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Stairs?

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beachcomber

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Ummm... I almost hate to bring this up--- but I haven't "done" stairs yet. I live in a flat house so it hasn't been an issue, but last weekend I got called up on a raised stage to receive an award at the culinary competition my students competed in and there were no hand rails to hang on to. I managed the "up" part but the "down" was a problem... I had to motion someone over to "give me a hand".

I guess it is because of my back surgery... my knee is at 9 weeks PO but other than ROM we had to pretty much stop the rest of my PT until my back surgeon cleared me.

I think my ROM is ok for it---- I'm at 120 plus flex and 0 extension.

Did you just "do stairs" or were there other exercises that led you into it?

I guess this is a question for my PT--- just hate to give them any new ideas for torture. LOL! This past week of going back to work with some looong days and starting my new PT regimen including my back has been a tough one. I've been back to some pacing and crying nights for sure.

I've started pool therapy. I can't wait until we get to the part that people have told me they "love". So far it's just been a wet place to hurt!

Marching on.... (I did that!). Hope you all have a great day wherever you are both geographically and in your knee journey. The sun is shining here in Oregon and the crocus and daffodils are starting to bloom as harbingers of spring.
 
PT put me stepping up onto a box and back down. That and practicing lifting my foot in front of me as I walk. (I know its hard to picture this) Basically it was like there was some imaginary step up in front of me that I had to clear with my foot. That was it as far as stair work.
 
Another thought, maybe your hold up is your back. If I can do stairs, and I can, at 110* it seems like you could do much better at 120*. There was a little bit of mental work to do on the going down part, had to learn to trust the knee ya know?
 
The marching type walk reminds me of the Monte Python Ministry of Silly Walks. I guess I'm dating myself. My therapist told me to pretend I was raising my knee to take a step and knee my husband in the butt. The imagery really worked for me.
I'm still taking steps one at a time and don't care if I do that the rest of my life as long as I can get there.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I do think the back is the hold-up. I know there are many knee rehab exercises I have not been allowed to do because of my back surgery recovery. Maybe stairs is one of them....

And I do think that fear of falling is my hold-up going down. The nerve damage that caused the need for the back surgery has left my "good" leg very weak and unreliable. I kind of teetered there on the edge of the stage in front of about 850 people wondering how the heck I was going to get down those 3 steps without falling flat on my face. Kind of an awkward moment...

I will bring it up in PT. Altho it will probably lead to traipsing up and down the flight of stairs they have there and hurt like heck....

The new PT plan and going back to work has ramped up my pain again. Fortunately I was able to get a refill on my pain meds so I can relax a bit from the fear of the pain.

Gotta keep pushing forward! Don't we all?
 
I struggle with the stairs going down, too. I am practicing on two steps we have that are shallow and when i get those two, I'll do the front 3 that are deeper. It hurts... if anyone has advice, I'd love to hear it. Going up is a breeze!

Skeet
 
Ever tried coming down sideways? That's assuming you have a hand rail to hang on to ....
 
Sideways alternating steps or using both feet on each level? Having a hard time picturing this. Help?
 
There have been moments that I darn near sat down and scootched down the stairs on my butt. (plenty of padding).
Hopefully I'm about over this cold and I have committed to working on rebuilding the strength in my legs. I think I've worked so much bike and ROM it's about time to build them up.
I get a sharp pain sometimes at the kneecap when I go downstairs.
I do have to say there has been drastic improvement these past two weeks.
 
Sideways alternating steps or using both feet on each level? Having a hard time picturing this. Help?


One step at a time. Leading with either good or bad knee depending upon a) how you can manage and b) which side your handrail is on!
 
I'm okay with the one-leg-at-a-time part---- as long as there is a railing. I understand the sideways part too.... I just don't know how to get myself descending stairs if there is no rail...I am afraid I will fall.

I guess I just have to practice it, huh? With the rail until I feel more comfortable then go without.

But that is for another day. I will just have to stay away from awards ceremonies on stages without rails, huh? LOL!

thanks for the suggestions.
 
In the early weeks I came dowm backwards, my grand daughter calls me Nanny Back now. I can now use a cane up and down, still can't do down properly, but am managing to go up almost like normal, though sometimes stand on tip toe on the good leg to reach the next step. I use the method "up to heaven and down to hell" on any other steps, or kerbs.
 
My PT has a really small step that I had to start off practicing on, just keeping my new knee foot on it and then up and down up and down as weeks progressed the step is made higher, then up to a foot stool sort of thing, just for the past 2 visits, I now have to do it backwards. New knee foot stays on the step and I have to step down frontwards and then lift myself back up onto the step. This one is a bit difficult because there is nothing to hold on to. For me I think part of it is the fact that I feel insecure. I can do it with the strenght in my knee, but I get the sense that I am not quite balanced, almost nervous. I finally figured it out for myself that I think I am uneasy because my knees have been so bad for so many years that I cannot even think of the last time I stepped up a high curb without assistance from my husband or daughter or granddaughter, I would look for the handicap ramps and going up or down steps was avoided when I could, and always had to have railing to actually pull myself up and then going down, well to be honest for some time now when having to go to the laundry room I went down backwards so this is a new venture. I feel like a new person already just going up and down the steps taking turns with each foot instead of one step at a time the same foot down, the same foot up.
I can hardly wait until my other knee is new! I do go down a bit sideways it helps me alot. Of course holding the railing. But the PT steps are good practice.
K
 
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