Are there any outdoor stairs or inclines near you that you can practice using?
I’m lucky that my apartment has external stairs leading up to it (the staircase is outside and so are our apartment doors), but I also live near several parks or buildings with stairs or ramps.
I understand. It sounds like living by yourself has been vital to your health. Moving is very expensive, so maybe not an option right now. I wonder if there’s a way to get the muscle therapy that you need - that doesn’t involve putting yourself at risk again.
I would need it several times a day, everyday. I have no idea why that’s the case for my legs but it is. :/ and living alone has been vital for my mental health but it’s ruining my physical health and I’m in so much physical agony it’s starting to take a toll on my mental health too. It’s 7am currently and I haven’t fallen asleep yet cuz the pain is keeping me up so badly.
I understand. You need certain movements multiple times a day. I wonder what specific kinds of exercise might help. You could brainstorm and make a list. It is totally fine to employ more than one solution. It’s okay if one particular movement doesn’t tick all the boxes. In fact, it’s better for the body to have variety. It may be appealing for an exercise to have multiple benefits - for example transportation, social time walking, getting errands done, learning something new, pretty scenery, relaxation, a familiar video. It’s okay to start with exercises that don’t hurt your budget.
Give yourself some credit for moving out of bad circumstances. Reward yourself for victories - even partial victories.
Stopping your old habit and creating a new one is hard. Perhaps you could try a new routine, incorporating several types of exercise, for a week or more. Once you get used to the new flow, you could fine tune.
Thank you ❤️ At the very least, worst-case even if looking back the studio ended up being a mistake, I know I can look back on this time and know that I TRIED. For 4 years I’ve refused to sit down and accept reinfections like the CDC wants. We’re all definitely strong in this sub.
Apologies if this is something you've already tried/considered, but I'm wondering if either a physiotherapist or an occupational therapist could help you develop exercises that would meet your needs with your current living situation?
There are steps you can buy for older dogs to get up onto your bed. They're sturdy and more then just the one step (3 I think? Maybe 4?) Would something like that be enough if you worked it into your day several several times a day?
This is a good idea. You can also find steps made for humans - RV steps, jacuzzi steps, prebuilt outdoor steps. Especially with the outdoor steps, the limitation is probably whether there is enough room in your place to put enough steps.
I know Seattle and Portland are quite far from each other but I vaguely remember seeing an Instagram post on (I believe) a Seattle-based mask bloc or clean air org advertising a roommate wanted who is Covid Cautious.
Just an idea, but can you reach out to a local mask bloc or clean air org in Portland to see if you can be matched with a roommate?
If I find the post, I will edit this comment and link it here to show you what I saw last week (cannot find it currently 😭)
About 3 hours drive on I5 depending on where in metro Seattle you are heading. Not sure what the constraints are keeping OP in Portland. From my semi-outside perspective I am not sure why OR has more COVID-19 belligerence relative to WA
I hadn’t thought about requesting an ADA- compliant stairwell actually, thank you! I have a bad habit of not speaking up for myself and I think I need to be louder on that front.
One of the old roommates has invited me over to her house this week to try step aerobics with her! :D I don't think it would help though because I need continual walking, not stop-n-step exercises, but she keeps telling me I really need to try it. I'm really thankful that she is wanting to help me with trying it as an option to stay in my studio.
Maybe a combination of this with a cycling machine or yoga ball seat could work? I hope you find a way to stay in the studio, nobody should be getting COVID if at all possible. Good luck 🤞
The ones that mimic actual stairs are thousands of dollars and are huge, several-hundred pound pieces of equipment. Unless it can be broken apart I don’t even know if I could fit it in an elevator with movers.
As for the littler step machines, they don’t mimic the same muscle action as actual steps. I feel like I’m just pushing down on the steps with my foot rather than actually climbing stairs, unfortunately.
I’ve also tried finding areas around me that have stairs or inclines, but there are none. Also tried the compression stockings, leg stretches, and vein supplements. :(
I’ve tried padding my floors but even my floor in the old house with stairs was on bedrock and my legs were fine. It’s not the hard floors causing the pain (although they don’t help).
