By Nicole Rennie, PT, GCS
When “I Can't” Becomes the Story
Dr. Ben had always been an active man. He loved playing racquetball, golfing, attending sporting events, and spending hours working in his garden. At 87, he still had a long list of things he wanted to do. But after being diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, the life he loved was becoming harder to maintain.
Dr. Ben was told by his doctors that he was destined to have poor balance and would eventually need a walker. The news began to shape how he saw himself and what he believed he could still do.
Fortunately, his wife wasn't ready to accept that as his future. She knew how much he loved being active and believed there was still more he could do. That's when she called Tandem Strength & Balance®.
When I first met Dr. Ben, he seemed to have lost his zest for life. He walked with small steps, struggled to get up from a chair, and had difficulty straightening his knees when standing. He often reached for walls and furniture to steady himself.
But what stood out just as much as his physical limitations was his attitude. The words “I can't” had become a regular part of his vocabulary. They were beginning to determine where he went, what he did, and how much of his life he was willing to take part in.
His world was getting smaller, and he was beginning to believe that was simply how life would be from now on.
How Peripheral Neuropathy Can Affect Leg Strength and Balance
Peripheral neuropathy can affect the nerves that carry information between the feet and the brain. When sensation in the feet is reduced, it can become harder to feel the ground and know where your feet are. That can make standing and walking feel less secure.
When balance feels uncertain, people may become less active and avoid activities they once enjoyed. Over time, less movement can lead to further loss of leg strength, making everyday activities even more challenging.
Although exercise cannot reverse nerve damage, appropriate strength and balance training can help address some of the physical challenges that come with peripheral neuropathy. The goal is to build strength, improve functional movement, and help people stay as active as possible.
Building Strength, Rebuilding Confidence
For Dr. Ben, the goal was to get back to the activities he loved, especially gardening. We focused on strengthening his legs and improving his ability to move with greater confidence, with the goal of helping him return to the activities that made life meaningful to him.
Over time, getting up from a chair became easier, and he began doing more of the things he once enjoyed. As his strength improved, so did his confidence and willingness to challenge himself.
Each step forward helped him see that he could do more than he had initially believed possible.
Six Months Later: A Remarkable Change
Six months after starting with Tandem Strength & Balance®, Dr. Ben was back in his garden, working for hours at a time.
His wife's reaction said it all:
“He looks ten years younger than he did ten years ago! He is so active, he's wearing out everyone else around him.”
Dr. Ben was excited to return to his beloved doctor in California and show him what he could do. What had once seemed impossible to both of them now looked very different.
His attitude toward life had completely changed. He was more positive, more willing to push himself, and eager to see what else he could accomplish. He had even started running across the backyard!
And he wasn't stopping there. Dr. Ben was planning his next 20 years, with a list a mile long of things he wanted to do.
Eight Months Later: “I Can't” Was No Longer Part of the Conversation
Two months after reaching that six-month milestone, Dr. Ben was still making progress - and he was having fun doing it.
He had reached the point where he actually enjoyed being challenged during his exercise sessions. He even rated his exercises on a scale of 1 to 10, and he didn't want anything rated below a 7.
For those who exercise regularly, he rated a 60-second plank a 6 out of 10 and five repetitions of inchworms a 9 out of 10!
It was so much fun to see his transformation. The man who once frequently said “I can't” was now eager to find out what challenging exercise I would come up with next.
“I can't” had been replaced with a new question: “What's next?”
What Dr. Ben's Story Reminds Us
Dr. Ben's story is a reminder that a diagnosis doesn't tell the whole story of what someone may still be able to accomplish.
Peripheral neuropathy can affect sensation, balance, and mobility. These challenges are real, and they deserve to be taken seriously. But a diagnosis does not automatically mean that someone must stop being active or that a walker is inevitable.
Leg strength and functional movement can improve with appropriate, consistent exercise. The right approach depends on the individual, their abilities, and their medical needs.
For families, it can be difficult to know what to expect when a parent begins struggling with walking, standing, or everyday activities. It is easy to assume that these changes are simply part of getting older or that nothing can be done.
Dr. Ben's experience shows why it is worth exploring what may still be possible.
At Tandem Strength & Balance®, we bring one-on-one, in-home strength and balance training to older adults, with exercises tailored to their abilities and the activities that matter most to them.
For Dr. Ben, it started with two words: “I can't.”
Today, his story is about something entirely different: what else might be possible?
Sometimes, the most important change is discovering that there is still more life to live and more to look forward to.