Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: MartinTheK on 07/04/2009 22:25:48

Title: My new Trike
Post by: MartinTheK on 07/04/2009 22:25:48

In November I was driving my bike to Florida with the purpose of riding  back to California along the "Southern Tier" route. I am 63 and wanted to lose weight and thus reduce my risk of a vascular misadventure. Unfortunately, I had a left pontine stroke outside of Phoenix and woke up  barely able to move my left side.

Long, story short. Here is a picture of my new recumbent tricycle. It's British. I have had it a week and I can already make 12 miles at 5 mph along the San Joaquin River Bicycle Trail here in Fresno. I can feel my strength and endurance increasing every day. Canes -- feh!

The moral is that you should have as good physical fitness as possible. Then if (God forbid) you have a stroke - with luck and determination - you won't have to spend the rest of your life looking out a window.

Does anybody know of some good bike trails in the UK?

P.S. After you wake up unable to move your left side, you will curse ever piece of bacon and every bite of Yorkshire pudding you ever ate.

Yours in Broccoli,

Martin Kilgore

Title: My new Trike
Post by: Karen W. on 07/04/2009 22:38:06

Good luck to you and I hope you continue to bike on...

Title: My new Trike
Post by: RD on 07/04/2009 23:32:33

The Trossachs region in Scotland is picturesque, but this is the only type of trike I'd use to see it...

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http://www.triketoursscotland.com/



Here (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4006933.stm) is a possible turbo boost for your trike Martin.

Title: My new Trike
Post by: Don_1 on 08/04/2009 08:49:29

Until I scrolled down and saw your trike, I wondered what you were boasting about, but then I thought the trike you had was one of these...
(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fairprice-mobility-scooters.co.uk%2Fpowertrikepic.gif&hash=e1965130c533c8d35a3ebb79c02b6efc)(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbestsmileys.com%2Fdoh%2F2.gif&hash=fef6931e562a6dc5fd0fd29a97202c70)

That looks like a pretty good piece of work. See we can make some things over here!

Well done you for not giving up!!!

Quote from: RD on 07/04/2009 23:32:33

The Trossachs

Trossachs to you too!

Title: My new Trike
Post by: dentstudent on 08/04/2009 08:54:22

If you're after flat-ish bike trails, then there are a few around the Stratford area, where the dis-used railways have been lifted and made into nice wide paths. It's beautiful countryside around there too.

Title: My new Trike
Post by: paul.fr on 08/04/2009 09:37:04

Quote from: dentstudent on 08/04/2009 08:54:22

flat-ish ...dis-used

Why are these words hyphenated?  FOG

Title: My new Trike
Post by: dentstudent on 08/04/2009 09:48:28

Be-cause my key-board is f----d

F--

Title: My new Trike
Post by: chris on 08/04/2009 21:21:53

Well done Martin - have you got back the use of your left side now, or are you still weak?

Chris

Title: My new Trike
Post by: MartinTheK on 16/04/2009 17:44:29

Well, you must consider that following a stroke the muscles are not actually weakened except in the sense that the action potentials are not arriving at the synaptic junction.

This has implications in regaining function. Thanks to such things as the naked scientists  discussing neuroplasticity I make as much use of my left side as possible. That means I try to pick up a glass with my left hand first - and then use my right after a good strong effort..

You must also remember that function recovers from proximal to distal. Thus, I am recovering  use of my shoulder and elbow musculature much better than my hand.

In the case of the trike, although the brakes are all on the right handle bar - I still ride gripping the left handlebar and steering with it as much as possible.

All of that being said recovery is damned slow by my perception -although it impresses the docs - and who knows the final result? Still if anyone uses the word "plateau" in connection with one's treatment, I recommend finding another provider.

The recumbent trike is much better suited to hill climbing than a two wheel because you can drop into the granny gear and grind up a slope without toppling over.

Last weekend I had occasion to visit the adaptive cycling group at the Berkeley aquatic  park. I was impressed by the paraplegics who were setting out along the bayside bike path in hand cranked machines. The human organism continues to amaze us.

I remember hearing it said once that the human kidney is smarter than the best practitioner. There is a grain of hope in that for all of us.

I hope someday to ride through the Glencoe.

Title: My new Trike
Post by: MartinTheK on 14/05/2009 15:34:04

The Naked Scientist's reported an "All-terrain" wheel chair. This looks like a nice machine, but I beg to point out the advantage of my British made ICE trike as an alternative. I tried to upload a pic of me in full march order with my laundry in the saddle bags off to do a bit of shopping and to return some CD's at the library - but the qizmo says it is larger than 126 kb (it's actually 88 kb you know)

The second pic shows me at the main desk of the library. The trike is the "n" model which  means the axle width will allow it to pass through a door frame. I will give it another try with the upload. ( nope, no luck )