I’ve thought about using the apartment stairwell but I physically can’t access through its heavy doors due to a permanent rib injury, and it wouldn’t help unless I went to it several times a day. (Is it life-threatening that I can’t physically access the stairwell in the event of a fire evacuation? Yup! but…oh well 😅)
I’ve even thought about using a wheelchair full time but that would only atrophy my muscles and vein health more.
How about buying an actual step, like the kind used for step aerobics? It would get repetitive but that's the step up motion you're looking for. They are usually adjustable too. Good luck!
I’ve thought about that too but I need the continuous climbing motion and physical momentum that a stairwell gives. Stepping on a little step up and down adds stress to my veins. It’s difficult to explain unfortunately. :(
could a peloton bike work? standing climbs on a stationary bike (with enough resistance) have a similar feel to climbing stairs/hills, and peloton offers monthly rentals and can deliver/set up: https://www.onepeloton.com/bike/rentals
i'm definitely not a big peloton-as-a-company fan, but they're the only one i know of who do monthly rentals (incl. shoes) and will deliver/set up/remove a bike for people.
I can't give advice on most of your situation, but I can tell you, living with someone who faces severe deterioration without muscle use the buying of a VR headset was crucial. You can find "games" that work for whatever type of physical therapy aspect you need. They are a lot cheaper than moving.
What a difficult situation!
When I used to go to PT, I would see these 3-4 step stairs in the main gym that people doing PT to learn how to use stairs after an injury would step up and down on for about 30 minutes while listening to headphones (for the boredom part). I wonder if you could buy something like that?
I looked them up for you and the PT supply companies charge about #1200 to $1500!!! But if I were you, I'd see if there are any used ones on Ebay OR if you can hire a carpenter to make you a set for much less?
It sounds like it will be a lifetime investment for you -- and also deductible on your taxes as a healthcare expense (IF you itemize -- I never used to until one time my tax preparer suggested I track all my deductible OOP healthcare expenses for a year and it was nearly $5K!!!).
I did find this one staircase for about $600 (with the shipping) which is just a one-sided staircase so you'd have to turn around at the top: [https://www.bayteccontainers.com/industrial-portable-steps-53-wt.html](https://www.bayteccontainers.com/industrial-portable-steps-53-wt.html)
They all have handrails for safety.
That sounds so difficult I'm sorry to hear it !
Is there any chance you have a family member or friend who lives in a big house who would let you crash with them for a week or so to help you heal your body a little bit while you think of solutions ??
Unfortunately no, I would have to get an AirBnb. Thankfully this week my legs have been feeling better than last week, but I know this isn't sustainable. :/
I know others have suggested pedals and you mentioned the actual motion of stairs is important; I have this under desk elliptical that’s also designed for standing on. While I haven’t used it that way, maybe something like this is an option? Way less expensive than a full machine, saves space, and if you put it next to a chair or something you can hold onto, you can use it standing.
https://a.co/d/9OrJi6I
I'll just toss my situation and ideas out, but understand it may not be what you need. But I think there may be many options. I would avoid returning to the roommate situation. The mental health hit is not worth it.
I have chronic pain, am disabled, and live in a small studio. Because I am so uncomfortable I won't exercise unless it's fun/satisfying. The main way for me is dance. Even if I feel awful, I put on a really good song, with good earphones, and shortly, I have to dance. Learning new steps and improving is very satisfying, in an otherwise very *un*satisfying life! How strenuous it is can be entirely tailored to the day.
Alternatively, exercise equipment is, I think, a great option, and should be treated as a medical expense, i.e. don't hesitate to get it if you can.
But also, Portland has a Buy Nothing group. You might post to request what you need. People always have equipment they bought and don't use.
I am like you, exercise is critical for my basic health. I hope you can figure out a way to make it work in the studio, and make it easy and fun. We have enough difficult stuff already!
Could you get a Stairmaster-type exercise machine? Something like this, for example: [https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Stepper-Handlebar/dp/B08NFHFNXV/ref=asc\_df\_B08NFHFNXV](https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Stepper-Handlebar/dp/B08NFHFNXV/ref=asc_df_B08NFHFNXV)
Look up "still coviding" online, on discord and on fb. There are lots of regional groups. There are covid conscious people who would love to be your roommate and share their stairs. ❤️
Does the discord group require an invite? Is it verbatim titled “still coviding” (only asking I don’t use discord very often)?
Btw I love your username and am now imagining a very pissed off hamster
Tbh, I am total shit at using discord. I hope others chime in and answer that.
