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Hey guys :)
I have a bit of a problem. i broke my tibia (shinbone ) last July 3 . I have not been able to use that leg and as a consequence my calf has deteriorated in size by about 30%. I need some way to exercise the calf muscle to help build it back up but I cannot perform any of the standard calf exercises and it looks like another 3 months before this thing heals.
I am thinking of some sort of muscle stimulator. Any suggestions?
I spent 3 months in a leg cast once. Take a look at isometric contractions. They help.
https://www.verywell.com/isometric-m...action-3120354
I don't know but send a PM to Kees. He's a physician and can probably point you in the right direction.
I got this a few years ago when I had something similar, still use it occasionally, and it is great for circulation and contracts all the muscles in your legs. Your legs feel thoroughly energized and all the muscle's feel well used afterwards.
It's called the Circulation Booster from High Tech:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz8NRCFcT50
It feels great to use, and with the wife and kids, great game as to who can stand it at the highest setting....here's a video I just found of others playing the game...LOL.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti4wYO3T6QI
If its an issue of placing weight on your lower leg, such as standing to do common "calf raises"; then how about using elastic resistance/ stretch bands. You can stay seated & attach the bands to the pads of your feet,,,hold the bands in your hands,,, the up/down movement of the ankle will provide the exercise without the weight of the body on the leg.
Different color bands have different resistance levels. This will be a very high repetition exercise.
I spent five months in a full size leg cast and another six weeks in a half cast. The half cast was to support my knee because I had lost so much muscle they did not believe I could walk without ruining my knee, and it was pre many of the great braces available. The short answer for my therapy was when they went to the short cast, it was waterproof and I had to swim, a lot.
Thats a problem, I cannot flex my ankle. The fracture is at the bottom of my tibia which rests in the ankle joint. They are all connected.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirlau
Thanks for the reply:) .Quote:
Originally Posted by Phrank
It seems this is a Tens unit. I checked and it looks like Walmart has a $150 version. The major question is will the Dr. agree ?
If you use a TENS unit it will cause the ankle to flex, simply because that's what that group of muscles do but you can adjust the stimulation down pretty low so you don't overdo it.Quote:
Originally Posted by randydance062449
Have you seen a Physical Therapist? That would be the way to go but, it may be too early per the Doc. Electrical Stimulation only 'builds' muscle when accompanied by an active contraction. Without the active contraction it will just keep you about where you are so, it may work very minimally if at all for your stated purpose.
Pool is definitely the better way as you can enter the water without standing on it then get to deeper water where you can swim, bike, etc... Just the motion of your leg being drug through the water will create enough force to cause a contraction.
But, all that is moot if the Doc says it is too early or otherwise has limiting restrictions for you. Is your Doc an Orthopedic Surgeon? If not, ask for a referral to a PT Clinic that has Aquatic Therapy available... They have every electronic device you could want as well as the skill and knowledge on how to use it.
Further, regarding Aquatic Therapy... Even just floating in the water increases blood flow, metabolism and reduces swelling. So, even if you are limited from any motion whatsoever, you can accelerate healing simply by being in the water.
Not sure if resumés are necessary but, I spent 24 years in PT working in different States and with every type patient imaginable. I often found patients with multiple trauma or fragile orthopedic issues benefitted best and were comfortable and protected in the water.
But, again, the stop-gap is the Doc and their Restrictions... If you are facing a potential 6 months of functional limitations, that is no, no, no joke... Listen to the Doc and ask about PT.
Shawn
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Sorry to read you broke your ankle.
I have had a quick look at the scientific literature available and there is little evidence that electrical stimulation works. Exercises are your best bet. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0072765/
Here's a few enercises: https://www.summitmedicalgroup.com/l...ure_exercises/
These exercises seem to be meant for children but I can't see any reason why adults wouldn't benefit.
Hope you'll get better soon.
Hi...
What puzles me is why was not surgical treatment an option...
Putting a locked nail in that tibia would have got you walking in crutches a few days after and full weight bearing in 6-8weaks.
The fact that the calf muscles have melted is a sign you skipped on the isometric exercises....
