One of my favorites...the 4 way resisted walk
This is not medical advice
First, an insulting story to grab your attention. I see primarily two populations. One is retirees, and the other is kids with disabilities. The former get frustrated when they can’t balance, or do something perfectly, right away, and blurt out obscenities. The latter have grown up with a disability, and have more patience and composure than retirees 3x their age. Hardship is relative. Just sayin…and I’m as guilty of this as any other. Sometimes we forget how easy we have it.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the retirees, and their chronic profanity disorder. Hilarious.
The Rationale
There are a thousand different balance and lower extremity exercises and variations. That’s a good thing, because sometimes people can’t tolerate certain exercises. There is always a level that we can start at.
Some strengthening exercises are not as effective, because the leg is in the air, or the foot is not planted on the ground.
Many of our hip, knee, ankle, and foot muscles work when they are planted on the ground under full body weight. We are far stronger when we exercise the muscles in the manner in which they function.
Enter the 4 way resisted pull, which can help to improve balance and lower extremity strength at the same time.
Safety first !!!
I frequently have people complete this in the parallel bars, and I am spotting them. You need to be someone who can safely do this without supervision or hand holds. If you do this at home, you need your rubber band to be very sturdy, and a reliable anchor system. I use a gait belt, which is pretty bomb proof, if used correctly. If none of these criteria are met, do not attempt this on your own, seek professional guidance.
You also need to move slowly. Partly for safety, partially to get the most benefit. Slower muscle contractions elicit more muscle fiber recruitment, i.e. increased strength.
If you allow the rubber band to take you off balance, you are missing out on half the exercise. Slowly retracting the band involves eccentric muscle contractions, and builds more strength than the initial pull.
Remember that part in the beginning, about not being able to do it right away? Some of my obnoxious rhetoric to the patient is, “we wouldn’t try this if you were good at it, and could do it perfectly.”
We won’t improve strength or balance if it’s too easy.