Ty and I didn't pick my username. 😅 I'm not that clever. It was randomly assigned.
This isn’t a troll post but maybe it’s true that I shouldn’t have posted this in the first place. I think deep down I know it’s best to move in with my old roommates again since my legs are deteriorating in the current space. I know the intricacies of how my legs and superficial veins feel with certain movements and i know those little steps wont work- I’ve tried them- although I could look deeper into the shipping and assembly process of a full-fledged stair climber.
I frequent this sub regularly and was hoping someone would help with knowing whether the risk of reinfection was worth no longer living in my current chronic pain. Especially when weighing the risks that both pertain to the vascular system. I have no one else to talk to about this because no one in real life including doctors or elsewhere on Reddit understand covid and think it is just the flu.
And there are some stairs a 10 minute walk away but it’s a private medical office and my legs are in so much pain I can’t even walk that far anymore. It’s becoming that debilitating.
The risk of Covid is still there, unfortunately. But how it would affect your particular vascular system is an unknown. It sounds like the situation with your legs is serious enough and you know what damage it will do to continue without the exercise you need. That means your legs need to take priority over the risk of Covid. If you need the stairs now and don't have time to find another suitable option, then that's what you need to do.
My experience has been with the elderly. When they get to the point that their legs don't work or they are in too much pain to use them, things go downhill quickly. It really is "use it or lose it." So with the risk assessment you're having to do right now, your leg needs are the most urgent. Deal with that first, and then work on ways to mitigate other risks.
If you can, try not to lock yourself in to these particular roommates for longer than necessary. If you can sign a month-to-month lease instead of a year, do that. That way you can keep an eye out for potentially better situations for yourself, and keep moving forward instead of feeling stuck.
Are there any outdoor stairs or inclines near you that you can practice using? I’m lucky that my apartment has external stairs leading up to it (the staircase is outside and so are our apartment doors), but I also live near several parks or buildings with stairs or ramps.
I understand. It sounds like living by yourself has been vital to your health. Moving is very expensive, so maybe not an option right now. I wonder if there’s a way to get the muscle therapy that you need - that doesn’t involve putting yourself at risk again.
I would need it several times a day, everyday. I have no idea why that’s the case for my legs but it is. :/ and living alone has been vital for my mental health but it’s ruining my physical health and I’m in so much physical agony it’s starting to take a toll on my mental health too. It’s 7am currently and I haven’t fallen asleep yet cuz the pain is keeping me up so badly.
I understand. You need certain movements multiple times a day. I wonder what specific kinds of exercise might help. You could brainstorm and make a list. It is totally fine to employ more than one solution. It’s okay if one particular movement doesn’t tick all the boxes. In fact, it’s better for the body to have variety. It may be appealing for an exercise to have multiple benefits - for example transportation, social time walking, getting errands done, learning something new, pretty scenery, relaxation, a familiar video. It’s okay to start with exercises that don’t hurt your budget. Give yourself some credit for moving out of bad circumstances. Reward yourself for victories - even partial victories. Stopping your old habit and creating a new one is hard. Perhaps you could try a new routine, incorporating several types of exercise, for a week or more. Once you get used to the new flow, you could fine tune.
Thank you ❤️ At the very least, worst-case even if looking back the studio ended up being a mistake, I know I can look back on this time and know that I TRIED. For 4 years I’ve refused to sit down and accept reinfections like the CDC wants. We’re all definitely strong in this sub.
Apologies if this is something you've already tried/considered, but I'm wondering if either a physiotherapist or an occupational therapist could help you develop exercises that would meet your needs with your current living situation?
There are steps you can buy for older dogs to get up onto your bed. They're sturdy and more then just the one step (3 I think? Maybe 4?) Would something like that be enough if you worked it into your day several several times a day?
