Postcard from Majorca - a guide to exercising in public stairwells
Hi all, Its traditional in the retro world of holiday postcard sending for it to arrive after the sender is home and busy doing the washing, and this postcard is no exception 
Have just had a fantastic 10 days on the sunny Spanish isle of Majorca. Weather good, hotel fab, food plentiful (dare not step on the scales I just know its bad news), biggest decisions each day was beach now or later? One pudding or two?
The only problem was the hotel room had no step upon which I could perform those magic moves to get the achilles in shape. Plenty of steps on the staircase and thats just what I had to do, although trying to sneak in 30 of this and 30 of that three times a day whilst no one was about to give me that sideways "weird woman" stare was tricky, in the end I just had to go for it. There were also 3 steps up to the pool area with a nice hand rail, so mid afternoon I stuck my earphones in and got on with it, apologies if i distracted you from your kindle holiday folk.
Well it seems to have paid off as once back home I can tell that the eccentric heel drops are much much more controlled , although still get more difficult as the day goes on. I’m also having difficulty stepping down the stairs in the manner that the physio wants me to do, my tendancy is to use my hips ie drop my good hip down to allow the good leg to reach the stair below, so she’s been getting me to try to keep my hips level and really bend the knee and stretch the calf. I’m not sure that thats improving, but it may be slightly better.
The other improvement is one that I may not have noticed had Kellygirl not asked me ages ago about how I walk upstairs. I had been walking up completely flat footed, pushing off and using my quads and knee to lift up the body weight to the next step. However yesterday I suddenly noticed that I’m pushing off with the ball of my foot when climbing the stairs. Yippee! I had felt I was making no real improvements, but its the little things like that that really matter and spur you along.
I keep thinking my walking is improving, but then when we had our evening stroll along the sea front I find I’m still tiring before the rest of the family and trailing behing like a sulky teenager, but hey, I’m walking!
I would sign off with "Wish you were here", but as I’m back home and up to my neck in washing and ironing I’ll spare you that.
Keep doing the exercises guys, even if its on the stairway at work or where ever, as it really pays off.
Micah x
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Great post card, Micah! Your holiday sounded wonderful and I’m a little envious. Summer is over here in the Bay Area. The kids went back to school last week. Summer flew by.
I am so excited to hear that you are walking up stairs like a champ! I “think” I am getting less flat footed myself–although I’m still behind you. What I can do now very well is walk downstairs like a normal person–no rolling off the edge of the step. My kids even told me the other day that I don’t walk as gimpy–still gimpy but apparently not as embarrassing (to them.) Or, it could be they just wanted me to keep shopping and buying them school clothes. I keep meaning to have them video me–but there’s never a good time or good lighting by the time I remember.
Keep up the good work. It was great to hear from you!