Exercise seemingly counter-productive for my MS?

[squinun]

Hi, I wanted to talk about all the times I've read about exercise being a must for MS, and I wanted to share the following with you.

I can't seem to do exercise. Everyday I do some stretching but thats about it. When I'm fine and healthy, I can try and get on a treadmill at a low speed. Soon I wont be able to move both my feet up and down at the ankles, usually affects my left ankle more. Then I have to stop exercising and sit down. Soon my knee joints stiffen up and I can't bend my legs. For all this to happen, it took about 30-45 seconds of fast(ish) or brisk walking. The same happens when I go for a swim, I can swim for about a length then I have to hang at the side and when I get out of the pool there's no way I'm walking anywhere for a while. When I do start walking my balance is all messed up. There have been times just after exercise when I've almost rolled my ankles and twisted/sprained them cos of a drop-foot-like feeling. Similar with my arms. If I exercise my arms or carry a heavy weight (dumbbells, suitcase etc) then my arms get all un-coordinated and if I try and touch my nose with my finger I miss badly.

The same with running, I cant run anymore it seems. My legs are just not co-ordinated, and as said earlier my legs stiffen up after a few steps. The *same* happens when I walk a few steps, my ankles and knee joints start to stiffen. I'll walk to the next street and by the time I'm there my knees have stiffened up and I end up lifting my leg as if it's a tree trunk - straight, not bent. (No puns intended.)

I haven't joined yoga yet cos I've told the yoga instructor about my ms and she is yet to develop a program for me as she knows I wont be able to follow the program that her regulars do.

I think there is an element of fatigue relating to my weakness after exercise and I know a lot of people face this. BUT why can't I seem to do more than a minute at most? Is this how it is from now, that my exercise days are over?

I've been thinking this for a while. Forgive me for the morbid mood and rant :)

[squinun]

Some good and insightful thoughts and comments, thanks guys.

Can I share something? - Although I cant do my exercises or sports like I used to - I used to be very good at badminton - I find that sometimes (not always though) going into my head and playing a game of badminton (in real time!) is not always a depressing thing, it has uplifted me on occasions when my legs had given up and I couldn't walk. It gets intense because I play every (every!) move in my head, I try and imagine my hamstrings stretching trying to reach for that shot, running back for the longshot, running to the net for the drop shot, returning my opponent's smash, maybe this time it's a game of doubles, I have to co-ordinate with my game partner.... you get the point I hope. In short I try and play a very detailed game in my head. Yes definately I come out of my thoughts knowing that I can't do all these moves now, but I guess it comes down to the concept of visualization bringing some level of calm.

I get this feeling with me that PT is more of a passive decision in the sense that I only do it when the need arises. Often when I'm fine, the idea of PT doesn't even arise. Ignorant and foolish I know. But while I was reading various comments on PT and its effectiveness in the short- and long-term, I though of something - I don't use DMD's and I suppose that PT, for some whose condition is far worse than for others, may seem not so useful for them as a couple of people have said. So then if PT and DMD's have no guarantee for effectiveness but are nevertheless recommended, why not do it? Easy to say I know, apologies if that was insensitive.

The articles posted here on @sllowe are a good read - many mixed feelings on PT in these articles, and I recommend them to anyone who wants to know more about PT and especially about gait therapy which I think could be of benefit to those who can make use of it.

[sllowe]

Hi there,

I came across these old discussions while looking for something else recently! I hope they are helpful to you and those who choose to click and read them. Very useful information given including those words of dear Doc Quixotic who is not on the forum any longer, but the solid info and help she provided us for so many years lives on in her posts for all of our benefit...

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Does-Physical-Therapy-really-help-with-MSers/show/316162

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Physical-Therapy-Long-Term/show/798437

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Gait-Therapy/show/694197

[maxthecat43]

Sorry.  "Sit and be Fit" is the series name.  I got mine from ebay.

[maxthecat43]

I use chair exercise dvd's.  They are honestly more of a workout than I thought they would be.  Sit and be Fit are good.

[supermum_ms]

Oh boy do i get where your coming from, this was one of the hardest things to get my head around. I've been an athlete all my life, mentally i still am but physically lol its more about picking the right moment and building strength and flexibility at a much slower rate than i'd like, so that i can get a few minutes of normal.

I'm currently back to my physical worst, so i'm a bouncy string puppet all the time again, instead of just some of the time, usually after i've pushed my boundaries but it reach the point of being temporary so I believed I was gaining lost ground and all the work was more than worth it!

Back to square one and i'm lucky if i can stay on my feet lol but i'd rather do what i can than do nothing, so its back to wearing weights on my ankles to help minimise the bounce. Breaking down the stretching to multiple times a day for only a few minutes, actual strength exercises are on hold for the moment because lifting a body part is taxing and i've found it better to not exacerbate the fatigue but to work with it.

The more I do the worse i get, there is no way to push on and keep moving, its a balancing act, in my head i'm focused on brain plasticity so I don't think i can afford to stop trying to walk.

LOL i just took a break to grab a drink and DS noticed me and got a bit concerned DS: "mum, are you ok?!" ME: "yes i'm fine" DS: "Are you sure because you look like Virgil (Thunder Bird puppet) again, um a really drunk Virgil?" ME: "lol Virgil? I thought i was Penelope?" DS: lol "you wish!"
  
I could not use a treadmill with out falling, but a recumbant exercise bike is suppose to lessen the impact, physical fatigue etc and it might be worth giving it a try.

Cheers..........JJ

ps check out our health page for related topics :o)

[Sierra28]

I can very much relate. It's perhaps one of the most depressing aspects of my journey so far.

The fatigue and weakness is so debilitating. I used to be so much more active, running around with my kids, walking, hiking, etc. I even used to really enjoy mowing the lawn!

Now I can barely walk across the backyard before I have to stop and rest. I've also gained ten pounds in the last year, which makes it doubly depressing.

I realize its the proverbial vicious cycle -- that not exercising also decreases energy, but to exercise also exhausts you -- so I've been really trying to come up with *something* I can do. Stretching and well-balanced yoga poses are pretty much all I can manage, but it does little to count as *actual* exercise.

If nothing else, I just try to keep moving throughout the day. And walking is actually less taxing than standing still.

I don't get as much stiffness as you describe, I just get really weak and tired. My limbs do get heavy too.

I'm sorry I don't have answers for you -- I can just commiserate with you!

Hugs! Sierra

[SarahL2491]

Can you get your doc to order pt?
Sometimes if you have a coach it helps
Some exercise is good, you don't want you're scales to go to flab and lose strength