Gotto be brave and start working these leg muscles or future complications can occur....like joint stifness...muscle and tendon retraction...local neurological coplications or vascular complications...
The calf muscles act as a pump in the lower leg.
Each contraction presses on the veins and pumps the blod up towards the heart...veins have valves that shut close after each pump...that's how blod returns to the heart...
...so if the calf pump does not work blod kind of slacks in the veins...and new arterial blod gets there harder...
An electrical stimulator can help with the pumping...and general tone of the muscles...
But if the bone is properly healed you should start agressive phisioterapy and kinetotheraphy and start using that healed bone or it will start to get dissuse osteoporosis...
Be brave and get to work!...no matter how much you will pay others to help...in the end it is you that has to do all the work no one else!
Get some rehab programs and start working them...
Good luck!
Orthopaedics and trauma surgeon here if you need advice.
Thanks guys for the posts. I will print these out and take them with me next week when I go to the VA Hospital for the ct scan. I will badger them into a quick session on what I can do for exercises.
If you need help add me on FB and you can message me. Acc is Cotiga Ovidiu. .... or email me at ovidiu_cotiga@yahoo.com...
I would need to see some x rays and pics of how the leg looks and some more details about the treatment used so far.
Good comunication with your attending phisician is paramount but like I said...if you feel you need some help I would be happy to.
Have a nice day!
Isometric contractions but also a TENS machine is really good!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've had some bad ankle sprains in the past & altho strengthening the joint etc is doable, proprioception is a challenge & the ankle remains susceptible.
I found writing the alphabet mid air with the big toe really helps retrain the whole system :)
A small point.... TENS and EMS are not the same thing, though you can get combination units. TENS is used for pain, EMS is used to stimulate muscle, but as Kees noted... there is little evidence that it does very much.
TENS=Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
EMS=Electrical muscle stimulation
I'm guessing a trip to the physiotherapist will get you going in the right direction the quickest.
Regards
Christian
Quote:
Originally Posted by randydance062449
Aaahh!!!! THAT explains a lot!
Update ...... Went to the VA yesterday and reviewed a Cat scan with the Doctors. The unhealed portion of the fracture is 59 mm ( 2") high and the width of the fracture (crack) on the bottom of the tibia (shinbone) is 7.8 mm (o.3 ") at the outermost point. The decision is no surgery and hopefully it will eventually heal. The consequence will be massive arthritis in 2-3 years which will require bone fusion at that time. The good news is that there is no sign of gangrene. They will put a AMFO brace on the foot to immobilize it. Also a bone stimulator will be sent to me. They said to take a bunch of calcium and vitamin D3. For exercise they said I could only perform leg extensions, nothing that would flex the ankle joint.
and put no weight on the foot until this heals ( if it heals).
That just sounds like no fun at all. I went through the same thing when I broke some bones in the arch of my foot at age 22 (dropped a big speaker cab on my foot), due to were the break was, walking was causing it to heal slowly, but it did heal fully at about 3 months.
Try to get as much calcium as you can through food, maybe to the degree of getting a vegetable juicer
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/...gh-in-calcium/
Make sure your vit. D levels are OK. A lack of vit. D is even commoner than lack of calcium as there are fewer sources of vit D in our food than calcium.
I hope you will be on your feet soon.
Sorry to hear that. I hope you feel better.Quote:
Originally Posted by randydance062449
Yup, got those two covered. Taking about 2000 of each per day now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
2000 mg of Ca++ and 2000 IU of vit D I hope and not 2000 mcg unless you were very deficient when you started taking them.
Correct, :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
I've had my best luck with the different colored elastic resistance stretch bands/tubing. Follow all rehab to the letter and I supplement with the tubing. Be creative with ways to push/pull/twist while relaxing or what ever. Starting off easy was the hardest part. Pushed too hard a couple times and lost a week or two with recovery time. My best advice is to rehab your brains out and then rehab some more with out wrecking yourself. ;) ;)
Lot great advice here.
Good Luck
This is what we have here at the house, great for sore muscles.
NEW TENS 7000 2nd Edition - Most Powerful unit (OTC)