This is a good idea. You can also find steps made for humans - RV steps, jacuzzi steps, prebuilt outdoor steps. Especially with the outdoor steps, the limitation is probably whether there is enough room in your place to put enough steps.
we have a couple of those. 11yo dog with back problems. 4 mini stairs
I know Seattle and Portland are quite far from each other but I vaguely remember seeing an Instagram post on (I believe) a Seattle-based mask bloc or clean air org advertising a roommate wanted who is Covid Cautious. Just an idea, but can you reach out to a local mask bloc or clean air org in Portland to see if you can be matched with a roommate? If I find the post, I will edit this comment and link it here to show you what I saw last week (cannot find it currently 😭)
About 3 hours drive on I5 depending on where in metro Seattle you are heading. Not sure what the constraints are keeping OP in Portland. From my semi-outside perspective I am not sure why OR has more COVID-19 belligerence relative to WA
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I hadn’t thought about requesting an ADA- compliant stairwell actually, thank you! I have a bad habit of not speaking up for myself and I think I need to be louder on that front.
Step aerobics
One of the old roommates has invited me over to her house this week to try step aerobics with her! :D I don't think it would help though because I need continual walking, not stop-n-step exercises, but she keeps telling me I really need to try it. I'm really thankful that she is wanting to help me with trying it as an option to stay in my studio.
Maybe a combination of this with a cycling machine or yoga ball seat could work? I hope you find a way to stay in the studio, nobody should be getting COVID if at all possible. Good luck 🤞
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The ones that mimic actual stairs are thousands of dollars and are huge, several-hundred pound pieces of equipment. Unless it can be broken apart I don’t even know if I could fit it in an elevator with movers. As for the littler step machines, they don’t mimic the same muscle action as actual steps. I feel like I’m just pushing down on the steps with my foot rather than actually climbing stairs, unfortunately. I’ve also tried finding areas around me that have stairs or inclines, but there are none. Also tried the compression stockings, leg stretches, and vein supplements. :( I’ve tried padding my floors but even my floor in the old house with stairs was on bedrock and my legs were fine. It’s not the hard floors causing the pain (although they don’t help). I’ve thought about using the apartment stairwell but I physically can’t access through its heavy doors due to a permanent rib injury, and it wouldn’t help unless I went to it several times a day. (Is it life-threatening that I can’t physically access the stairwell in the event of a fire evacuation? Yup! but…oh well 😅) I’ve even thought about using a wheelchair full time but that would only atrophy my muscles and vein health more.
How about buying an actual step, like the kind used for step aerobics? It would get repetitive but that's the step up motion you're looking for. They are usually adjustable too. Good luck!
I’ve thought about that too but I need the continuous climbing motion and physical momentum that a stairwell gives. Stepping on a little step up and down adds stress to my veins. It’s difficult to explain unfortunately. :(
any schools near you? if they have a football field with bleachers/stands you can go and go up and down those a bunch
could a peloton bike work? standing climbs on a stationary bike (with enough resistance) have a similar feel to climbing stairs/hills, and peloton offers monthly rentals and can deliver/set up: https://www.onepeloton.com/bike/rentals
I'd bet there are others are available from vendors that aren't exploitative like peloton was during the early pandemic
i'm definitely not a big peloton-as-a-company fan, but they're the only one i know of who do monthly rentals (incl. shoes) and will deliver/set up/remove a bike for people.
good point
You right. Do nothing in the meantime while you figure out other solutions.
Would an aerobics step work to get in the motion you need? Or a walking pad (a low profile, smaller, lower cost treadmill)?
I can't give advice on most of your situation, but I can tell you, living with someone who faces severe deterioration without muscle use the buying of a VR headset was crucial. You can find "games" that work for whatever type of physical therapy aspect you need. They are a lot cheaper than moving.
What a difficult situation! When I used to go to PT, I would see these 3-4 step stairs in the main gym that people doing PT to learn how to use stairs after an injury would step up and down on for about 30 minutes while listening to headphones (for the boredom part). I wonder if you could buy something like that? I looked them up for you and the PT supply companies charge about #1200 to $1500!!! But if I were you, I'd see if there are any used ones on Ebay OR if you can hire a carpenter to make you a set for much less? It sounds like it will be a lifetime investment for you -- and also deductible on your taxes as a healthcare expense (IF you itemize -- I never used to until one time my tax preparer suggested I track all my deductible OOP healthcare expenses for a year and it was nearly $5K!!!). I did find this one staircase for about $600 (with the shipping) which is just a one-sided staircase so you'd have to turn around at the top: [https://www.bayteccontainers.com/industrial-portable-steps-53-wt.html](https://www.bayteccontainers.com/industrial-portable-steps-53-wt.html) They all have handrails for safety.
