As a result of limping along in a BK-Short prosthesis for 45 years, I can write a book about the impact of walking with a limp on body parts, and some remedies as well. Here, however, I will provide a quick and compact summary to help you get a head start. One thing to remember is that it is essential to keep proper spine alignment, prevent hip rotation, and keep the pelvic floor healthy.
Correct prosthesis height, alignment, and a proper walk are key. Also, an ounce of prevention goes a long way in keeping your muscles balanced and your body healthy. The silent impact of incorrect prosthesis height and uneven walk on the spine, hips, and pelvic floor is dramatic if you are reactive, and minimal if you are proactive. Unfortunately, by not knowing all these facts early on, I have learned all of this the hard way, and my remedies were involved and extensive because I was reactive, instead of proactive. As a result, over the years, I have developed great relationships with some of the best in the yoga, massage, PT, and exercise professions. Here I will try to provide the basics in order to give the reader a head start. Then, you will need to get ahead of these issues, and don’t wait until you start experiencing unbalanced body parts, like I did. Also, find a PT specialist who can help you put together a weekly program that includes stretching, exercising, and PT workouts, including pelvic floor, and keep it up.
Here are two of my personal and unusual experiences. Around my mid-40s, I started to have unexplained and extended chest pains. My smart doctor wanted to make sure that nothing spooky was going on. So, over a period of 12 months, I went through a battery of testing, based on my symptoms, including heart, lungs, and digestive tract. Everything was normal. Then, I was sent to physical therapy. After several evaluations and transfers to more specialists, it turned out that my spine was out of alignment in my mid-back, the nerves were pinched, and while walking, each side of my ribcage was shifting up and down in opposite directions, bizarre to say the least. The solution was to adjust my prosthesis height, get better shoes, walk better, and keep up with my PT spine alignment and workout routines. That was it, but it took much time, energy, and money to find out.
Another example: around my mid-50s, I started experiencing problems with my knees, followed by hip pain. Why? During the initial orthopedic visit, it was suggested that my knees were having problems, and consequently my hips began to develop issues as well. Anyway, while I was going through doctors’ visits and testing, I went to a chiropractor for my monthly adjustment. After my usual neck, spine, and hip adjustment, I walked out of the office feeling great. Both knees and my hips were feeling normal again. It turns out that when your hips are rotated, one leg will be shorter than the other, and walking like this for a bit causes pain in the knees and hips. In the end, the orthopedic and hip specialists ruled out any knee or hip issues. All I had to do was incorporate some hip PT in my weekly workout routines. Please note that frequent chiropractic adjustments are not always good for your spine alignment or hip rotation because it will rotate more frequently. All you need is proper prosthesis height so that your hips are even, a proper walk with minimal limping, and to incorporate your specific PT exercises for hips in your weekly workout.
As for the pelvic floor issues, there can be several because that complex network of muscles and nerves are trying to overcompensate for your uneven walk. Pelvic floor dysfunction can cause problems with urination, bowel movement, and even sexual dysfunction. So, the key here is to be aware and proactive, follow up periodically with a pelvic floor specialist, and include pelvic floor exercises in your weekly workout routines. Aside from cardio and strength training, my weekly workout includes PT exercises for the spine, hip, and pelvic floor. Take it from my years of experience, and try to be proactive, not reactive.