Proprioception...
One of the unfortunate consequences of my accident back in 2008 has been the loss of proprioception, which in my case, unless I am paying attention, means I am not entirely sure where my feet are. In the initial period of recovery, when I was rediscovering my ability to walk etc, I thought that the confusion caused by staircases for example, would diminish over time. I'm not entirely sure that my better functionality is because I have learned to deal with the injury and its after effects, or because my body is recovering.
I was a bit surprised by how little importance was attached to my worries when I was still receiving regular treatment, mind you, I still haven't got past the consultant blandly telling me that a significant proportion of people with my injury were never able to work again, the last thing I wanted to hear when I was already contemplating how soon I would be able to get up a ladder again (too quickly as it turned out). Small things, like no longer being able to pick things up with the toes on my right foot, were ignored, as was my real concern about the previously mentioned proprioception.
To give you some idea, the sensation (or lack of it), is like that one when you step off a ladder higher than you thought and your body anticipates a surface that isn't there before the crunch comes, so, unless I am paying attention steps can have unexpected moments for me.
I'm not certain that there is anything to be done, happily for me, ladders remain devoid of issues, beyond the need to pay attention to the lower rungs, and clambering about in and on things doesn't seem to have been too badly affected, it's amazing how adaptable the body can be.
posted by Lampy @ 7/11/2019 01:06:00 pm
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