walking long distances

Treatments, Rehabilitation, and Recovery
jmar
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:43 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: brachial plexus stretch during thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on may 18, 2010.

walking long distances

Post by jmar »

i am planning on doing a half marathon in the fall. i plan on walking it because of other medical issues. when i walk, my arm tends to flop around a little bit if i am not paying attention to it. if i walk over a mile or so, it starts to ache. this marathon is 13+ miles. i can walk that far, but not with this crazy arm flopping around like it does. should i put it in a sling or hold it against the side of my body? i hate putting it in a sling. i really dont know how to handle this. or should i just use the sling off and on, letting it flop around till it gets tired and put it in the sling for a while and take it out for a while?
User avatar
Christopher
Posts: 845
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:09 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02

Level of Injury:
-dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed

BPI Related Surgeries:
-2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle,
-Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts.
-2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting.
-Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps.
-Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle.
-Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.

Surgical medical facility:
Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN
(all surgeries successful)

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
~Theodore Roosevelt
Location: Los Angeles, California USA

Re: walking long distances

Post by Christopher »

Master DIVER TOM
Posts: 759
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 11:51 am

Re: walking long distances

Post by Master DIVER TOM »

A sling is a GREAT idea and a good invention Dan ;) for running :D
If a sling still bugs you , Try squeezing a small rubber ball in running, it will tighten the arm and flop less?? :roll: If you can GRASp a BALL ,if you can just grasp a little use a tennis ball??? :shock: :roll:
This came from my TRICK bag of TRYS :shock: :D Invention and :idea: do happen over time with these injuries for us, The trys are founded in the :idea: and invention in Adapting to what we can, I think :roll: :shock:
Tom
MW
Posts: 81
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:13 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LTBPI, Feb 2009, hit by truck while on a run. Free muscle transfer at Mayo Clinic 6 months later.
Location: Chicago, IL

Re: walking long distances

Post by MW »

Congrats on your decision to do a long distance like that! I would go with a sling for sure. I use one of Dan's for running, but if I was just walking, a more "normal" sling could work too. I used to use this one a lot:
http://armsling.com/

It's black and pretty unnoticeable on dark clothing. When I cycle to work, I use one, and it's not like there's a glaring "BROKEN ARM" look with it.

Best,
MW
tms718
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:55 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: C5, 6, 7 T1 avulsed since October 2, 2009.
Location: ma

Re: walking long distances

Post by tms718 »

You can't go wrong with either of the slings mentioned. I've been using the one MW posted(the ultimate sling, as it's known) on a daily basis for almost the last two years and I just got one of Dan's slings about a month and a half ago and it's worked out great for running, snowboarding and working out at the gym.
jmar
Posts: 528
Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2010 3:43 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: brachial plexus stretch during thoracic outlet syndrome surgery on may 18, 2010.

Re: walking long distances

Post by jmar »

i have slings. the problem is i NEVER wear a sling any more. have not since august or sep of last year i dont even know where they are. i will find them, though. i was just not sure whether if it would do any damage in the way of making my elbow stiff. i have full range of motion, but my elbow does not straighten unless i consciously straighten it. my fingers are always a bit stiff, but i can squeeze a ball while in the sling. i am more worried about my elbow and shoulder.
Carolyn J
Posts: 3424
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 1:22 pm
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: LOBPI. I am 77 yrs old and never had a name for my injuries until 2004 when I found UBPN at age 66.

My injuries are: LOBPI on upper body and Cerebrael Palsy on the lower left extremities. The only intervention I've had is a tendon transplant from my left leg to my left foot to enable flexing t age 24 in 1962. Before that, my foot would freeze without notice on the side when wearing heels AND I always did wear them at work "to fit in" I also stuttered until around age 18-19...just outgrew it...no therapy for it. Also suffered from very very low self esteem; severe Depression and Anxiety attacks started at menopause. I stuffed emotions and over-compensated in every thing I did to "fit in" and be "invisible". My injuries were Never addressed or talked about until age 66. I am a late bloomer!!!!!

