Physiotherapy

Made the appointment with the physiotherapist and have been doing my 7 exercises for the past two weeks. The set is designed to stretch and strengthen the leg muscles.
1. Calf Stretch - stand facing a wall, put hands on wall and step. Put weight on front foot and stretch calf of back leg. Repeat 5 times holding each time for a count of 20.
2. Toe stand - standing on both feet, go up on toes and hold for count of 5. I have balance problems and can't do this on one leg. Physiotherapist says this exercise will help train my knees to balance. As I strengthen the muscle and lose weight, the exercise on one foot will become possible. I am to alternate 1 & 2 to balance the exercises.
3. Thigh stretch. Lean against wall with feet out far enough that you can see your toes (quite a way in my case) and bend knees slightly sliding down the wall about 3 inches. Hold for count of 10. Repeat 5 times.
4. Rolling Pin - wrap a rolling pin in a towel and put between thigh muscle and the wall. Roll pin from hip to knee working the kinks out of the muscle. This is my favourite. It feels fantastic. Do both legs and remember to lean into the wall hard enough to get the benefits.
5. Clam - Lie on side in bed with knees together and bent about 30 degrees. Lift upper knee in a open clam shell movement. Repeat 10 times each side.
6. Loop belt over ankle. Lie on stomach and pull foot back as far as knee will allow. Hold for count of 5 and repeat 10 times.
7. Stand on one foot. Anytime standing in one place stand on one foot. Cleaning teeth, shaving (not always such a good idea,) washing face, washing dishes...you get the idea.

Been doing these three or four times a day though not all at each time. I am beginning to notice a difference, particularly with my leg strength and flexibility as well as a marked improvement in my balance.

The last cortisone shot seems to have lasted much longer. It about three weeks ago and I still have not had to take more than two aspirins on any day. With the shot and the exercises I felt so good this past weekend that my wife and I tackled the leaves on the front lawn. We collected 4 large garbage pails of packed leaves. Carried them to the back, dumped and spread them over the raspberry patch. They will make not quite enough mulch for the winter so will buy a couple of bales of straw to top up. This year I haven't been able to remove the old canes. Hopefully I will be able to do it in the spring.

One other item on the weight loss front. We decided to follow the popular advice and take a fibre supplement. Got talked into a special supplement at the Health Food Store, 'FibreSmart.' It has defatted flax seed, acacua fibre, guar gum, fennel seed, L-glutamine, marshmellow root, slippery elm bark, triphala ad stevia rebaudiana leaf. I particularly enjoy the thought while drinking it mixed in our morning juice of the slippery elm bark.

Neither of us has noticed a huge difference but the extra methane isn't too troublesome.