Physical Therapy for when walking and standing hurts
this is my reminder to me about what helped after a month+ of work, but if this could help others who have the same weakness as me, i'd be glad
note: these build up muscles (my thighs were particularly weak) so initially i got new aches. they're numbered by weeks assigned but stack, so by week 3 i did all these exercises twice a day. now that pain is just soreness -> once every other day for maintenance
week 1. strengthen feet/calves
10 reps twice of raising heels to point of stretch, not hurt (i have high mobility in my ankles and the pain focuses at the front, so 70% of the way up at first)
30 second hold (3 times each leg) of gastroc stretch: push down on the heel and bend forward knee to feel stretch in back-leg's calf back
2 minutes (each) rolling a tennis ball along the arch of my foot
week 2. strengthen thighs/hips (can have resistance band around thighs just above knees on all stretches here)
10 reps twice supine bridge, engaging butt muscles for lift
10 reps twice each side clamshell, feeling resistance bands on thighs (use a pillow. put hand on hip to find point hips may turn and stop leg raise there; you want to feel it in butt, not back, muscles)
week 3. relieve upper back pain
20 reps of open book, from on side: hands clapped together, bring upper arm up onto the other side, following the movement with head and feel stretch in upper back (modified to keep knees together and reminder to use pillow to avoid neck pain)
other things that helped: switching to shoes with more cushion (tho now i can return to my regular dress shoes), hand massaging feet with moisturizer focusing on tight spots, "toe yoga" (raise the big toe alone, then switch to raise the small toes alone; engage arch and don't press down hard), and adjusting how i walk to engage worked muscles (hips more forward to be under my lower back, rather than popped, and rest back on heels when i remember)
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