Confused over excercise

[Scully]

Morning All,

 

I know the benefits of excercise, whether we have MS or not, it's a good thing.

 

Here is my problem.

 

Have been taking a short walk every day, I know it's not much but at least it's excercise right?

 

Have also been working through the muscle strength and yoga excercises on the Wii board. Next month, I am signed up for circuit training at the local physio centre for MS people.

 

Problem - I have been told by Neuro-physio to excercise (apart from the walk) every other day to start with.

 

On my 'day off' however, I can barely move! This morning, my left leg is in so much spasm that it seems to be way shorter than the right leg. My left hand is clawing and tingling, and my neck is stiff and painful...

 

My fingers have started this very strange twitiching stuff, all by themselves making picking up things and typing very difficult...........this is a new symptom for me....is it MS related of just down to my new found fitness regime??

 

Is it the excercising.........or is my MS just progressing anyway? I find it hard to comprehend that the progression can happen so quickly, so it must be the excercising thats doing it..............if it is, should I stop?

 

SODS law says that excercing is good...................so why does it make me feel so dreadful?!?!?

 

I don't know who Sod is, but he has wayy to many laws, and most of them very unfair!

 

Scully

x

 

Edited for typo's

Edited 11 Feb 2010, 7:48 am by Scully

[Hezza]

Hi Scully,

Personally I find this a tricky one. I do try to exercise regularly but what I can do differs from day to day. Did the neuro-physio suggest anything in particular for you to do? or give you time limits? I'd suggest that you discuss this with them when you next see them.

 

My philosophy on exercise is that something, even if only 5 minutes, is better than nothing and I try to listen to my body. If I go to the gym and it hurts just to get there then I'll tend to do less in my workout. If I really think the gym is out of the question I may try some Wii fit at home or go for a swim.

I also do some more "gentle" classes - I have a pilates class this morning and attend a Body Balance (mixture of Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga) on a Sunday. Sometimes I can't do everything in the classes, if I can't I sit quietly and wait until the next exercise where I join in again.

 

It's really hard to explain but I have learnt when I can carry on through my fatigue / pain and when it would be stupid to do so. Sometimes I acknowledge that it would be stupid to do so and carry on and then I pay the price

 

Remember, too, that if you're making dinner, having a shower or bath, going shopping or doing housework all of these things are a form of activity and use your energy. If I have a busy day with lots of these in I go easier on the exercise front

[Michelle]

Hi Scully,

 

You sound like me when I have over done things. You may have to sit down and work out how much you have exercised this way and then break it down into 10mins slots. I have been to neurophysio and neuro rehab, and this was the advise given to me. I did some wii balance on Monday afternoon, and was exhausted the next day. Looking back I can see that I over did things.

 

Remember to learn and pace yourself. Try and accept that on the days when you go for it,you might pay the price like the rest of us.

 

 

Don't be too hard on yourself.

 

 

Michelle

[Michelle]

My fingers have started this very strange twitiching stuff, all by themselves making picking up things and typing very difficult...........this is a new symptom for me....is it MS related of just down to my new found fitness regime??

 

Is it the excercising.........or is my MS just progressing anyway? I find it hard to comprehend that the progression can happen so quickly, so it must be the excercising thats doing it..............if it is, should I stop?

 

I would say that it's the monster not liking the fact that you are exercising. However,this doesn't mean that you should stop. Maybe try and slow things down a little,by breaking your exercise regime into 10min slots...something that feels easier for you.

 

SODS law says that excercing is good...................so why does it make me feel so dreadful?!?!?

 

I think it's something to do with the brains signals,and psychology.

 

I don't know who Sod is, but he has wayy to many laws, and most of them very unfair!

 

lol @Sod!

 

Scully

x

 

Edited for typo's

 

Michelle...Typing in blue

[Gaynor]

BE CAREFUL and don't over do things when it comes to exercise. I don't cope well with too much and you really must start slow, give a couple of days between any 'new' activity to see how your body responds to it and then only increase intensity or length of exercise once you adjust and get used to any new regime.

 

Too much too soon will land you feeling awful and wrung out and almost put you off and afraid of doing it again.... that's a shame then, as done correctly it is very beneficial.

Listen to your body is my motto

 

Gaynor

[Christina]

Hi

 

I'm the same, I have to give myself a day off between exercise. I try to do 30 mins on Wii fit every other day and on Tuesdays I have a Balance group with a physio which lasts an hour so I always give myself the day off after that. I think it is possible to do too much especially when you first start. Recovery time is important for us MSers.

 

Chris x

[Tania B]

Scully,

 

I don't know about exercising as I rely on walking to the supermarket and local shops for mine. The supermarket is about a 12 to 15 walk, all on the flat. I don't think this is enough for me as I don't do it every day. Last night I walked home through the snow form my sister-in-law's, for about 20-25 miinutes and came home with a very sore lower back and my legs don't feel particularly strong. Maybe I shouldn't have tried clearing a bit of snow this morning though. At least I realised and stopped. Pacing sounds the like key to exercising perhaps.

 

With all good intentions I borrowed a book, from my local library, called "Exercises for Multiple Sclerosis" by Brad Hamler (published 2006).. It looks promising and suggests good day and bad day workouts and advocates that a little exercise can help a lot. I'll let you know more when I've read it more thoroughly but pacing and rest seems to be important.

 

I do hope you can find the right balance of exercise and rest for you.

 

Tania

[Hezza]

Ooooh thanks for jogging my memory Tania

 

You might find this info from the MS Trust helpful too Scully. They've created some webpages (link below) with details of exercises for people with MS, including animations. The whole lot can be downloaded to a PDF as well. When Tania mentioned book I remembered I'd had an email alert about it recently...

MS Trust: Exercises for people with MS

 

As for me and exercise my pilates class was more interesting that usual today. My shoulder went into spasm while trying one move and in another my legs decided to tremor / jerk so much that my whole body was going. I had to try really hard not to giggle!! I'm under a bit of stress at the moment so my symptoms are playing up a little.