After I shattered my femur in a drunken fall in 1998 a metal rod was surgically connected from my hip to my knee. As I type this article the metal rod is still in my leg.
After shattering the femur I literally had to learn how to walk again. Weeks of physical therapy including walking with the uneven bars gymnastic equipment helped to strengthen the leg.
One of the most difficult things to get used to was and to some degree still is going down stairs. For some reason it’s been much easier for me to go up stairs than it is to go down. When a stairway has a handrail it is much easier for me to descend a flight of stairs.
Quite frequently I try to take the first step with my left leg which is the one with the rod in it. This is done in an effort to strengthen the ankle and leg. Sometimes I can go down a flight of stairs fairly easily but at other times it can be a real struggle.
When the metal rod was first inserted in my leg I could not bend the leg at all. Now, 14 years later the leg still only bends 1/2-3/4 of the way. Sometimes while I’m sitting in a chair I’ll bend the leg repeatedly for strengthening. Leg-lifts are another easy exercise that I try to do. While laying down on a bed they can be done comfortably.
A certain amount of acceptance has to be exercised when I’m out and about. Crossing traffic has always been something I prefer not to do whether driving or walking. Since getting the rod inserted in my leg I try to be cautious when attempting to cross a street. One thing’s for sure ; I cannot run anymore. It just doesn’t really work. When I’ve tried it the left foot doesn’t make full contact with the ground.
With extensive training and therapy I imagine I could learn to run again, somewhat. To be honest, I’m grateful to be walking and not being able to run doesn’t really bother me.
On a regular basis I attend AA meetings where attendees sit on folding chairs that are arranged in rows. Unless there is a seat open on the end of a row I sometimes stand because when I sit I have to frequently stretch my leg out at a left angle. These AA meetings also taught me about Hip Flexors info. With this, I was able to understand why I was having a hard time with my hips. As a result, I was able to be careful with my movement so the condition will not become worse.
If I’m sitting for long periods of time I find that I cross and uncross my legs a lot and sometimes I hold the left leg out straight or raised to keep circulation good.
Sometimes balance can be less than 100%. Something I’ve noticed through the years is that when I look up while I’m walking a slight sense of vertigo or lack of balance can occur.
When it comes to pain I usually feel it in my ankles and soles of my feet. After having the metal rod inserted in my leg I started developing calluses but I don’t know if walking with the metal rod in my leg has had anything to do with the formation of the calluses.
