Several week ago I began working with a new private client. The only information I was given was that the client was a woman with arthritis. When I arrived, a frail older woman wearing orthopedic shoes and using a walker greeted me at the door. I was expecting an older woman, but not a walker.  As we made our way to her living room, my plans for the session went out the window. Lily’s daughter had booked the session for her thinking that yoga might be able to help. I had her sit down and started my assessment with her feet. Lily’s big toes were curled up towards her shins so much that the tendons were hard and she was unable to press her big toe down. As I massaged her feet, trying to loosen up the tissues, I asked about her history. Lily revealed to me that she had been using a wheelchair since her husband died one year ago.  She had just started using a walker, but not very well. This sweet 80 something year old woman told me that her goal was to be able to walk again. I told her I would do everything I could to help her achieve that goal.
We worked on releasing the tissues of her feet, which had gone largely unused for the past year. Her body was so sensitive that she couldn’t tolerate the Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Balls, so I kept the work to manual release. We worked to mobilize her feet and ankles with individual toe mobilizers, Barbie Doll Feet, and ankle circles. We moved to a chair and gently mobilized her shoulders and spine and strengthen her legs.
At the end of our first session, I had her stand up, straighten up, and use her feet to walk for the first time in a year.  She held on to me as we walked barefoot around the kitchen.  I keep reminding Lily to stand tall and ground down through her big toes. We were both nearly in tears from happiness at her progress in just one session!
We progressed to more core, hip and leg work during our second session. I left her with some homework and told her that I want to see her greet me at the door without her walker next time. Lo and behold, she greeted me at the door for our third session without her walker! Although she is not ambulating without assistance 100% of the time, she has made great progress.
In my previous blog, I explained that you can’t strengthen a muscle that the nervous system isn’t using and that as bipedal beings, our plantar fascia or soles of our feet communicate forces up the superficial back line. If the feet are receiving a poor signal, this affects the conversation up the chain. In Lily’s case, she was using just her her heels to walk with her walker instead of rolling through the natural motion of the foot. She was causing a severe drop in the signal up the chain, weakening her back and causing her shoulders to roll forward.
I am proud to say that Lily stands taller every time I see her and her disposition has blossomed with her newfound confidence.
Wow Robyn, what a fantastic story. I’m impressed by how you approached the situation — with her feet. Touching her feet while getting to know her set up an amazing template of trust between you. Not to mention that once a spouse dies, elderly people often go without human contact for way too long. I work with several “super senior” women and I am greatly inspired by your story. Way to use your intuition, Lady Healer!
Your story is inspirational. So often psychological factors impact our physiology. As you have stated, “Focus on Fascia Got My Client Walking Again,’ but I feel it is important to give yourself a little more credit. You offered her guidance and hope enough to create a trust necessary in the recovery process, first psychologically then physiologically.
Remarkable story! But, what I also found to be important is when you mention that ” [one] can’t strengthen a muscle that the nervous system isn’t using…” What a great advice to everyone young and old, and dealing or not with an injury. I think it is important for everybody to develop a connection with own muscles and other tissues, especially the little ones that aren’t as visible and ’sexy’ as the quads, the glutes or the deltoids, but that are equally important on creating a balanced body.
The human body is truly an incredible specimen. That fact that our fascia can essentially hold our muscles hostage within our own bodies, is fascinating. I was reading about Kaizen today, the Japanese philosophy that states one should make tiny steps everyday in pursuit of their goals. I’m so proud of Lily for continually striving to make small steps on her way back towards wholeness.
Robyn created “an environment where adaptation could occur” for Lily- what a lovely story that yielded results. I too loved the comment about the nervous system and muscles – the proprioceptive focus has been ingrained during Level 1 training this week – for certain!
This is amazing and touching and I believe it 100%… Our bodies are not meant to be immobile. We require movement daily and I’m sure Robyn truly changed this womans life.
Wow Robyn.
How impressive, your story and informative, I can see a movie script developing from posts as inspiring as yours.
My eyes are still watery….
How wonderful! This goes with something else I read a while back. That author made the point that elderly people would be better served to wear shoes that allow the foot to roll through the full range of motion. He commented they often wear heavily padded athletic shoes that restrict the movement of their feet. The shoes also make it difficult for them to actually “feel” what they are walking on. Add in deceased nerve sensitivity and the odds of a fall is decidedly increased. He recommended thin, pliable, slip resistant soles. Seems like anything that helps prevent a fall would be a pretty good idea.
That is a wonderful story. Just yesterday in YTU training class, this quote came up … “I create an environment for adaptation to occur”. You certainly embody that sentiment and carried it right into Lily’s life. Lovely and inspiring story.
So awesome to hear of great progress by starting with the foundation. Many of my clients seem to forget that their interaction with their environment starts at the feet and they should get a bit more familiar with the ground! This is a good reminder that our tissues are plastic, at any age.
What a fabulous story! I love to hear when people start to think outside the box to assist people in their desire to change and feel better in their bodies. There could have been a lot of others who would have taken one look at her upron arrival and just simply said no, I can’t help you. Compassion and curiosity are important tools when we have the gifts to help others improve in their health and well being.
You sounds like an extremely compassionate and patient person well equipped to help someone like this. Sometimes yoga is just that. Bringing joy to someone and enabling them to use their body and regain possibility and potential. How inspiring!