Diary - January 2019 - In Full Stryde with Dr. Mahboubian of North Hollywood.

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Quote from: InFullStryde on January 30, 2019, 05:47:09 PMHi Cool! I'll PM you.

Hi InFullStryde! did you get my PM?

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Day 28 - Another Day in Another Way... One inch count down - 6 more days! [1.848 Centimeters Taller]

Hi LL'ers.  I'm just checking in for another update on how the process is going.  Whew, boy, this is really a special process.   Today was a big day for me since it was the first day of my outpatient Physical Therapy at a great clinic.   Not sure if you recall, but the first 3 weeks, I had a home health PT professional come in and really start me off slowly.   I'm thankful to that PT pro because he helped me with my initial stretching and also was key in getting me mobilized onto a walker, and helped me learn to perform important transfers into bed, and into shower.   The PT Clinic I chose is very popular and you can tell they know what they are doing. So many different patients there..so the expertise is flying all around.  Today, I received a deep tissue massage on my upper leg area and it helped to break down and loosen those soft tissues.  They tested my range of motion and we will be working on that together 3 days a week.  Of course, PT is actually 7 days a week for me; not 3 days..   The PT Clinic Pro's went through some great strength and mobility stretches that I can easily do at home with my sister and brother during the other days I'm not at PT.  I'm glad to be out of the house; especially since I have been mostly cooped up inside the for the past month.

Pain Status: My left leg is much stronger, good rotation and feel good.  It is now my right leg that is giving me issues and I'm pretty sure it is due to the almost 1 additional inch of height I am reaching.   Basically, the pain mainly is felt during rotation movement. When I move straight up and down or forward and back, not really any pain is felt.  LL'ers we all have to remember that as you lengthen your muscles strech and like a rubber band; they get weaker. I will push through the pain and stay dedicated to physical therapy and hopefully my right leg can (I'm laughing because I was just talking about my left leg) can catch up with my left leg.  Dr. M mentioned that it is likely my IT band is scaring in now; so all is good.   I need to be sure to continue stretching and place cold compress / icing on the area after ther cramping sensation. This will help.

I feel like it's top secret around here on what physical therapy exercises look like (Ha ha!); so I'm going to go ahead and be the "SPOILER ALERT" guy...here are the exercises! Have fun.

Physical Therapy - List of Exercises:

* Starts off with a good 10-15 upper leg deep tissue massage *

1. Hamstring Stretch - Supine 30 Seconds / 2 Sets / 1 -2 times a day

While lying on your back, raise your leg and hold the back of your knee until a stretch on your hamstrings is felt.

2.  Prone Quad Stretch -Supine 30 Seconds / 2 Sets / 1 -2 times a day

Lie down flat on your stomach. Wrap a strap (belt, towel,  dog leash) around the top of one of your feet and pull the strap across your opposite shoulder so that your knee starts to curl up to your body.  Pull until a stretch is felt across the front of your thigh.

3. Single Knee to Chest Strech - SKTC -Supine 30 Seconds / 2 Sets / 1 -2 times a day

While lying on your back, hold your knee and gently pull it up towards your chest

4. Supine Hip Abduction - 10 Times / 2 Sets / 1 -2 times a day

Lie on your back with opposite knee bent with your other knee straight, bend your leg out and back again. Repeat. 

5. Adductor Squeeze MET - 10 times / 2 sets/ 1-2 times a day

Lying on your back with knees bent, place a ball between your knees. Squeeze your knees together with moderate force and hold for 10 count.

6.  Bridging Elastic Band Abduction - 10 times / 2 sets/ 1-2 times a day

While lying on your back, place an elastic band around your knees and pull your knees apart.  Hold this and then tighten your lower abdominals, squeeze your buttocks and raise your buttocks off the floor/bed as creating a "bridge" with your body.

7. Wrapped up with Stationary bike for 10 minutes

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Okay guys that is it.  One month down almost, and 2 more months to go!!

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions for me.

Best regards

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The exercises seem easy enough to do by yourself

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Quote from: cool on February 01, 2019, 04:03:08 AMThe exercises seem easy enough to do by yourself

Very simple and straight forward  I'll keep the community posted on what goes on inside PT so that everyone is aware of what to expect here.

The deep tissue massage is a great thing to have from a good PT.

