1.18.2005
rollie ball thingies
i think it's a good sign that my physical therapist says i'm walking much better. woohoo! of the two stretches that used to really get me, only one does now, so i'm hoping things will continue on this track. and, though my PT visits will be ending soon (and i get to go to work on time those days!) i will have the use of Viv's ankle rollie ball thingy to use at home. i will try my best to NOT look like the guy who's demonstrating how to use the BAPS. and, as a note, i am only using the BAPS board while sitting down...i don't know if i could use it standing up - even before i broke my ankle!
# posted by cheddah : 9:47 PM
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I have a wobble board....one of the 16" ones that has a dome underneath for different degrees of motion. It's like this one:
http://www.nefitco.com/wobble_board_16.html
I also got one of these inflatable discs (pillow):
http://www.nefitco.com/balance_disc_2.html
Except I usually put the bumpy side down.
Anyway, don't be surprised if you do eventually use the BAPS (or wobble) board standing up. I eventually did....however I usually had my hand or a least a couple of fingers against the wall. If you have trouble with the side to side motion when standing, try it with your shoes on. The wobble point on the one at my PT place was a bit too wide for my feet without shoes.
As far as the pillow goes, it makes for a good balance exercise. Stand on it with the bad side and work yourself up to staying on it for a minute at a time (without falling off). When that starts to get easy, try closing your eyes. :-) Ha, I never really mastered that part. Even without the pillow, you can just stand on one foot with your eyes closed...it's surprisingly more difficult than with your eyes open.
Then if you want to try something really fun. Stand on the pillow with the bad foot and then bend down as if you are going to pick something up off the floor. Look at the link above and check out the guy with the ball. It's something like that. You'll do some bending at the waist, but you also want to make sure you bend the knee too(and not keep it straight). You want to touch the floor in different positions around your body. For example, if the area on the floor was a clock, you would bend down and touch at 9, then up and back down at 10:30, then 12, then 1:30, then 3. And then back in the other direction.
Oh, and there is one more exercise with the pillow that's hockey appropriate. Stand on the pillow with one foot and hold a hockey stick in your hand (forehand) and then make shooting/passing motions. You don't want to lean on the stick so maybe keep it just above the ground. Swinging the stick will tend to get you off balance so this will help work the strength in your ankle and your balance. You can try it backhand to work both sides of your body, but if that's kind of awkward then just hold the stick forehand on the other side instead.
BTW, all the balance exercises are good for both feet. Some will seem easier (like standing on one foot on the pillow) with the good foot, but it doesn't hurt to work them both.
Of course you'll want to check with your therapist if you are ready for these type of exercises.
KarenB
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http://www.nefitco.com/wobble_board_16.html
I also got one of these inflatable discs (pillow):
http://www.nefitco.com/balance_disc_2.html
Except I usually put the bumpy side down.
Anyway, don't be surprised if you do eventually use the BAPS (or wobble) board standing up. I eventually did....however I usually had my hand or a least a couple of fingers against the wall. If you have trouble with the side to side motion when standing, try it with your shoes on. The wobble point on the one at my PT place was a bit too wide for my feet without shoes.
As far as the pillow goes, it makes for a good balance exercise. Stand on it with the bad side and work yourself up to staying on it for a minute at a time (without falling off). When that starts to get easy, try closing your eyes. :-) Ha, I never really mastered that part. Even without the pillow, you can just stand on one foot with your eyes closed...it's surprisingly more difficult than with your eyes open.
Then if you want to try something really fun. Stand on the pillow with the bad foot and then bend down as if you are going to pick something up off the floor. Look at the link above and check out the guy with the ball. It's something like that. You'll do some bending at the waist, but you also want to make sure you bend the knee too(and not keep it straight). You want to touch the floor in different positions around your body. For example, if the area on the floor was a clock, you would bend down and touch at 9, then up and back down at 10:30, then 12, then 1:30, then 3. And then back in the other direction.
Oh, and there is one more exercise with the pillow that's hockey appropriate. Stand on the pillow with one foot and hold a hockey stick in your hand (forehand) and then make shooting/passing motions. You don't want to lean on the stick so maybe keep it just above the ground. Swinging the stick will tend to get you off balance so this will help work the strength in your ankle and your balance. You can try it backhand to work both sides of your body, but if that's kind of awkward then just hold the stick forehand on the other side instead.
BTW, all the balance exercises are good for both feet. Some will seem easier (like standing on one foot on the pillow) with the good foot, but it doesn't hurt to work them both.
Of course you'll want to check with your therapist if you are ready for these type of exercises.
KarenB
# posted by 
: 5:46 PM
: 5:46 PM<< Home
