gait training
in [Amputee]
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From: Moe Jones on 27 Jul 2007 09:57 I was informed that once I get my prostheses at The Amputee Center, I have to take it to the VA Hospital to be scheduled for gait training. What is gait training? Is this where I learn to use the prostheses? -- Moe Jones HVAC Service Technician Energy Equalizers Inc. Houston, Texas www.EnergyEqualizers.com
From: Glenn Woodell on 27 Jul 2007 18:46 Gait training is all about walking normally. I would be very careful about people telling you what you have to do. Maybe you just worded it that way but just make sure you don't go downany paths that set you up with the thinking that you are now handicapped. Handicapped is a mental state, not a physical one. Back to gait training. Proper walking is all about walking with a normal stride. What does that mean? It's all pretty simple but it's not very obvious. 1) Spend equal time on each foot 2) Keep your strides equal for each leg 3) Keep your prosthetic hip down, at the level of your sound side Do these and you will not limp. All of this is easier said than done but step one is to get a good fit with a good alignment. Not a fit that is bearable but one that is truly comfortable. Otherwise you will be willing to follow the above steps. Practice in front of a mirror. Watch your shadow as you walk. watch yourself as you walk past windows and other shiny surfaces. I'm not kidding. Always stay in tune with how you are walking and you will walk much better. If you are having trouble bearing your full weight on your prosthesis then you will most likely not spend as much time on it. This will cause you to spend less time on it which will cause a limp. If you try to reduce your weight on it then you will not keep your hip down throughout the stride nor will you take long steps. Gait training may be a useful thing for you. Give it a try and see how it goes but the rest of your life will involve occasional self-checks if you want to be a really good walker. Glenn On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:57:09 -0500, "Moe Jones" <moejones(a)hal-pc.org> wrote: >I was informed that once I get my prostheses at The Amputee Center, I have >to take it to the VA Hospital to be scheduled for gait training. > >What is gait training? > >Is this where I learn to use the prostheses?
From: Moe Jones on 28 Jul 2007 09:14 Glenn Woodell wrote: > Gait training is all about walking normally. I would be very careful > about people telling you what you have to do. Maybe you just worded it > that way but just make sure you don't go downany paths that set you up > with the thinking that you are now handicapped. Handicapped is a > mental state, not a physical one. > > Back to gait training. Proper walking is all about walking with a > normal stride. What does that mean? It's all pretty simple but it's > not very obvious. > > 1) Spend equal time on each foot > 2) Keep your strides equal for each leg > 3) Keep your prosthetic hip down, at the level of your sound side > > Do these and you will not limp. All of this is easier said than done > but step one is to get a good fit with a good alignment. Not a fit > that is bearable but one that is truly comfortable. Otherwise you will > be willing to follow the above steps. > > Practice in front of a mirror. Watch your shadow as you walk. watch > yourself as you walk past windows and other shiny surfaces. I'm not > kidding. Always stay in tune with how you are walking and you will > walk much better. If you are having trouble bearing your full weight > on your prosthesis then you will most likely not spend as much time on > it. This will cause you to spend less time on it which will cause a > limp. If you try to reduce your weight on it then you will not keep > your hip down throughout the stride nor will you take long steps. > > Gait training may be a useful thing for you. Give it a try and see how > it goes but the rest of your life will involve occasional self-checks > if you want to be a really good walker. > > Glenn > > On Fri, 27 Jul 2007 08:57:09 -0500, "Moe Jones" <moejones(a)hal-pc.org> > wrote: > >> I was informed that once I get my prostheses at The Amputee Center, >> I have to take it to the VA Hospital to be scheduled for gait >> training. >> >> What is gait training? >> >> Is this where I learn to use the prostheses? Thanks for the feed back. This Monday I go back for my second fitting of my prostheses. -- Moe Jones HVAC Service Technician Energy Equalizers Inc. Houston, Texas www.EnergyEqualizers.com
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