How Do I Safely Reduce My Dependency on My Mobility Aids?

Exercise is something that, when done regularly, is beneficial to your health and well‐being. It’s also something that should be done in controlled amounts and in a safe way in order to reduce the risk of injury, or (unncessary) pain.

Treat moving around without the use of your mobility aids as a form of exercise: schedule a specific, consistent time to do it; limit the amount of time you do it; and stop if the pain or discomfort becomes too great. As your strength and mobility improve, increase the amount of time you spend without your mobility aids each day, but only during your specified exercise time. Don’t try to integrate exercise into your critical day‐to‐day activities. You don’t often hear about folks mowing the lawn with leg weights on, do you? The same thing applies to your mobility aids. Only go without them during the dedicated times you’ve set aside to focus on just that. I would also ask your orthopedist for specific exercises you can do without your mobilty aids to more effectively improve your strength and endurance.