Home-Grown Physical Therapy

Greetings from the beach!

My family and I arrived in Old Orchard Beach, Maine late this afternoon, in time to enjoy a seafood dinner in a restaurant only a few hundred yards from our beachfront hotel. Afterward, instead of returning by way of the sidewalk, I thought I would try walking in the sand to see how my knee held up on the uneven surface. It was hard work, and I was glad I had my crutch.

My daughter and my grandson and I went all the way out across the tidal flats to the margin of the waves, carrying our shoes. Each section of the beach presented its own challenges: the dry soft sand furthest from the water was, strangely, the most stable; the damp sand on the slope leading down to the tidal flat was the least stable and most difficult; and the wet, compressed sand of the tidal flat was easy to walk on, except that I had to remember to move the tip of the crutch frequently so it wouldn't sink too deep. We let the waves tickle our toes for a few mintes, and then made our way back up the slope to our hotel.

By the time I got there I was pretty beat, but seeing the hot tub revived me, so I peg-legged my way up the steps to my room, changed into a swimsuit, and went back down, straight into the hot tub. Ahhhh! Now this is something I could get used to!

After a while we decided to try out the pool, which we had been told was kept at 85 degrees. At first, after the hot tub, it didn't feel that warm, but we quickly got used to it. I spent most of the time doing laps with a gentle backstroke, just keeping my knee moving with a flutter kick. It really felt good.

My goal, of course, is to get back to training as soon as I can. Tuesday's class won't be possible, of course, because it conflicts with my doctor's appointment in which I expect to be cleared for full activity. But I would love to walk into Thursday's class and pretty much pick up where I left off. And if walking on the beach, soaking in the hot tub, and swimming laps in the pool can help me acheive that goal -- well, that's a regimen I think I can follow, at least for a couple of days!