My new walking program

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NOTE:  If you were referred here by the Wolf Grove Diary, expecting to read "Another mysterious story," see my blog dated January 10, 2011,  "The end of my migraines"

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My New Walking Program

My physiotherapist says I MUST walk. Last week, I asked her what exactly we were trying to achieve with this walking business (I had my reasons).

She very sweetly explained that it is important to build up the muscles and especially so if, as we expect, the ortho surgeon wants to perform hip replacement surgery.

Then I told her about how each time I went walking, I suffered terribly for having done so.

I've been walking with the Activator Poles which allow me to walk in spite of the pain -- they are truly wonderful for that. But, just as the physical assessment of my range of motion would get my hips all riled up and cause intense pain for 24 hours or more, so too did the walking.

I would have worse leg pain all night long while I tried to sleep.

The leg cramps would be heightened, and both bursa were inflamed.

And the following morning, I was in much worse pain than I normally am on waking.

My physiotherapist listened carefully to what I was telling her, and she sympathised with me but she did not want to advise me to abandon the program.

So she said I should walk -- even if for only three minutes at a time but perhaps a few times each day. I have to strengthen those leg muscles!

Well, it's winter.

And I live in the country, on an unpaved, hilly, road.

What she is suggesting would mean I would be walking to my mailbox and back. I think I can do that!

However, as the saying goes, "Houston, we have a problem."

As I already mentioned, it's winter.

And I suffer from cold air induced asthma. Last winter, I had a serious asthma attack just from going out back to fill the suet feeder.

I absolutely cannot exercise outside during cold weather.

I know, I know, I could go to a "mall" and walk indoors, as so many people do. But am I really going to bundle up for winter, jump in my car, drive fifteen minutes to the nearest (and only) indoor "mall" in this area, for the sake of walking for three minutes, then go home, unbundle from the winter gear, just to do it all again two or more times that day?

I think not.

So, as a compromise, I've established a path in my home (my sanctuary lent itself to the project quite nicely) that allows me to walk, using the poles, for as long as I can tolerate.

This morning, I did five minutes.

I will try again this afternoon for a second round of five minutes.

If my sleep tonight is not any more disrupted than it usually is, I will walk tomorrow morning before I head into the big city for my physio appointment.

My therapist will be delighted that I've found a way to do the walking that is so essential to my treatment plan.

In the spring, when the cold air is behind us, I will move my program outside again. Who knows, by then I might be up to fifteen minutes?