Exercises to strengten legs???

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maltluver

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Having had a 3 level lurabar surgery 6 weeks ago for central canal stenosis and bone spurs that were impinging other nerves, I have come out of surgery with a severely weakened right leg. My left leg had been weak and getting progressively weaker prior to surgery. My question is whether or not there are any exercises I can do to help those nerves recover............or is it just a matter of waiting to see how much, if any, they recover on their own.

I know it is too early for rehab but wondering if anyone has ever had luck with regaining leg strength after serious nerve compression that went on for over a year. Any feedback is more than welcome.

Blessings.

Carol
 
Hi Carol!:angel: I hope you are getting along okay. As far as exercises for leg strength, I've heard that other than walking, aquatic exercises are very good for your legs. Just moving around in water helps. If you have no access to a pool, maybe the YWCA. I don't know of any other.
I'm having my 2-level fusion at L3-L4, L4-L5 tomorrow in Nashville at the spinal surgery hospital. My surgery was scheduled for 11/17/10 but was changed because the NS had to do a emergency brain surgery on someone. I also have a orthro doing my surgery also. My right leg has been so weak for so long. I'm hoping this surgery helps me.
I know I will have to exercise my legs also in the near future.
Good Luck in your recovery. I hope to be back here on the board soon.:wave:
Keith
 
First, good luck tomorrow, Parman. Best wishes for an uneventful stay in hospital and recovery.

Regarding leg exercises, before you are cleared to go in the water, walking remains the best exercise, as I know you are very aware! Also, I would do very simple isometric stretches with the leg -- do it with the back supported, while in bed or lying on the couch or floor, just to be sure you aren't affecting the spine in some unintended way...and just tighten and release the muscles of the whole leg. You can flex and point the toe as you think about tightening the muscles, and you can hold each position for a bit.

If you are cleared to go in the water, find a warm therapeutic pool and just walk. Don't worry about doing any stretches or exercises in the water. Just walk back and forth in the warm water. You can walk forward, backward and sideways where you step to the side and then bring the other foot together with the first foot (not the cross-over type of sideways walking...not yet, anyway!)

I had a 3 level fusion from L3 to S1 in June and have just recently been cleared to go to the pool. Most patients are allowed to start a couple weeks after surgery...for simple walking...but I had major spine reconstruction and my surgeon is not allowing me to take any risks, small though they might be! Anyway, the instructor just had a two level lurabar fusion in July and she is back to teaching the class!! So I am just passing on what she suggests for me. She said she recovered quickly by just walking, walking, walking in the pool...forward, backward and sideways!! (By the way, just for a chuckle...she's the one who point blank told me "You need to find a BETTER doctor" when I was introducing myself at the beginning of class and said I had just had a 3 level fusion, my third surgery....Then she discovered we shared the same surgeon!! The look on her face was PRICELESS.) ;)
 
Thank you both so much. I will start with isometric exercises until I am cleared by my doctor. I really don't have access to a pool other the the Y and it is too expensive for me to join; the pool there is always so full anyway.

Parman, I wish you the very best of luck on your surgery tomorrow and pray that it will be successful and that you have an uneventful recovery.

I have to confess that I haven't been walking outside, only as much as possible around the house. It's just so cold and hard on my arthritis when the wind blows as it has been doing. Aside from that, I am afraid to walk more than I am if I am alone as that left leg is so unpredictable at this time. But maybe the exercises will begin to help....

Many thanks to you all.

Carol
 
Totally agree with warm water pool suggestions. I have weakness in both legs due to lurabar stenosis and cervical spinal compression which was not diagnosed quickly enough to avoid nerve damage. I was given exercises in physical therapy for both in and out of water which includes leg exercises to the front, back and sides, and also walking front, back and sideways, as well as stationary bike. I have difficulty with clirabing steps with the left leg, but in the pool I can do the steps much easier. Keep those muscles working.
 
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