Day 57 - Floor Exercises

Sounds like a section from the gymnastics in the Olympic Games huh? Well, not quite. James wanted to try some new stuff today, and he showed cleo how to get onto her knees, to enable her to do exercises with balance and leg stretching. By being on her knees she still has to balance but because there is a much shorter distance from hip to ground, that creates better stability. In time these exercises will help to increase the muscle tone that is lacking right now.

Her hand hurts a lot at the moment. James says it's because the muscles in her arm are shortened, again this is something that comes from lack of use, and the paralysis. So, each day we will stretch and straighten her hand to try to get a little more flexibility into the hand, wrist and arm muscles, which, according to James will help to alleviate the pain she feels.

After the weekend cleo finds that her legs are quite wobbly: again due to not being used too much over the last couple of days. As she goes through the week and uses her muscles daily, she becomes more stable, and has better balance. Today her leg rather seemed to have a mind of it's own.

The next few days we will spend sorting as much as we can for the wedding in February: invitations are almost done now, and will go out in the next day or so.

We bought cleo a static cycle machine (called a pedal exerciser)which arrived today, and which hopefully will help in strengthening her legs ankles, and feet. Having tried it before physio today I think we are going to have to tie her feet into the pedals, as the velcro footstraps don't seem to hold her feet in too well. I am sure we will get the hang of it, and it will be of benefit over the coming weeks and months. Because the machine can be used from a sitting position at any angle it is both easier and safer than trying to do the same thing on an exercise bike. It must be a reasonable product because it's identical to the one they use at the hospital.