Therapy for ear problems, y'all won't believe what I gotta do.

[RSKY]

As therapy for my ongoing inner ear problems (see my earlier posts) I was given instructions on some exercises to do for the six weeks between doctor visits. I can foresee the last one on the list causing me many problems in the neighborhood. And no, I don't have to run around naked or anything. What these exercises are for is to let my brain get used to ignoring the signals or lack of signals from my bad permanently numbed right inner ear and depend only on the left one. Let me start with the first on the list. "Look up, then down, head not moving, at first slowly, then quickly, 20 times". Then the second one which is looking side to side the same way. Easy enough. Then bending head forward, backward, side to side with eyes open, then side to side with eyes closed.

Starts to get harder with sitting and standing with eyes open, then closed. Doing the 'drunk walk' heel to toe across a room with eyes open, then closed 10 times. He11, don't know if I could do that with my eyes closed with no inner ear problem.

Anyway, I have progressed thru nineteen of these exercises while walking two miles a day nearly every day for four weeks now. And I am at the bottom of the list. Here is the last one. And I quote, "With someone to guide you, walk one-half mile, rotating shoulders vigorously, with eyes closed"!!!! I added the exclamation marks. I will have to do this by myself because the wife will only go to the end of the driveway and back with me. Don't know if she's embarrassed or if it is because I nearly knock her over when I start staggering.

Now I already have a kinda crazy old man reputation in the neighborhood. And on my daily two mile walks, due to my inability to walk in a straight line because of the vertigo I've had people I've never talked to before stop and ask me if I'm okay. Our road doesn't get much traffic or I wouldn't even attempt this. Too many curves and traffic can't get much more than 25 mph and can be heard a long way off. So I have been closing my eyes and walking in the middle of the road and counting steps while on the two miler and have made it 35 steps one time before stepping into the side ditch. Yep, ran off the road four times this afternoon while walking and once nearly hit my head on a stop side. So tomorrow I start the walking 35 steps "vigorously rotating shoulders" with my eyes open, then 35 steps "vigorously rotating shoulders" with my eyes closed. Wish me luck!!

Guess I will lose the last shreds of dignity I have remaining.

RSKY

 

[ponytug]

We only think that we're not the crazy old loon...

Good luck on the rehab. It sounds like being back in boot camp.

All the best, Peter

 

[scootr]

Sounds like you have a doctor with a sense of humor... but if it works it works!
Any chance your wife could get us a video Uhm, for scientific reasons of course

 

[lman]

If I had to do that, I would use my driveway. It's 1/4 mile, so to the road and back. You could start on your driveway. It would be easier for your wife to find you if you fall and need assistance.

 

[Michiganguy]

That sounds like some dangerous therapy without someone with you!
I am currently going to PT for some neurological problems. During my evaluation they had me walk with my eyes closed. Within 15-20 feet I had veered to the right about 8 feet and would have walked into the wall if the therapist hadn’t stopped me.
He said “that’s interesting” my response was “must be one leg longer than the other.”
The joys of getting old!!

 

[ponytug]

That sounds like some dangerous therapy without someone with you!
I am currently going to PT for some neurological problems. During my evaluation they had me walk with my eyes closed. Within 15-20 feet I had veered to the right about 8 feet and would have walked into the wall if the therapist hadn’t stopped me.
He said “that’s interesting” my response was “must be one leg longer than the other.”
The joys of getting old!!

The dreaded "that's interesting...". Good luck on your rehab. Personally, I doubt that I could do the eyes closed walk without an issue. I'm way more careful these days as my reflexes slow down.

@RSKY I'm not a PT, but eyes closed walking without a chaperone close enough to grab you just sounds risky, an accident waiting to happen.

Stay safe out there!

All the best, Peter

 

[BackRoad]

3 thoughts...well 4

1. How about walking with one of the Grand kids?

2. How about with a well trained dog, yours or maybe taking a neighbor's along for your walks?

3. Get a bright vest to wear for your safety and other's - - - (I was going to say "entertainment", but actually it protects them from absolute insanity if they were to hit you due to your invisibility.)

FOCUS AND FORGET:
The other is a thought more about your mental state while doing the exercises.

My 9 month old grandson is just now learning to pull erect, learning how to balance, and to walk. It's his primary goal. Though he's crawling now, he'll learn how to run a straight line over the next 60 days.

But for right now, he's in extreme concentration while he's attempting to learn it. You can watch his face and see him processing every wobble and shake, training his muscles and learning to find balance so he can simply stand...let alone run.

He's absolutely NOT thinking what anyone around him may be judging about his efforts!

So perhaps a mental shift from thinking about how silly you look, to internal concentration and focus. Be in the moment thinking and feeling what your senses and your body are telling you with every step. Yours is both a physical and mental exercise.

Just as a 9 month old, your goal is training your body and your muscles while your balance system gets recalibrated.

It may proceed more effectively if you FOCUS on your body's internal feedback and learning while exercising...and totally FORGET about anybody who may be watching.

 

[dodge man]

I hope it helps!

 

[Jstpssng]

Within 15-20 feet I had veered to the right about 8 feet and would have walked into the wall if the therapist hadn’t stopped me

I doubt that I could do that in my best years. I tend to turn left a lot.

To the OP, good luck with your exercises. I concur with others... be safe

 

[RSKY]

3 thoughts...well 4

1. How about walking with one of the Grand kids?

2. How about with a well trained dog, yours or maybe taking a neighbor's along for your walks?

3. Get a bright vest to wear for your safety and other's - - - (I was going to say "entertainment", but actually it protects them from absolute insanity if they were to hit you due to your invisibility.)

Grands may help some but they have so much stuff going on.

I may borrow the twelve year old next door. His dad works constantly and his mom has complained that her kids know nothing about how to use tools or any common knowledge that us older ones took for granted at their age. I have already made my mind up that I'm going to request their help doing different jobs. Good way to teach them skills.

I do have a safety vest to wear. I'm going to dig it out and start wearing it on walks.

Our little subdivision is a 3/4 mile long road with a quarter mile dead end offshoot and a quarter mile loop added. All residential with little traffic and six ninety degree curves. Traffic rarely reaches 25 mph. Sometimes an hour will go by with no cars passing the house. So I feel safe doing this. People walk here all the time. On a Saturday or Sunday it can be hard to keep up a good pace due to stopping to talk with other walkers.

All but a couple people on the road are on a Facebook Neighborhood Watch page. I may post on it explaining what I am doing and why. Thanks to my little Kioti everybody knows of me if they don't know me personally. I clean driveways when it snows and usually the road (try that with 22-hp and a 5-foot blade), we are a low priority for the county. I mow the right of way along the road twice during the summer. Maybe if I post an explanation instead of getting reported for being intoxicated they may laugh with me.

RSKY