I've seen on YouTube various clips and read articles on the Internet about
Nordic Walking Poles. Many Parkinson's patients are finding these a great benefit
in helping improve their posture, gait and overall movement. I was kindly given
a set of these poles, and much to the amusement of my family, I ungainly attempted
to walk the length of the corridor in our house. With little co-ordination I was
unable to copy what I had seen others doing, that appeared so simple. It’s all
very well giving my family a good laugh, and I'm sure I must have looked quite
a sight, but I failed miserably, looking like a disjointed robot, stiff and
unsure of each step.
However, the other day my sister-in-law came to the
rescue, and helped me first of all adjust the poles to the right height, so my
arms are at right angles to my body, and then suggested I try concentrating on
one side at a time, before using both poles together. I tried her idea, and
dragged one pole along the floor, whilst I concentrated on my right side,
saying "right" out loud, as I took each step and moved the pole forward
in my left hand as I moved my right foot. When I got to the end of the corridor,
I swapped sides, so now focused on saying "left" I moved the pole on
my right side as I walked. Once I have mastered each side by itself, I will
hopefully be able to put both together and use the poles as they should be. I could
already see that my posture straightened up as I walked with the poles, so will
persevere and hopefully see some improvement.
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