Today I went to PT....my session usually lasts an hour and a half. I begin by using a machine to exercise my arms, which I use it about 8 minutes.
After that, I move to the bicycle machine and "bicycle" for about ten minutes. When I first began to use this machine, I could only do it for 3 minutes. Each week, my therapist adds a couple more minutes to see if my body will tolerate this exercise. Sometimes I stop for a breather and watch all the cars go by...then resume using the machine.
After that, we do three combination exercises which I need an assist with: marching leg lifts, squats ---but not like most would think. A therapist shadows me while I try to get my knees to lower me into an type of squat, but I can't go any further than just as I see my feet disappear as my knees lower my body. I do a set of 30 squats, mixed with marching type rotations. I sometimes have to take a breather doing this too, due to the type of Lumbar injuries I have in my lower back.
Next, both therapist's call over another therapist to spot for my next therapy exercise, where two therapists help me onto a mat, where I have to have shadow assistance to be on my knees and the palms of my hands. One therapist on each side of me, one in front of me. They hold me in place, while I try to reach with one hand to touch the hand of the therapist in front of me. I can only do this for less than two minutes.....then they help me get off the mat on an massage platform table. The first time I did it was last week, and I cried because it's painful to do. I've done it twice now...since they added this to our portfolio of recovery exercises.
After we get me off the mat, I sit in a chair and we practice Balloon Ping Pong. The object of hitting the Balloon back and forth is that the balloon goes where the flow of air takes it. I have to try to reach and stretch to bat the balloon back, without it falling on the floor. This is very challenging to do as my back and shoulders are locked up and it's supposed to help my muscles to unlock.
After all the above exercises are done, another therapist take a me in for an deep tissue muscle compression massage and if we have time, she does light therapy massage which utilizes and ultrasound light therapy wand over very sensitive parts of my.lower back.
By the time they're done with me, I'm pretty much done for the day. But after PT, I had to get a few errands done, which is time consuming and requires me to endure long walks to get those few things done.
After I got home from my day, I took my evening meds, and now it's nearly time for 'Lights Out.'
This what I do currently in PT, twice a week.
Daily, I manage to get two one hour walks in, even though I walk slowly. Plus, I also have to climb and descend three flights of stairs, twice daily, so there's that exercise too, apart from short trips to other doctors and the twice a month grocery shopping trips I do.
Anyway.....my exercise today and PT made for a long day.
I feel accomplished for the seemingly simple, yet often times very difficult goals I complete each week.