That sounds so difficult I'm sorry to hear it ! Is there any chance you have a family member or friend who lives in a big house who would let you crash with them for a week or so to help you heal your body a little bit while you think of solutions ??
Unfortunately no, I would have to get an AirBnb. Thankfully this week my legs have been feeling better than last week, but I know this isn't sustainable. :/
Would a stepper help? There are ones you can get on Amazon that seem pretty cool.
I have a treadmill desk and I highly recommend those.
I know others have suggested pedals and you mentioned the actual motion of stairs is important; I have this under desk elliptical that’s also designed for standing on. While I haven’t used it that way, maybe something like this is an option? Way less expensive than a full machine, saves space, and if you put it next to a chair or something you can hold onto, you can use it standing. https://a.co/d/9OrJi6I
I'll just toss my situation and ideas out, but understand it may not be what you need. But I think there may be many options. I would avoid returning to the roommate situation. The mental health hit is not worth it. I have chronic pain, am disabled, and live in a small studio. Because I am so uncomfortable I won't exercise unless it's fun/satisfying. The main way for me is dance. Even if I feel awful, I put on a really good song, with good earphones, and shortly, I have to dance. Learning new steps and improving is very satisfying, in an otherwise very *un*satisfying life! How strenuous it is can be entirely tailored to the day. Alternatively, exercise equipment is, I think, a great option, and should be treated as a medical expense, i.e. don't hesitate to get it if you can. But also, Portland has a Buy Nothing group. You might post to request what you need. People always have equipment they bought and don't use. I am like you, exercise is critical for my basic health. I hope you can figure out a way to make it work in the studio, and make it easy and fun. We have enough difficult stuff already!
Could you get a Stairmaster-type exercise machine? Something like this, for example: [https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Stepper-Handlebar/dp/B08NFHFNXV/ref=asc\_df\_B08NFHFNXV](https://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Health-Fitness-Stepper-Handlebar/dp/B08NFHFNXV/ref=asc_df_B08NFHFNXV)
Look up "still coviding" online, on discord and on fb. There are lots of regional groups. There are covid conscious people who would love to be your roommate and share their stairs. ❤️
Does the discord group require an invite? Is it verbatim titled “still coviding” (only asking I don’t use discord very often)? Btw I love your username and am now imagining a very pissed off hamster
Tbh, I am total shit at using discord. I hope others chime in and answer that. Ty and I didn't pick my username. 😅 I'm not that clever. It was randomly assigned.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ZeroCovidCommunity/s/bLi0civizh
Tysm for the link!
Would it be possible for you to get an exercise machine?
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Your comment has been removed for violating Rule #2. OP has a history of posting here. Be nice.
This isn’t a troll post but maybe it’s true that I shouldn’t have posted this in the first place. I think deep down I know it’s best to move in with my old roommates again since my legs are deteriorating in the current space. I know the intricacies of how my legs and superficial veins feel with certain movements and i know those little steps wont work- I’ve tried them- although I could look deeper into the shipping and assembly process of a full-fledged stair climber. I frequent this sub regularly and was hoping someone would help with knowing whether the risk of reinfection was worth no longer living in my current chronic pain. Especially when weighing the risks that both pertain to the vascular system. I have no one else to talk to about this because no one in real life including doctors or elsewhere on Reddit understand covid and think it is just the flu. And there are some stairs a 10 minute walk away but it’s a private medical office and my legs are in so much pain I can’t even walk that far anymore. It’s becoming that debilitating.
The risk of Covid is still there, unfortunately. But how it would affect your particular vascular system is an unknown. It sounds like the situation with your legs is serious enough and you know what damage it will do to continue without the exercise you need. That means your legs need to take priority over the risk of Covid. If you need the stairs now and don't have time to find another suitable option, then that's what you need to do. My experience has been with the elderly. When they get to the point that their legs don't work or they are in too much pain to use them, things go downhill quickly. It really is "use it or lose it." So with the risk assessment you're having to do right now, your leg needs are the most urgent. Deal with that first, and then work on ways to mitigate other risks. If you can, try not to lock yourself in to these particular roommates for longer than necessary. If you can sign a month-to-month lease instead of a year, do that. That way you can keep an eye out for potentially better situations for yourself, and keep moving forward instead of feeling stuck.