Losing a lower limb can seem overwhelming. You always have the “I’m never going to feel normal” and “I will never be whole again” ideology haunting you. One of the ways to combat post-amputation depression is to try to remain active. Your physical therapists can offer solid suggestions and ideas but ultimately it is up to you to do the follow through and put the time and effort into it. Even though I was extremely weak after my amputation, when I was awake I was trying to do something to move around and rebuild lost muscle.
One of my biggest challenges for post-amputation fitness was trying to do “the normal” things that I did without issue before I lost my lower left leg. I needed to find a gym with a wide-track treadmill because my gait was wider than it was before. That was only one of the obstacles. Most gyms denied me membership saying that I was an insurance risk. While illegal, without proof of their discrimination it was my word against theirs. That’s when I decided that I needed to concentrate on the things that I could do at home, even if it meant buying my own equipment.
What items will you need to buy? I already had an exercise ball but invested in a larger one so I could do modified crunches on it. Resistance bands are a great way to add some additional challenge to your stretching but you are going to want to be careful that you are getting something that is long enough so that they do not snap. Hand weights can help if you are looking to sculpt muscles but to actually build muscle you are going to need to get a set of five, ten and fifteen pound weights. A balance pole or balance rod is not a necessity but it can make stretching a lot easier. You will have perfect form as it is impossible to do any of the exercises incorrectly with the pole in place. You are going to want to avoid getting a weighted one until you have the strength to use one properly.
Calf Raises: Normally you would do these to strengthen your calves but without an ankle, it is an impossible task. You can modify these easily by walking up steps. Yes, you read that right. When you are walking up the steps, force your leg completely through the action until your knee locks. Not only will this help your calves but it will work to tone other areas of your legs. Because I am a LBKA (left below knee amputee) I have to make sure that both legs are getting the same type of workout so I have to concentrate when walking up flights of steps. If you aren’t paying attention it is extremely easy to become lax with your residual limb and that can translate into issues when you are walking or trying to improve your balance.
Push Ups: Most people assume that I can still do push ups. It’s physically impossible because of the pressure that it puts on the end of my bone; it causes rubbing against the socket and results in a bruise and extreme tenderness. One way to modify a basic push up is to go knee-in instead of being on your toes. If you have a prosthetic that runs right up to your knee like me then you are going to have to remove it. The push ups are great for upper body strength and toning about you need to go slow and concentrate on form more than on reps.
Yoga: Stretching is a great way to tone and strengthen all parts of your body but yoga was something that was almost completely off limits for me because of some of the poses and stances. I was lucky to meet an instructor that struck up a great deal; she would help me modify some of the basic yoga stances and improve my balance if I would come to her class one night a week and be a visual example for her students. Everyone benefited from it and I am still able to enjoy yoga and its stress relieving properties.
Sit-Ups: This is another thing that people assume I would have no problem with. Because I have no control over my left ankle I can’t wedge it under a sit-up hook on a door or bend it in a way to allow me to execute the exercise correctly. This is where I need someone to hold both my legs with even pressure and slightly bent at the knee. We’ve worked out a way that I can do the perfect sit-up without stressing my back or putting pressure on my residual limb. Whoever is holding my legs leans forward slightly and put some of their weight on the bottom part of my legs. You can do the same type of stance for a crunch to help with torso training.
Step Platform Training: While it might seem like it is the same thing as walking up or down steps, using a platform to do step training has helped me with my balance and my upper leg strength. One of the biggest issues with having a lower leg loss is the burning sensation that you can get from walking or stretching. This is normal but it can be discouraging to someone who is a new amputee and trying to master control over their prosthetic. I had a step platform with two bottom decks so I can work with three different levels of difficulty. The key to step training is moderation and caution. It is extremely easy to lose your balance or twist your remaining ankle so don’t rush into the process of mastering the different levels.
Do you need a personal trainer? No. Most of them aren’t qualified to work with amputees and won’t give you the information that you need to work out correctly to avoid any type of injury. There really aren’t a lot of “amputee fitness” websites or resources outside of the ones that have been set up for members of the military. While that might seem a little discouraging, determination is stronger than any adversary that might stand in your way.
