Description of Exercises [For prologue to this section of The Mom & Me Journals dot Net, click here.]
As of 9/04/04:
As of 9/04/04:
- In Side Lift [ISL]: Standing, with weights; Holding arms at sides, weights parallel to floor, lift weights up along sides as high as possible while holding elbows as close to body as possible; lower weights to starting position.
- Kick It [KI]: Sitting, independent alternate leg reps; start with foot flat on floor, kick to touch trainer's hand with toes, return foot flat to floor.
- Lift Up [LU]: Standing, with weights; Holding weights above shoulders, elbows out to sides, weights parallel to floor, extend arms completely above head, return to starting position.
- Knee It [KNI]: Sitting, independent alternate leg reps; start with foot flat on floor, raise knee up to touch trainer's hand, return foot flat to floor.
- Forward Out 1 [FO1]: Standing, with weights; Holding weights to upper chest perpendicular to ground, elbows close to sides, extend arms straight out, return to starting position.
- Separate Demitoe Sitting [SDS]: Sitting, independent alternate leg reps; start with foot flat on floor, raise heel until foot is resting on ball and toes, return to starting position.
- Forward Out 2 [FO2]: Standing, with weights; Holding weights to upper chest parallel to ground, elbows perpendicular to body, extend arms straight out, return to starting position.
- Together Demitoe Sitting [TDS]: Sitting, both feet reps together; start with feet flat on floor, raise heels until feet are resting on balls and toes, return to starting position.
- Forward 2 Side [F2S]: Standing, with weights; Holding weights straight out in front at shoulder height perpendicular to ground, open arms out until they are perpendicular to front of body, return to starting position.
- Side Step Sitting [SSS]: Sitting, independent alternate leg reps; start with foot flat on floor, step smartly to side and back, lifting knee up and down with thigh action.
- Arm Circles [AC]: Sitting, with weights; Holding weights straight out to sides at shoulder height perpendicular to ground, circle arms forward for prescribed reps, then backward.
- Marching In Place [MIP]: Standing, holding on to back of chair with both hands for support; march in place smartly, lifting knees high. On 9/6/04, changed exercise so that she stands between two chair backs facing forward and supports self on either side.
- Forward Curls [FC]: Standing, with weights; Holding weights parallel to ground, arms close to sides, bend arm at elbow and raise weights to shoulders, keeping elbows close to sides.
- Separate Demitoe Standing [SDST]: Standing, holding on to back of chair with both hands for support, independent alternate leg reps; with foot flat on floor lift heel until foot is resting on ball and toes, lower foot flat to floor.
- Independent Arm Circles Right [IACR]: Standing perpendicular to chair back holding onto chair with left hand, without weights; with right arm hanging down at side, circle arm from shoulder and upper arm, forearm hanging loose and elbow slightly bent, around across body and face, up, then out to side and down.
- Together Demitoe Standing [TDST]: Standing, holding on to back of chair with both hands, both feet reps together; start with feet flat on floor, raise heels until feet are resting on balls and toes, return to starting position.
- Independent Arm Circles Left [IACL]: Standing perpendicular to chair back holding onto chair with right hand, without weights; with left arm hanging down at side, circle arm from shoulder and upper arm, forearm hanging loose and elbow slightly bent, around across body and face, up, then out to side and down.
- Side to Side [STS]: Standing, hands on hips, without weights; begin facing forward, twist torso to left, then to right, as far as you can go.
- Side Step Standing [SSST]: Standing, holding on to back of chair with both hands for support, independent alternate leg reps; start with foot flat on floor, step smartly to side and back, lifting knee up and down with thigh action.
- Back Drop [BD]: Standing or sitting, independent alternate arm reps, with weights; Turning arm out so palm faces away from body, grip top of weight between thumb and forefinger, lift a arm straight above head so weight is parallel to ground, keeping upper arm straight, bend elbow and lower weight behind head and neck and lift to starting position.
- Not So Grand Plie [NSGP]: Standing supporting self with arms between two chair backs, toes turned outward, feet about shoulder's length apart, bend just a touch at the knees, keeping back straight and buttocks held in, then rise.
- Standing Up/Sitting Down [SUSD]: That's right, standing up and sitting down, with coaching and support. Not surprisingly, she is currently having difficulty standing up and sitting down, so I decided we should practice this. She scoots to the edge of the chair, readies her muscles, braces herself with her hands on my very steady arms, I coach her to "lean forward from the hips" and she stands up, then sits down, while I coach her to "sit with control, don't plop yourself in the chair."
- Belly Grip [BG]: This is simply tightening the abdominal muscles, holding for a count of five and relaxing for a count of five. Performed standing up. It occurred to me that this might help strengthen her lower back and help her body "remember" how to stand correctly when using her walker so that she stands closer to it and pushes it with the momentum of her legs instead of with her arms.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Today's Walkering Session:
I got her up and walkering around the house at 1305 today. She wasn't happy about it but didn't resist. We did the lap from kitchen table, down the hall to the back arcadia door, back up the hall to the living room, negotiating the two steps into the living room, over to the two steps leading into the dinette back to the kitchen table. Twice. I had planned on us doing it a third time but she complained about her back and knee hurting. I let her have those, but talked, a lot, about how her back is bound to hurt if she doesn't stand as straight as possible, shoulders back, head up spotting down her intended path, close to the walker, moving it with the movement of her legs, not pushing it with her arms.
We'll keep at it. She remains unhappy about it, though. She wanted to know why it was necessary.
I told her, because I deem it necessary. I refuse to allow her to remain lethargic and unmoving when there is no medical reason for this. Besides, I told her, if we practice at home, it'll be easier for her when she goes out in public.
"What if I don't plan on doing that?"
"Well, you have to in order to go to the doctor, in order to visit friends.
"I suppose that's true." She doesn't want to move.
"Do you want to get to the place where I've got to hire a nurse to pick you up out of bed in the morning, move you to a bed in the living room, and do the reverse at night?"
"It won't come to that," she said, sneering.
"Mom, six years ago you didn't think your life would come to hardly ever moving and getting out."
She doesn't remember this, I'm sure, but she says, "I know."
"Well, Mom, this time, I'm making the choice to do everything I can to get you moving a little bit more, because it's healthy for you. All you have to do is wait for me to become frustrated and quit."
She looked at me in shocked surprise. She didn't say anything.
I don't know. We'll see.
We'll keep at it. She remains unhappy about it, though. She wanted to know why it was necessary.
I told her, because I deem it necessary. I refuse to allow her to remain lethargic and unmoving when there is no medical reason for this. Besides, I told her, if we practice at home, it'll be easier for her when she goes out in public.
"What if I don't plan on doing that?"
"Well, you have to in order to go to the doctor, in order to visit friends.
"I suppose that's true." She doesn't want to move.
"Do you want to get to the place where I've got to hire a nurse to pick you up out of bed in the morning, move you to a bed in the living room, and do the reverse at night?"
"It won't come to that," she said, sneering.
"Mom, six years ago you didn't think your life would come to hardly ever moving and getting out."
She doesn't remember this, I'm sure, but she says, "I know."
"Well, Mom, this time, I'm making the choice to do everything I can to get you moving a little bit more, because it's healthy for you. All you have to do is wait for me to become frustrated and quit."
She looked at me in shocked surprise. She didn't say anything.
I don't know. We'll see.
