Is it PN? Or is it something else?

Hi Ray @ray666, I would like to think it's something else and my PN is not progressing but I really don't know. I go back and forth between some Sketchers, OrthoFeet and Xero barefoot shoes almost daily and sometimes when I'm not wearing the barefoot shoes I feel a lot more wobbly. I think it's because they are a little cushy and allow my feet to move laterally more than if you have better contact with the ground using the barefoot or zero drop sole shoes.

Hi, John (@johnbishop). I've even thought that it may be nothing more than I've a finite number of steps that my feet and legs are able to take in a day, and if I exceed that finite number, I'm fated to have a wobbly late afternoon and evening. Today: case in point. This morning I had my weekly PT session with Adam, my therapist; Adam, who's working hard to restore my leg strength, always leaves solidly rung out, but it's that good kind of "rung out:" the after-effect powerpacked workout. A few hours after, I drove my partner to her Wednesday chemo treatment; that's something I do every day for seven days straight (until she has three weeks off from chemo). The whole hospital experience leaves me bushed: a long, long walk from where I'm able to park, followed by a couple of hours trodding a hospital's faux marble floors (I do sit, but I get antsy and need to pace about). All-in-all, a day like today has me thinking, "Ray, go easy! You've only got two city blocks … or a half-mile … or 37,000 steps (I wish!) in these legs of yours. So, go easy!" (Ah, the joys of PN! 🙂 ) –Ray (@ray666)

My thanks to both of you for posting this interesting and helpful conversation. I'm getting more wobbly as well. What a great word to describe it. I'm still wearing Brooks Running shoes because they come in women's in my size - most shoes don't and men's shoes are too long in the foot from the heel to the metatarsals and usually too wide. I'll check into the other shoe types you have mentioned, John. Walking any distance is a problem. I'm close to needing a walker or rollator. I have long-Covid as well and have lost a lot of muscle because I simply can't do the reps needed to maintain much muscle. My previous PT and I agreed that I was able to do so little that the PT sessions were not of value. I now have a different PT who specializes in neurological conditions and we're making progress w/in my ability to do the exercises and I'm excited to find some strength slowly returning. Finding this new PT, to whom I was referred by my neurologist, has given me much encouragement - if one door closes, it might just be the opportunity to find a new door opening that leads to something better.
Sending my appreciation to you both for sharing your experiences as we work to make lemonade out of life's lemons.

Hi, Joan (@joanland)

I'm so glad you found this topic worthwhile! I've been finding it increasingly perplexing: Is my PN worsening? Or am I too active for my own good? Perhaps I'm asking too much of legs still enervated from last year's prolonged hospitalization + rehab?

For me, too: "Walking any distance is a problem." You say you have a new PT who using a different approach to helping you rebuild leg strength. If you've a moment, I'd welcome knowing what this PT's approach is. My PT knows that rebuilding leg strength is my Goal No. 1. We've been pursuing that goal, but so far without not much measurable effect. Only the other day I had to tell him: "No more sit-to-stands, please." (I've too much arthritis in my knees.)

Here's wishing you well, Joan.
Cheers!
Ray (@ray666)

Hi Ray, Yes, I've enjoyed your contributions since I first encountered this forum.
My new PT is using a machine similar to an exercycle but the leg movement is more out and back rather than circular while the user is sitting. I have not seen this piece of equipment before, and I'm certain it didn't come cheap. I believe it also can work the arms but I didn't use that part. I've only used it once so far, but it has gotten me back on my own regular home exercycle.
The exercise I was referring to when I spoke about already feeling improvement was for strengthening the core; those exercises have already reduced my back pain. No crunches, no bridges, but lots of quiet strengthening exercises flat on my back.
Wishing you well as we travel this road of PN that nobody ever asks for!

Hi, Joan

That's interesting: how you describe the motion of the PT machine. I believe they're the sort of cycle we had in the gym in the rehabilitation place where I spent a month recovering from my sepsis infection. I fairly certain it was the combo of the too-many weeks I spent in the hospital and rehabilitation recovering from the sepsis––not my PN–that rendered my legs so weak. I was wobbly before the sepsis, but not like this, and I don't recall blaming the wobbliness on leg weakness.

This extreme leg weakness came on post-hospital and post-rehab. I mention that we had a cycle similar to the one you describe in the rehabilitation gym but I was invited to ride it only rarely. In fact, I wasn't given much in the way of PT the whole time I was there.

Now, however, I have a therapist who comes to my home once-a-week. At-home PT is convenient, that's true, but I don't have the advantage of being in a room filled with PT machines. Here at home I have a recumbent bicycle. My therapist wants me to ride it, at a minimum, 20 min. x 3 days/week. I can do that fairly easily, even with the resistance cranked up, but being able to say "fairly easily" has me wondering if the bike is doing anything for my leg strength. That's why your remarks grabbed my attention. I can't but be wondering what am I not doing that might accelerate recovering my leg strength.

(Whoops! My partner just called. Supper is ready. I don't dare keep her waiting. 🙂 )

Cheers!
Ray

Walking in water helps a lot.

I've had others mention walking in water. I've not tried it, not yet, but it make sense. Walking in water would provide forward-motion resistence without the pound, pound, pounding punishment other exercises give the knees. Thanks for mentioning this, @holdrege. –Ray (@ray666)

Good to know. I did a lot of walking in water pre'pandemic but haven´t gone back. That´s something I can look into. The pool I used to go to which was very close-by no longer offers this possibility so I´ll have to go to a new pool that I´ve never been to before that is twice as far away. It just hasn´t happened. Perhaps this is the time to correct that! Thank you for the suggestion.