“I’ll Never Be Able to Walk Again” — Are You Sure About That?
Note: Names and details are changed to protect client privacy. When Defeat Shows Up in the Room
The sentence hits heavy every time: “I’ll never be able to walk again.” It’s laced with fear, grief, and resignation. And it’s understandable. After a fall, a surgery, a stroke, the mountain can feel too high to climb.
But when I hear it, I don’t hear the end of the story. I hear the beginning. Because “never” is rarely as final as it feels in the moment.
Case Story: The First Step
Maria say with tears in her eyes as she looked at the walker in front of her. She shook her head and whispered: “I can’t. I’ll never be able to do this again.”
Instead of pushing her forward, I met her where she was. Within the first few sessions, I introduced a simple but powerful technique: weight shifting with support that helped her feel what it was like to transfer strength again. (It looks easy when you watch, but the cues, timing, and positioning are everything.)
That first shift turned into a step. That step turned into a lap around her kitchen. And soon, her “never” became “not yet.”
Case Story: The Community Walk
James, a retired teacher, had given up on the idea of walking outside. “I’ll never make it past the driveway,” he said.
Through targeted balance retraining and endurance pacing, he started to push his limits. The first time we walked together past the mailbox, he laughed through his tears. A few months later, he proudly told me that he had walked through his local park with his granddaughter, something he once swore was impossible.
Why “Never” Isn’t the End
“I’ll never walk again” feels absolute, but it’s not. Waling might not look exactly the way it used to. It might include assistive devices, adaptations, or new strategies. But movement and independence are still within reach more often than people think.
Every “never” I’ve heard has cracked open the door to resilience, courage, and transformation. And being there to witness those first shaky, hopeful steps? That’s why I love this work.
