Debuting the WalkAide at Wally World

Yesterday, I wore the WalkAide in public for the first time. I went to Wal-Mart and the grocery store and attended an exercise class.

WAL-MART

I debuted my WalkAide at Wally World, where I went to buy shorts. I decided that while I was out, I would pick up some cat litter, which I knew Jem, my Maine coon cat, would appreciate.

As some of you may know, I live in the deep South,where almost everyone lives in shorts all summer. I hadn’t worn shorts in public for years, because I was self-conscious about my brace.  So I was excited about wearing shorts again.

Leaving the house, I wore the WalkAide under a pair of jeans, where it bulged as if I had cauliflower knee. Using my cane for balance, I ambled inside the store and grabbed a shopping cart (or buggy, as we say in the South).

With six pairs of shorts in my buggy, I entered a fitting room. But trying them on wasn’t as easy as I had thought it would be. My right ankle and leg muscles felt weak after I removed the device. My foot and leg didn’t want to cooperate as tried on the shorts, but I select three denim pairs — dark blue, faded blue and white — to meet my summer wardrobe needs. On the way to the check-out counter, I grabbed a jumbo jug of cat litter and left the store feeling tired, but happy, that I hadn’t fallen or otherwise embarrassed myself.

EXERCISE CLASS AND THE GROCERY STORE

I drove across town and attended an aquatics exercise class for people who have been diagnosed with MS. I removed the WalkAide and got in the cool indoor swimming pool for the 60-minute class. I appreciated the positive feedback about my gait and walking speed that I received from classmates and the instructor. After class, when I put the device back on and walked to the locker room to change clothes, my leg felt fatigued, and changing back into my street clothes took a little longer than usual.

Getting my second wind, I drove to the grocery store and snagged the second shopping cart (buggy) of the day. I walked comfortably up and down the aisles and picked out the groceries I needed for the week.

As I loaded the car, I finally felt like I was getting the hang of wearing the WalkAide in public. The visit to the store didn’t take any longer than usual, and I didn’t notice any additional fatigue. Victory was mine! I had made it through my first full day using the WalkAide.

When I got home, I noticed some stiffness in my right ankle, and I realized I wasn’t used to walking so much without the brace, which had affected my ankle’s flexibility and range of motion. I put away the groceries, and Jem practically jumped for joy when he saw the cat liter.

PLEASE SEND ME YOUR COMMENTS

Please send me your comments about this post. Have you tried a WalkAide or other similar device? What kind of results did you have? Are you still using it? Do you have any advice or suggestions?