This morning our elliptical machine arrived and I have already added it into my rehab program. I need to start off pretty slow and five minutes a day seems to be enough to begin with today since I was in at work as well. I've started off at the bottom two levels of resistance without any incline. To start with, the aim is to use it to increase the walking type of activity that I am doing each day. Though exaggerated, the elliptical is a more natural walking movement pattern than how I am walking at the moment. It also seems to help loosen the muscles up to help get through the longer days. I'm hoping that this is not just a result of the movement but a reflection of how the effects of exercise like this will now affect my overall health and wellbeing. Pre-op, something like this would have me in pain that lasted for much longer than the amount of time that I had spent on it. The difference between the grating that my hip joints used to do compared with how fluidly they move now. I still can't help be amazed. I hope that I don't forget this feeling.
I'm hoping that within a few weeks, I have built to a half hour walk and my gait pattern and strength have improved enough to be using my cane all of the time (well at least for a couple weeks after that and then maybe not at all).
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