Q: I am 24 years old. I suffered from a bus accident due to which my right leg had to be amputated below the knee and my right hip was fractured. The hip was operated and one month bed rest was advised. I have an artificial leg now. Its been a year since the operation but I still can't walk properly as my left leg shakes while walking. I am still using a stick to walk. Please guide me. I am exercising under a physiotherapist's advice but the progress is slow. I am feeling frustrated. Do I have to undergo hip replacement? Please give me useful exercises and tips for my improvement.

A:It seems you have not been regular with your physiotherapy treatment. Your muscles are not strong enough to take the load. After a year, the progress is bound to be slow if you have neglected the exercises. I suggest you follow the routine mentioned below and practice regularly. 1. Get your prosthesis and stumps checked by your physiotherapist. 2. After the evaluation is done, you will know if the problem you are facing, is due to the weak muscles, the stump or the prosthesis so that you can take corrective measures as suggested by your physiotherapist. 3. Learn to walk in the parallel bars first with proper methods of weight transfers on individual leg. 4. Learn to do weight transfers on both legs alternately with single leg standing on prosthetic leg. 5. Progress to single hand support. 6. Learn rising to standing from sitting and sitting from standing. 7. Learn side walking and turning. 8. Learn to walk on foot marks in front of a postural mirror. Similarly, for your hip also, you will have to get a proper evaluation done. 1. If you find exercises very painful, you can take TENS along with exercises till pain subsides. 2. Since it has been a year, you could have developed hip flexion deformity and have that attended too. 3. Do all the exercises properly, I am sure you will be able to leave the stick and walk, so cheer up please.