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Exercise and Fitness

Range of motion

09/07/2007

Question:

I am having trouble with range of mo0tion exercises. It is hard for me to kneel down or do squats, because I can not get up again. I can not stand on one foot or walk on my toes, either. And my right knee does not bend right-so it is hard to walk down steps. When I am in bed, it is hard to tuen over, because my back is stiff. My doctor did creatrine kinease tests and watched me as I tried to stand on one foot and could not. He had to grab me, to prevent me from falling over.(My leg muscles are heavy and stiff, too) I have a lot of muscle stiffness and heavines, especially after using them. He took an MRI of my neck and low back, and said I did not have MS. Please advise.

Answer:

I would suggest receiving a second opinion from another physician in order to rule out any underlying condition before beginning any exercise program.  Simple range of motion activities can be safely performed while sitting in a chair, which you can do almost anytime and anywhere.  For example, ankle circles, toe/heel taps, shoulder circles, etc. 

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Response by:

Carolyn Nickol, RD, MEd Carolyn Nickol, RD, MEd
Director
Fitness Center at CARE\Crawley
University of Cincinnati