Let’s get physical

Today it was off to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge for my first session of physiotherapy. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post I was a bit apprehensive but keen to get on and start the rehabilitation process. After getting there and finding a parking space, which was a bloody nightmare, it was off to the physiotherapy department. I reported to the main desk and was directed to a small gym that we had passed on the way to the desk.

I had actually been to this gym before when I saw Dr Kirker back in June to meet a physiotherapist and to see what it was like there. There were two other people in there, both older people and both below knee amputees. I saw the physio who was very nice and she asked me a few questions and for more details on the fall I had in Hospital. I told her about the stump sock which she managed to sort out with a shorter one which is much better and we also identified that I had been wearing it slightly wrong. With all of that out of the way it was onto the serious stuff, the exercises. Today I didn’t really do any more exercises than I had been doing in Hospital but I was given a medium exercise band to increase the resistance to some of them. An exercise ball was introduced to increase the difficulty of the bridging, it made a big difference and I had to work much harder. The only new exercise, which I can’t do at home, was to use a wobble cushion. The idea is to sit on the cushion which is part filled with air, which makes it unstable, have my foot off the floor with m

y hands on my lap and to try and balance. After a short while I had to rock from side to side, then forwards and backwards. Harder than it sounds it helps improve balance, core stability, works various muscles and is simple but very effective.

These amputee gym sessions are very good and some of the equipment that I saw there looked amazing. We are going to go slowly to start with as I am still recovering from the fall and there are a few things she would like to clear up, for example why Hinchingbrooke were so adamant that don’t use crutches. I will keep plugging away with my exercises at home and look forward to my next session.