SPINE FUSION - Arm Exercises

Before the surgery, I was doing floor work with five-pound weights.  

But in the hospital, my elbow and arm were straining to learn the new "log-roll" method of getting out of bed - keeping the shoulders and hips in the same plane, pushing up with arm and elbow to sitting position. 

The surgeon did mention in rehab that surgery takes a lot of your system.  The OT or PT handed me those cute lime green plastic dumbbells, but only for a couple of seconds.

Then I got home and the PT was taught arm exercises by putting a few ounces on the almost weightless "grabber."   I used it with both hands and it seemed foolishly easy until the second sets  of all these:

1.  Straight arms:  lift the "bar" up and down ten times--higher than shoulders then not necessarily down to thighs.  Repeat.

2.  Straight arms:  shoulder height--bring the bar toward you then push it away until arms are extended still at shoulder height.  10 times.  Repeat.

3.  Straight arms:  shoulder height. Move the bar left and right and back 10 times.  Repeat.

Embarrassing how easy this looks and still my arms got tired.

Now I use the cane for the bar.  I need something to hang on it--better do some research for when I can drive to stores.  Soon, they say.

 Finally the Duh moment:  Haven't been allowed to lift more than 8 or 10 pounds since diagnosis almost two years ago.  Then the week after surgery, couldn't sit up far enough to get fork to my mouth. So the arms didn't get much stronger - use it or lose it.