My CP is right side hemiplegia. I am ambulatory but have weakness and tightness in my right side and some spasticity in my right hand and it is usually kept in a fist unless I hold something.

I grew up doing a variation of mainly heel chord stretches that look like me standing infront of a wall with my hands on the wall at shoulder level and one foot on the floor about 2 feet away from wall (the foot that is tight) and the other foot closer to the wall and bent. The foot that is farther away from the wall is getting stretched because I must keep my heel down on the floor. I move my foot farther back as I losen. I would do it for 5 mins 2x a day. Then switch feet! I've seen runners do this one too.

And hamstring stretches that are done my be laying on the floor in a door way. One leg is vertical on the wall and the other leg lays flat on the ground. Not an easy task! Try it!

But now that I am getting older (ahem) I find that I am feeling back pain... I have developed arthritis in the lower back partly due to my unusual gait I'm sure and I wonder if some of you guys have that same problem and how you cope with the pain? Do you do back stretches and if so, can you describe them?

Those who work out, do you find mainstream gyms useful?? What sort of precautions must you take in using exercise equipment?

Jo-Lynn

And hamstring stretches that are done my be laying on the floor in a door way. One leg is vertical on the wall and the other leg lays flat on the ground. Not an easy task! Try it!

Yeah, omg, no! Don't try it unless you have someone to unstick you!!! :eek:

Seriously though, is the leg supposed to be flat on the wall? Like back of knee to wall? Cause I couldn't even get that far, I was too scared, lol. It's 1:30 in the morning, and my phone was in here with the computer. I'd have had to lay there until my sister came with her keys and found me, stuck up against the wall, LMAO!

I did get my leg part way up the wall, with my foot flat against it and that in itself gave me a great stretch in theh low back and I only probably had it that way for 30 seconds!!

Yeah, omg, no! Don't try it unless you have someone to unstick you!!! :eek:

Seriously though, is the leg supposed to be flat on the wall? Like back of knee to wall? Cause I couldn't even get that far, I was too scared, lol. It's 1:30 in the morning, and my phone was in here with the computer. I'd have had to lay there until my sister came with her keys and found me, stuck up against the wall, LMAO!

I did get my leg part way up the wall, with my foot flat against it and that in itself gave me a great stretch in theh low back and I only probably had it that way for 30 seconds!!


The goal is to eventually be able to straighten both legs so that you are making an "L" shape with your legs. It may never happen but if it does then thats great! i started out not being able to straighten but eventually I did, the stretch was great. And yes I agree--- you may need a spotter!! LOL:jester:

wow, an L shape! I say go for it but don't hurt yourself!

I do the heel cord stretch too, and I use a piece of equipment called the ProStretch to do it (ha, I had to get it to see what it's called, because it's known only as "the blue thing" around here). The therapist I had when I was around 8 ordered it for me. My mom stole it from me, though. :p You can find it online. I stretch the achilles tendon with a latex resistance band. Sometimes, in my pool, I kick my legs as I hold on to the side. I love aquatic therapy. Before I left for college, I asked my therapist how I could stretch my hamstrings by myself, and she said to put the leg I want to stretch on a chair while standing on the other leg.

When I go the gym, I use the treadmill (just for walking).

I do the heel cord stretch too, and I use a piece of equipment called the ProStretch to do it (ha, I had to get it to see what it's called, because it's known only as "the blue thing" around here).

I just looked that up... umm... how do you use it and not fall?! :confused:

Keep your hands on a wall. :)

Oh......... that could work............ I'm not that bright... hee... Betch I'd still fall.... :rolleyes: LOL

Those who work out, do you find mainstream gyms useful?? What sort of precautions must you take in using exercise equipment?

Jo-Lynn

I have right-side hemi too. I find mainstream gyms useful, even if mainstream exercise equipment practically always has the problem that it is designed for people whose left and right sides are equally strong. So, when you use a crosstrainer for example, your weak leg tends be lazy and the strong leg does most of the job. I think you just have to concentrate on using your weaker limbs.

Strawberry hit the nail on the head. I'm a quad, but my left side is stronger than my right, and also my left leg is longer, so I often find my left leg doing almost all the work!

Yes, I refer to my left side as "Olga" because I am freakishly strong... my left calf is quite a bit largwer than my right. Yes I could see me using my left for everything! Great tip.

J

"Olga," hahaha, that's funny. :jester: I have to remember that.

hahaha! I've been working on getting my legs the same size, but I haven't made much progress thus far. I'd like them to meet somewhere in the middle because my left leg looks like it belongs to a body builder and my right leg is not much more than bone and a little muscle!:dizzy:

Same here Jelly, we should compare photos, lol

Sometimes I wish I could remove my left leg temporarily just so I can work more with my right leg. :p

I don't know if this is just a weird thing that happens to me, but even when I ONLY try to work my right leg (like I use the leg press with only that one leg and have the left one hanging down) my left side still tries to do all the work! It's very annoying because I can never just relax either side.

Nope, that happens to me, too. It is annoying.

