Another day in the Office !!

Just a quick update on progress. My physio, Jennifer, is really good, she doesn't let me get away with anything and works me really hard. Having said that it, it is producing some really good results. The limb fiiting team told me she was the best, and I think my rapid progess is proof of that.

Monday's 2 sessions were really just an introduction, getting used to having a prosthesis on and just learning the basics by walking up and down between parallel bars getting used to weight transfer from one leg to another.

Tuesday saw a vast improvement with me walking with two walking sticks. I managed to walk up and down the corridor outside the gym several times a distance of approx 30m each time, and coping with general flow of people. My walking style was a little shaky at times, but I was pleased with the improvement over Monday. My main difficulty was controlling the swing of the leg forward making sure the leg was locked in the straight position before putting my weight on it. I also did some balance control work in the gym by standing my good leg on a half ball and trying to transfer my weight on to the prosthesis, sounds easy, but I found it tough going.

Today, Wednesday, saw a fantastic improvement. Walking up and down the corridor, albeit with sticks, was much easier. I found that my stride length was more consistant, and I was more relaxed. I could walk without looking down at my legs, just concentrating on the feel and subtle sound of the limb moving. It's most important to make sure the leg is locked out in the straight position before transfering your weight on to it, if it's not the knee bends and your on the floor !!  I also did stair work today which went really well. However when we did slopes it was a different matter. Going up was fine, comming down proved to be difficult. This something I will work on tomorrow.  All in all a very good day, I'm really pleased with the progrsss that I have made in three days.

It's interesting, that with two normal legs you don't think about walking and moving around. With a prosthesis on you become aware of how complex walking is, and how much information you have to compute to do what is essentially a simply task.

Thanks to the Prosthetics Team

I have to say a big thank you to Dave, and the rest of the team in the Limb fitting center, because my rapid rate of progress is largely due to the fact that my socket has proven to be excellent. It's a really good fit and is comfortable to wear. Jennifer, my physio asked me today where on a scale of 1-10, would I put my sockets comfort level.  Today comfort level was a 10, I said that I could have worn the leg all day. Brilliant !!

On the inmates story, today after my second training session, the "encyclopedia" gave me a 20 min teach in on how to walk up and down slopes, and to disregard what the physio had taught me. That's impressive from someone who's got two legs and has never walked on a prosthesis !!  But then I did tell you yesterday that he knew everything.