How does on cope with bad gate?

[SW25]

If you are having trouble with your gate when you walk, please let me know how you cope with it? I have to use a rollater to walk with because of bad balance/gait.

[SheilaDugan Administrator]

Hi I have had two surgeries each have left me on a walker for a while. The first surgery I was put on a walker a few days prior to surgery, it then took a year to migrate to a cane anf then a few months later I migrated to an AFO brace where I stayed for a few weeks before noticing another problem. This time on the left side and that led me back to more surgery. I am now 6 months post op and just feeling more confident now after 3 months of physical therapy 2x a week. The rehab specialist says his goal is to have me walking with just the brace in another month. The main problem I have if they didn't catch it before my gait was affected in the first place si getting it perfect may not happen. If yours was not that way prior to surgery then I pray you will fully recover. However push for physical therapy as soon as your surgeon believes you are ready.

[Sally8]

I have learned to rely heavily on my sight for placement of my feet. I train my eyes on the ground and "will" my feet to land where I need them to land. If I don't do this, my feet don't always land in the right place, and I get off balance. I'm not using anything for assistance yet, but I imagine that the use of eyesight will still apply.

[Dodlink Moderator]

Hi. I use a stick and sometimes a shopping trolley. Most recently I was referred, via my GP, for hydrotherapy and that has helped me a great deal. You can practise so many things in the warm water that you can’t do on land. The leader says she is trying to remind my muscles of their walking memory. It is working.

[DebMurray]

Used to own a company that sold hydrotherapy...What I would give to have my Dimension One Hot Tub! Now I can't get in or out on my own