I don't know if this is just a weird thing that happens to me, but even when I ONLY try to work my right leg (like I use the leg press with only that one leg and have the left one hanging down) my left side still tries to do all the work! It's very annoying because I can never just relax either side.

Aha, u exercise on a leg press. Thats the kind of thing I need to know! Do you ever hyperextend your right knee?? I deal with that for as long as I can recall.

I used to only straighten my leg so much and then I was given braces and exercises to do to fix that. As a result I can straighten my leg alright, but also hyper extend it. This is why I use a cane now-- pain from my knee which snaps straight so hard it hyperextends. In January I tore ligaments in that same knee. I am mostly recovered but am very tender!

I even snap straight in my full leg brace, what a waste of 2,000 bux.

both of my knees hyperextend since my hamstring surgery 7 years ago.

both of my knees hyperextend since my hamstring surgery 7 years ago.

So, how do you deal? The pain must get to you. I sometimes just fall in pain in midstep with a sharp pain from hyperextension!

Ow! My knees hurt just reading the word hyperextend. I remember using a leg press when I fourteen and fifteen years old, and I don't remember my knees hyperextending as much as they do now. Oh, Jo-Lynn that sounds terrible, eek! Things getting torn inside the body always gives me the heebie-jeebies! You know what I hate? When my fingers hyperextend–it makes me want to hurl! lol

lol i hear u on the finger thing! my son takes my index finger and bends it back to the top of my hand.... i showed him the trick once and he is awestruck still.

Well, I'm used to it by now. This might sound strange but I think I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I wasn't in pain, lol! I'm trying to get a wheelchair for distance... sending out my second appeal today *crosses fingers*

I'll be praying it goes through, girl!! I went through a phase that I was sure I wanted one, but then got a papasan chair (the one they sold at Pier 1 a few years back) for $15 at a yard sale and I started to realize how much pain I get just from sitting in a regular chair... so now I'm conflicted. Cause I don't know if the pain from sitting or walking is worse.

Whoa... I tried the hamstring stretch. Owww! I was vocalizing so much discomfort that my dog came over to me to investigate. My mouth was open so she took the opportunity to try to lick my mouth. The stretch caused both arms to spasm, so I couldn't push her away. I'm going to have to remember that stretch. It's a good one.
I try to lift weights for my arms with hand held weights at home. I don't really do that much for my legs.
I try to focus mostly on aerobic exercises like swimming, martial arts, walking, and hiking.
I have tried both the treadmill and the cross trainer at PT, but I can't do either of them. The PT had to hold me up slightly to do the treadmill, and had to firmly hold me up on the cross trainer. That cross trainer really threw off my balance.

I try to focus mostly on aerobic exercises like swimming, martial arts, walking, and hiking.
I have tried both the treadmill and the cross trainer at PT, but I can't do either of them. The PT had to hold me up slightly to do the treadmill, and had to firmly hold me up on the cross trainer. That cross trainer really threw off my balance.

I dont have access to equipment yet but am debating going to Curves or something! Now, when you say martial arts I am picturing ninja moves--- can you elaborate?? If I was AB I'd totally be into kick boxing.

If I was AB I'd totally be into kick boxing.

Doesn't that suck??? I'm the same way, if I was AB I'd be the biggest jock. So for now I just watch.

The style I took involved blocking, punching and kicking. It also incorporated self-defense too. The instructors modified the class to my needs. When I first started martial arts I couldn't kick at all by myself. The instructor had to hold me up by the waist for me to be able to kick. The instructor gradually reduced his assistance and then I was able to kick by myself. My spasticity was in hyper drive. After 3 years of taking martial arts I earned my blackbelt. It's so neat to watch my blackbelt test on video to see how much my mobility improved. My movements were pretty smooth.

Well I have been looking for excercises as well, I live in San Diego and walk outside for an hour at least 4 times a week, but my left side is numb and my left hand has limited use. My CP is very mild and my parents except to sue the doctor and get my physical therapy as a chil ignored my disability and got agravated that I wasn't normal si I am not sure what type I have but its called left sided parathesis or something.
plus my processing problems have made it hard to work in an office. I work retail which makes my other hand hurt from doing most work, and so i wanted to start doing hand excercises agian. Does anyone know of any? Also I find its hard for me to lose weight is this a symptom as well of cp?

Well I have been looking for excercises as well, I live in San Diego and walk outside for an hour at least 4 times a week, but my left side is numb and my left hand has limited use. My CP is very mild and my parents except to sue the doctor and get my physical therapy as a chil ignored my disability and got agravated that I wasn't normal si I am not sure what type I have but its called left sided parathesis or something.
plus my processing problems have made it hard to work in an office. I work retail which makes my other hand hurt from doing most work, and so i wanted to start doing hand excercises agian. Does anyone know of any? Also I find its hard for me to lose weight is this a symptom as well of cp?

My husband does martial arts and weight training.

there are yoga exercises for the lower back. check out these sites:
http://www.yogasite.com/postures.html
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/experts/keyyoga/articles/0,,280_165519,00.html
hope this helps!