additional exercises i do for my leg/foot

Hello! I was reviewing what I had already posted while I was trying to decide what to feature in my next article for Therapy Tuesday (this post). I compared those posts to what I am actually doing every day as my own therapy. I realized that I am actually doing more therapy/exercises than I included in my posts to you! So, here I start with one of my “updated”  posts.

While exercising my affected leg and foot (for me, my right), I start with what I call “Stand Up / Sit Down.”  Then I sit back in the comfortable chair and do three movements with my affected leg/foot which I call “Leg Up and Down,” “Leg Sideways” and finally “Leg Over Knee.”

DIRECTIONS
First, I start with Stand Up/Sit Downs. I have been doing this exercise since the very beginning! I strongly believe that this is a large reason why my walking ability has come back to me with such strength. It has built the strength particularly in my front thighs and has given me balance and confidence. 

STAND UP / SIT DOWN
1.    Stand in front of a cushioned chair.
2.    Sit in the chair with only using your legs  - don’t use your arms to hold on to your body or the chair.
3.    Stand up - again, use your legs.
4.    Repeat 25 times (and work your way up in increments of 5’s to 50 once you are able).

Then I proceed to my Leg movement exercises while sitting in the cushioned chair.  The first one of the three I do is the Leg Up and Down.

LEG UP AND DOWN
1.    Sit in the cushioned chair.
2.    Raise affected leg from knee forward and straight in front of you.
3.    Bring leg back.
4.    Repeat 25 times (and work your way up in increments of 5’s to 50 once you are able).

Then I go to my second of the three Leg movement exercises, which is the Leg Sideways.

LEG SIDEWAYS
1.    Stay seated in cushioned chair.
2.    Slide affected leg at knee from side to side.
3.    Repeat 25 times (and work your way up in increments of 5’s to 50 once you are able).

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And finally I go to my final third Leg movement exercise, which is the Leg Over Knee. This exercise actually helps me with bending my affected leg when I have to put on my clothes, socks, and shoes!

LEG OVER KNEE
1.    Again, stay seated in cushioned chair.
2.    Lift affected leg at knee over unaffected knee and rest it.
3.    Repeat 25 times (and work your way up in increments of 5’s to 50 once you are able).

Now you are done with the Stand Up / Sit Downs and 3 Leg Movement exercises.

God Bless, Peg

 “It’s Not Whether You Get Knocked Down, It’s Whether You Get Up.” – Vince Lombardi



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