I know everyone's balance system is different, but I say go for it on the bike riding if you can. This subject is also near and dear to me. I was a pretty avid bike rider, as I had done several road biking events (with colleagues)of 100 miles in length before my AN surgery. For incentive/motivation, 2 weeks before my surgery I bought me(with my wife's approval) a fancy new Italian road bike. I figured that if I invested that much money in a bike, I'd really be motivated to get back to riding as soon as I physically could. I was fortunate with my surgery and I was able to do 25 mile rides as soon as 3 weeks post op. I'll admit that I was a little scared getting back on the bike after surgery, but after the first couple of miles I was fine. I know it sounds weird, but I feel like I have better balance riding a bike that I do walking slowly or standing still.
Right now, I'm running more than biking(because it's too cold(for me) even in Houston to bike in the winter), but I plan to get back more on the bike come spring time. I'm registered to do my 7th consecutive MS150(180 mile, 2 day bike ride from Houston to Austin to raise funds for MS) in April, so I determined to continue....and I would encourage anyone to try biking, running, surfing, paddle boarding, etc....get out there and give it a shot. I think you'll find it to be fun and invigorating, not to mention helping to improve your physical fitness. Enjoy.
Patrick
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Hey Wayne - I just noticed that your birthday is Jan. 30 - mine too!! However, I'll be 53. Another thing for us to celebrate this Saturday!!
Can't comment on the bike riding - I don't feel stable enough yet, and (as you pointed out) the weather this time of year isn't very inviting for biking. However, I did get a Wii Fit for Christmas and am having loads of fun with that and it is definitely helping my balance!
Debbi, your birthday buddy!
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Debbi,
For the first time I really don't like the sound of my age, but I'm going to try to ignore it and just have some cake and celebrate. I'd have a beer or two also, but I don't need them to feel tipsy anymore. :D Have a good one.
Wayne
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I may have to dust off the bike this spring and give it a shot....I'll also dust off the helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, shoulder pads, gloves, wrist braces...and strap a couple of pillows on for good measure... ;D
Seriously though....I do want to give it a try but it will definitely be on a bike path somewhere. I don't want to have an argument with a buick.
We've got us a bunch of Aquarians here...my b'day is the 24th...51 going on 18 ::).
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Ah, yes, and some of us are old enough to remember that classic "This is the Age of Aquarius" song... Not me, of course! ;D
Debbi
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Stoneax,
My birthday is the day before yours, the 23rd and I'll be 49. WOW, it is hard to believe 50 is so close! Remember when 50 was SO old!!
The only bike riding I do is a stationary bike. No need for and body protecting pads.
Anne Marie
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Debbi...thanks...now I have that song stuck in my head...and I always hated that song. The girl that was my neighbor had two songs she played over, and over, and over....that and In a Gadda Da Vida...I wanted to go over and burn her albums and break her stereo...and I was only 12 at the time.... ;D
Anne Marie...old is a state of mind. I've adopted my older brother's mantra. He's 12 years older than I. "While I can't stop my body from getting older, I can be immature forever"... ;) He paddleboards, windsurfs, skis, scuba dives, races vintage cars, motocross, and lots of other stuff that "old" folks don't do. He says he has to keep on moving because if he stops his body will freeze up like a cigar store indian and that will be it. When I grow up I want to be just like him... ::)
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Stoneaxe,
Oh I agree!! God Bless my Auntie Ronnie, she lived to 91. She was deaf in both ears, severe arthritis, hip and knee replacements. A condensed biography of her life, immigrated to Canada lived through the depression, 2nd World War, married an immigrate to the States, and had six children. She buried a daughter at the age of 12, all of her brothers and sisters and her husband. My Aunt baked blueberry pies the fall before cancer took her. She did all of her own housekeeping, gardening and was the first one in our family to have a lap top!. She was the energizer bunny. One more important fact, she was a January baby also. Oh I know she loved to ride a bike in her younger days too.
Anne Marie
P.S. My second baby is 20 today! But I still feel 30 most days ;)
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I've adopted my older brother's mantra. He's 12 years older than I. "While I can't stop my body from getting older, I can be immature forever"... ;)
Along those same lines, I'm kind of partial to the words of Jimmy Buffett "I'm growing older, but not up" ;D
Parrothead Jan
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Donnalynn,
My Dad's family came over in around 1915-1920. They lived in Hamilton, Ont. They had to anglosize the their first and last names. Back than Canadians were not tolerant to a different sounding name. Her name was actually Veronica, like my sister. My sister goes by Robin and my Aunt Ronnie. She married a man from Denmark and his family settled in the Detroit Michigan area, so that's were she lived. Oh I could just go on and on. I love history and my families is very interesting.
Thanks for kind words.
Anne Marie
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Hello, all. 1st post on the site. I am having my surgery in 2 days and getting ready to set off for Duke today. I am an avid biker. I own 5 bikes, used to ride almost daily, and my biggest fear is not being able to ride again post surgery. I promise to jump back on the back on the bike as soon as possible, and to complete the 24 Hours of Booty (a charitable bike event in CLT, NC) this year for the 6th consecutive year.
Thanks for posting this thread. It's exactly what I needed to read today.
Best,
Chico
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Chico,
Best of luck on both the surgery and your bike riding goals!
When you feel up to it, make sure you let us know how things are going. There are a lot of helpful pepople here.
Wayne