Using a cane or a crutch when you have an injury can be very confusing especially when characters on TV shows don’t even use them right! So let me show you how to walk with a cane correctly. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes very easy and natural. When we walk normally, our opposite arm swings forward with our opposite leg. When using a cane, you want the same technique so you don’t risk injuring something else while you are recovering.
The most important part to start with is to make sure your cane is the right height. Most canes have a pin you can push in to change the height. On your upper leg there is a bone that sticks out called your greater trochanter. It is just below your hip. This is where you want the top of the cane. You should have a slight bend in your elbow about 20 degrees. If the cane is too high, you might irritate your shoulder, and if it is too low, you might lean over too much.
Now for the walking part. The cane should be in the opposite hand of the injured side. Yes, House, MD did it wrong! The cane should always move with the injured side. If the injured side goes forward, the cane goes forward for support. Again, this is how our bodies naturally move; so don’t think about it too much. Just move how you would normally move. The cane should be for balance and safety, and if you feel like you are pushing really hard on it, or if you can’t walk smoothly, then you probably are not ready for a cane yet.
Bodyweight exercises are great (especially for beginners) because they can be done without any equipment or an expensive gym membership. Many simple and effective exercises can be done with just our bodyweight. The bodyweight exercises in this video are great for helping to improving strength, balance, and overall health.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, better known as BPPV, can literally stop you in your tracks. Make sure you are properly diagnosed with BPPV before trying these because vertigo symptoms can be an indication of something more serious.
The Epley Maneuver for Vertigo can be very effective at relieving vertigo symptoms, but it’s a procedure that should be performed by a physical therapist or other health care professional. This video is for demonstration purposes only.
This seated exercise routine for seniors focuses on simple exercises that can help loosen up and strengthen the muscles in the neck, shoulders, back, hips, knees, and ankles. It’s a great daily routine at any age.
Living with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions can be an overwhelming experience, characterized by widespread pain that affects various parts of the body. One of the most beneficial approaches to help manage this pain is to incorporate gentle standing stretches and exercises into your daily routine.
This real-time therapeutic yoga routine features easy stretches that can help relax & relieve stress and anxiety throughout the body. It can also help decrease tightness in the muscles and improve overall flexibility.
BPPV, or Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, can literally stop you in your tracks. Hopefully this vertigo treatment with Brandt Daroff exercises will help. As always, make sure you are properly diagnosed because vertigo symptoms can be coming from something more serious.
The pelvic floor muscles are often overlooked, and people don’t think about strengthening them. Since the pelvic floor muscles are small, it doesn’t take a lot of movement to work them, so it’s best to start with a little and slowly progress.
Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions can cause pain all over the body. This is often called widespread pain. The key to finding relief with stretches and exercises with these types of conditions is to find the right amount of intensity for you. Lying down while performing simple stretches and exercises often helps.