I welcome any and all questions about "My Journey".
There is NO SUCH THING AS A DUMB QUESTION.
Sharing helps to Heal. HUGS do too.
Location: Tacoma WA
Contact:

Re: walking long distances

Post by Carolyn J »

I vote for you getting that sling. 8-)
I think it's FABULOUS you are going to do a marathon,Joyce!!
HUGGZ
Carolyn J
LOBPI/73++++++++++++++++ ;)
Master DIVER TOM
Posts: 759
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 11:51 am

Re: walking long distances

Post by Master DIVER TOM »

Ha JMAR,
Slings are awesome base on post!!! ;) :shock: Then we have the variables in our limitation :shock: . I gave squeezing a small ball in running as a alliterative to the sling if waring a sling Bothers your limitation in running :roll: ??? :roll: Squeezing a ball increases grasp but by doing so it also tightens the arm shoulder and end up hold the arm closer to the body less flopping??,for me :shock: :roll: Will this help you or Dans sling which is AWSOME for runners to!!!!! ;) :D In general to me :shock: :roll: ,
Stiffness in the elbow goes along with these injury with a laundry list of other issues, Trying even though pain, some how we over come some times by our trys by posts, : ;) :D The joy , is finding something we can do and posting it here. ;) :D For me I always think less about my limitation when I am focus in a activity and I think we all get the benefit of this by Post?? :roll: By doing our activity it will straighten the limitation we or left with in life and our Spirit to try by determination, I think :roll: Looking back in my life you really end up with a Bucket List of trys that work out ;) :D there fore, Joy of our trys ,we really do defeat depression :shock: ;) We just need to remember the positive when they dont?? We all have this joy of our own bucket list ;) :D
Hope this helps??? :shock: :roll:

Your Doing AWSOME by our trys!! :D I think in my life If I could teach myself to adapt I was less depression by my trys that work :roll: We never really fail even thaw something we never can overcome, it a path back to felling Down again?? Sometimes staying positive is totally the determination we all have :shock: ;) Determination to keep trying defeats depression to, I think ;) :D
Tom
Master DIVER TOM
Posts: 759
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 11:51 am

Re: walking long distances

Post by Master DIVER TOM »

Oh I forgot so I thought i would add this here?? :roll: There is a thing about the time element for sure-!! Pressing a doctor to get the right help in time by the right doctor ??? :roll: when you dont find the help Despair sets in. :shock: Sometime it takes forever to find the right doctor that will help, and in my case no help was ever given. Despair can lead to the offing of a arm by Post, That how far deprecation and despair can lead. Just because of lack of help in time :shock: :roll: or because you have a dead arm and think there no help for me :roll: ?? despair and amputation, do happen for real :shock: JMAR answer in the next post was Dead on ;)
Tom
Master DIVER TOM
Posts: 759
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 11:51 am

Re: walking long distances

Post by Master DIVER TOM »

I am glad CHRIS wrote on the other post, Man That guy knows a lot!! :shock: :D You know I am in AW!!! by you guys Ruthless Determination by post by finding that doctor by QUEST. FOR REALL :D I wish it did not happen, I wonder, :roll: to find that right doctor in there area and started at the Energy room :shock: :roll: Ware is the a booklet for a BPI specialist at time same time of treatment ?? :shock: ;) If there Is None :roll: I will donate to forming one to have it at a emergency Room(IT starts at the emergency room,Right :roll: . What you guys post finding the right doctor in time for your injuries its :evil: :twisted: Drive me Crazy :o !! It also drives me Nuts when a person doesn't find help by a doctor for there limitation lead them to take a arm off by despair , I think :shock: :roll: its :evil: :twisted: , I know all about no help at all in life, But it still works out in life by YES ;) Ruthless Determination to adapt, Count BIG TIME!!! ;) :D
, I am so glad there is real help by post. Fact is I never fell despair by trying when I can find direction, I think :roll:
I know mr,positive :shock: :D
Tom
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