Marcelle Greene Up Stroke |
Pre-stroke I worked out listening to my iPod, thoughts meandering over yesterday, today and tomorrow. Post-stroke my mind needs to engage as much as my muscles. First, I relax the spastic muscles in the area I want to exercise; second, I link my brain to the muscles I want to work (harder with some than others); third, I put my core muscles in proper position. Now I exercise, holding all of the above in mind as I repeat the motions.
I liken it to golf and all I had to keep in mind simultaneously to hit the ball on the sweet spot: Keep that elbow straight, rotate those hips, keep that head down – oh yeah, and try to relax! I sucked at golf.
I’m working harder at rehabilitation than I ever did at golf. The most mentally challenging aspect for me is correcting bad habits – not just those acquired through adaptive functioning – but those that pre-exist the stroke.
Instead of keeping my feet parallel and engaging my core muscles, I turn out one foot for stability. Eric calls it my kickstand and says a lot of people do this, which contributes to the prevalence of lower back pain. I do it when I’m standing at the kitchen counter, in line at the post office, lifting weights.
For healthy recovery, I need to stop relying on my joints and make better use of my muscles.
See the original article:
in
No comments:
Post a Comment