The ‘falling’ to the floor is more of a slide that, with nothing to hold on to, just doesn’t stop until you reach the floor.
On the floor I more or less lose ability to get back into any sort of position to recover. It is a horrible feeling. Powerless, I can eventually pull myself back up but it takes half an hour of struggling and leaves me totally worn out.
I asked a physio to help me learn to make a better go of overcoming this. He didn’t get it and showed me how to use a succession of stools and chairs to get back up standing.
Thing is when you are on your own and about to go back down again, these chairs and stools are nowhere to be seen.
So the thirty minute work out has to begin again.
Getting on the floor to do something was not a problem, getting back up okay too.
But there is no way I risk ‘the floor’ these days it is just too unpleasant an experience.
No doubt whatsoever, it will happen again, though.
I may be not getting it either - are you looking for how to get up with no aids or any sort?
If so This guy gives the
benefit of his experience he’s a bit eccentric But he does some good videos - It does take some strength in your good leg though and some in your weak leg too.
Otherwise
Elyse newlands is always a good source of post-stroke advice. This one (very obviously when you watch it from before she had her recent baby ) shows how to get up but like your PT she has assumed you have a surface you can sit on - if you’re out I guess that’s a wall or kerb, if you’re inside a table, bed, a chair.
Not as much anymore, but certainly while learning and sometimes now, like a half fall at the hospital:
First for the fall I felt coming, I dropped to my knees as softly as possible so the fall would not be as far. I had 4 stick so I was able to hold onto it. Wasn’t strong enough to get up using it on a slick floor though, so back to the old way of getting up…
Which is: put all four on the floor (hands and knees) lift best knee up to foot on the floor, use both hands on that knee to help push up to stand on legs, which will probably leave you somewhat hunched over forward. Catch your breath and with hands on hips, push yourself to upright position. catch breath, find the nearest place to rest. If there is a wall or chair or otherwise steady hand hold, crawl close to it before trying to get up.
The simplest way to start is to strengthening your legs…while you’re still in wuss mode you can at least me this little start. And you can always take a nap to recover when you’re done
Get a dinning chair and sit on it, stand up and sit down again. Do that 5 or 10 times, once or twice a day every day, it’s that simple. You’ll soon start to feel a difference in your legs strength when you do such mundane things as sit on the loo or sitting down to dinner. You’ll start to notice the increased strength as your legs propel you stand more easily. You don’t really appreciate any of it until you start to reap the benefits of it in such simple, mundane actions. It won’t take long if you stick with it and be honest with yourself. Eventually you’ll want to beat that score and strive for 20 or 30 reps in a couple weeks.
The videos @Simon provided are excellent examples and save me a shed load of typing to describe them
The stroke and the falls you’ve had, knocked your confidence, naturally! But you can start rebuilding that confidence by knowing your legs are strong enough to manoeuvre you into a position where you can get yourself back up again IF you fall. Your legs are holding you back, they are stopping you from doing what you really want to do. Get them strong enough.
We’ve all had to do it Bobbi, this was my 3rd time having to rebuild my legs to walk again…without crutches or cane. And the beginning, getting started, is always the hardest part, for everyone! And actually, fact we’ve all gone through it at least once before in our lives. Only back when we were babies we had no sense of consequence to hold us back
You are in a bit of a catch 22 position Bobbi. When you’re lacking a certain amount physical activity or your body stays in the same position for long periods of time, its ability to take in oxygen decreases and you will notice a huge drop in energy levels and motivation. And naturally endurance and stamina decline with age too. Added to that, you also have the tiredness that comes with your stroke.
It’s easy for me to make suggestions based on my own experiences and my stroke wasn’t as severe as yours. But only you know your limits of endurance, stamina and capabilities; so you have to set your own limits, work to those limits to reach a certain goal. Once those limits become too easy for you, you increase your limits until you reach that new goal.
I’m no expert in all of this, I have no qualifications in any of it. My advice is based on what I’ve learnt throughout life and my stroke experience, so it’s all common sense stuff to me. This is just what I have had to do to get me to where I am now. Plus I have the added incentive of a hubby and two young adults at home with me to spur me on and keep me motivated.
That’s your biggest mistake! Don’t look so far ahead as that can put you off before you even get started. Look no further than a week or month ahead, set realistic goals, achievable goals. Small bites are far easier to digest than cramming in the whole cake
As you say we each have our own experience of this and must pick our own way through it all.
I am happy to have made progress and am perhaps not as inactive as you imagine. I have achieved much in two years and expect to continue making progress.
We each speak as we find and I am certain of one thing, though not so sure of the whole picture.
When anyone shares their experience on here, whether directly relevant to one’s own findings or not, it is valuable, helping to build a bigger and more accurate picture.
There is no right or wrong in all this, but that does not exclude making choices and planning our next move.
May your journey be uplifting and the scenery make your exploration worthwhile.
You might find the @online.activities exercise cohorts meet a number of your aims simultaneously?
.
The exercises they do are on three mobility groups Red
The program is currently in week six so will restart very soon.
There is a “Find out more” session at 11:00 this morning but I don’t know the link I guess the helpline could get a message to Nicola or @online.activities will you be texting it to group members?
You can explore the exercises on your own by going to the hamburger menu≡at the top left of the PC or top right of the mobile window, select videos from the panel that opens then select Red group Amber Group or Green group in the drop-down
While not about falls per se they aim to enhance balance and strength both of which are needed to recover from the fall and reduce the likelihood and give some companionship that might help with other aspects
) shows how to get up but like your PT she has assumed you have a surface you can sit on - if you’re out I guess that’s a wall or kerb, if you’re inside a table, bed, a chair.