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Day 29 - Slight improvement in right leg. Another day down [1.914 Centimeters Taller]

Hi LL'ers,

Not going to spend to much time on an update today; but do want to touch base.  My right leg is feeling slightly better.  I'm still able to get around on the walker despite the cramping of the right leg.   Since my right leg has been giving me the recent issues; I haven't been able to thank my left leg for recovering so nicely.  Thank you, Left Leg. Don't know what I'd do without you right now.   I was able to get my PT done as well.   I stretched on and off all day.  I also made a couple of PT item purchases.  I bought a stretching rope, a stretch band, a roller, and a mini ball.  These will help me.

Pain is pretty absent while I'm resting. Maybe 1 - 2.  When moving; I have the right leg to tend with; so that would bring it to a 5'ish.   I do all I can to avoid hurting myself.  Going to continue to push forward with all my might.  1 Month is just about over. 2 more months of distraction and I'm through it. I always remind myself of what my goal is and why I started this process and it makes the challenges well worth it.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions for me guys. I'll keep you updated on my right leg and more on my CLL Journey, tomorrow.

Best regards,

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as far i know, the stryde was developed because precice 2 didnt have weight bearing capability. The surgeons noticed that callous growth and recovery was weaker without weight bearing.

This is the biggest selling point of the Stryde.

Considering you are not weight bearing after day 29, why did you not go for precice 2, it would have been cheaper?

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Hi Blade! Great question to ask and important for the community to understand the answer to.

You are indeed correct. The primary difference with the Styrde nail is that a person can place 100% of their weight on the nail and not worry about the nail breaking.  Other than this difference, the Precise 2 and Stryde are quite similar.


To clarify where I am at in terms of standing and walking, with the Styrde Nail....    I am able to stand straight up and down for probably a half hour or longer, full weight-bearing, unassisted, meaning no walker or anything to support me, before having to take a brief rest. Then I can stand again with no issue, unassisted, after that rest.   When I am taking steps on the walker, I have both hands on the walker to help me maintain my balance; but I  do not have to place weight on the walker and I am able to take steps forward. The walker allows me to to practice my walk/gait training, safety.  Right now, the muscles in my legs, especially my hips and glutes, have some training to go before I am able to fully balance and support my legs in order to walk without risk. What the Stryde nail does, which is essential, is allow me to place full body weight while performing steps with my walker, and these nails also allow me to stand up, unassisted,  to do routine activity items such as brush my teeth, take a shower, prepare food, etc.   The time at which each person can take natural, strongly gaited steps with Stryde will depend on each individual case.   In my case, I have had to nurse my weaker left leg; so taking unassisted steps will take a bit longer for me.  With that in mind, I am still able to and being encouraged by Dr. M and others to walk, full weight-bearing; but use the walker to support my balance as to remain safe. I hope that makes sense.   Now that my left leg is coming around, I feel pretty strong that I'll be able to practice some unassisted steps this month if it feels safe enough.

With this in mind, I would strongly recommend, that anyone considering the internal nail opt to go Stryde nail.  The ability to walk unassisted after the first month or so will vary from case to case but; the new nail allows you to leverage the walker or crutches almost immediately.  You're immediately mobilized for the most part.  For me; I had to use the wheel chair for the first week due to the left leg being weak.  By week 2, I was using the walker almost 100% and could stand on one leg unassisted for quite some time.   When I use the walker, I avoid pressing down as to allow my legs to absorb and begin getting used to my body weight.  It all depends on what your body can tolerate.   Nice thing is that I'm able to fully weight bear, but require the walker for now.  It's helping my legs get stronger and more flexible;  much more quicker than precise 2.... Since those patients had to press down pretty strongly on their walker; avoid full weight bearing under any circumstances, and maintain a wheel chair for those initial 3 -4 months.

Hope this provided some more insight.   I feel strongly that Stryde nail is worth the extra money under almost any circumstance.

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Will Dr Mahboubian use stem cells to speed up the consolidation?

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Quote from: wannagrowtaller on February 02, 2019, 07:35:43 PMWill Dr Mahboubian use stem cells to speed up the consolidation?

Hi Wannagrowtaller! - Yes, I have heard that stem cell technology is definitely an option that Dr. M will use if anyone is having problem growing the new bone.