This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am trying to get into a good exercise routine. The way MS has manifested itself in me I do lose control of my left leg if I get overheated and the exertion really makes me extremely tired but I need to get into better physical shape. I used to run pre-MS and really miss the endorphin rush after running for an hour and as wierd as it sounds I miss getting sweaty from a great workout. How do I get back there or at least get to a reasonable facsimile of what I used to have? Does working out cause anyone to have exacerbations? I am eager to get ideas from how other people exercise and to know what to steer clear of.

Thanks,
Marcia

BTW Happy new year y'all!!

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Marcia

Hi Marcia
I found weight training to be great, combined with a bit of cardio. To be honest I just used to ignore the temporary mild spasms / shakes/ dizziness as they happen once I get warm anyway. I made sure I was very well hydrated and I rested between sets of reps.

I am 31 wks pregnant at the moment so I had to give up weight training (and I've been too tired to exercise really since I got pregnant!) but I can't wait to get back to it after the birth, so long as the MS holds off enough.

Swimming really was the best for avoiding temporary symptoms coming back, so long as pool isin't too warm.

I didn't feel that working out had any effect on relapses, just temporary symptoms - but they don't particularly bother me anyway becuase I know they will pass. And I pretend that no-one can see me shaking and wobbling all over the place - I'm invisible!!

The huge benefit for me was improved sleep, better mobility, and after about 4 wks of struggling with the added tiredness my stamina started improving - but I nearly gave up a few times.
Hope it goes well for you.

Hi Marcia-

My husband stays in shape on the elliptical machine...it gets his heart rate up (he was a runner, too) but there's no stress on joints. He can slow down if he becomes over heated. He also bikes when the weather is good, and uses a home weight machine to keep his muscle tone. He has lots of lesions and suffers from leg pain, balance issues and bad spasms. A good, sweaty workout tires him, but the endorphin lift helps.

I've been trying to get him to go to yoga class with me. Yoga is terrific for balance and strength in MSers. I love it because it gives me a good workout and is surprisingly challenging. Maybe there's a yoga class in your area for MSers?

I know that exercise is essential for all of us- MSers and regular folks. It's been a great stress reliever for me as a caretaker.

Happy 2008, and wishes for good health and happiness to you-
AC

I too use an elliptical cross trainer. I chose this as I *think* it would exercise walking vertically better than a bike (ie walking) and the hand grips give me something to balance myself on. The action also covers more of the muscle groups in one action, I think. I bought a cheap magnetical one on eBay.

I have a fan directed at myself while on it, to stop me from getting too hot, however heat is not a major stressor for me.

I have the resistance turned up to the maximum. It i'snt all that hard at first, but you notice it once the time goes by.

I would love to have the drive to do yoga.

Yoga stretches help me out a lot, first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. Sometimes I only do it for 5 minutes but it still makes me feel better. I like the elliptical and the recumbent bike for cardio. When I have time I hit the pool for wall stretches and kick boarding, even though I am afraid to put my head under. Exercise is something positive I can do for myself to fight MS. It keeps me going.

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Primary Progressive, Onset 10 years ago at age 42, diagnosis 6 years ago, Vit D, Chinese Herbs, Exercise, yoga. So far tried antibiotics, fumaric acid and 4AP. Currently participant in the FTY720/PPMS Trial.<br />

i tried swimming. i still get all crappy anyway, but you're floating. first time i swam since dx, and felt my hands go floppy, i stopped. after that day, i just kept going, floppy hands and all. i had not really been a swimmer before that but i got up to a kilometer before i moved back home, to the town where they keep the changeroom showers lukewarm, and i have not been so enthused since! have to say though, that we went to brown lake one day and i did not feel anything like as confident to swim out into the middle with the others. i hadn't realized til then that i was very dependent on the security blanket of the lane buoys, and being able to touch bottom half the time. another day, some psycho friend of mine decided i could handle a 25km bike ride up and down some mountains (how long is this first uphill? oh, 4km. !!!!!!) i walked the steepest uphills and got to the point where i could only get on my bike from the left, coz on the right my left leg was laughing at the idea of making it over the seat, and i didn't want to end up in a pile on the road. swimming was definitely the better option!

I have trouble with my R leg giving way but have recently joined the gym as I desperately need to get in shape. The gym I go to know about my issues and have me using a treadmill - but it has both fronmt and side handrails so I can hold on, then if my leg goes I am usually ok. I also use a recumbant exercise bike so there is a proper seat. Do you have access to anything like that?

The other thing that I do is go for brisk walks but I always take a person and a walking stick so that if I get 'wobbly' I have support.

I hope some of that helps - I was never a runner so a more gentle level suits me.

Just thought I'd post a few links to studies examining the effects of exercise on people with MS. (Spoiler alert: exercise is good.)


Effects of a short-term exercise training program on aerobic fitness, fatigue, health perception and activity level of subjects with multiple sclerosis.


Impact of aerobic training on immune-endocrine parameters, neurotrophic factors, quality of life and coordinative function in multiple sclerosis.


A pilot study of the effect of aerobic exercise on people with moderate disability multiple sclerosis.


Cardiorespiratory fitness: A predictor of cortical plasticity in multiple sclerosis.


Multiple sclerosis and brief moderate exercise. A randomised study.

thank you dignan, that is superb information. Carole

Thank you everyone for your input and encouragement. I do have an eliptical trainer in my basement and am going to begin using it again. (I'll have to dust it off.) My plans are to start with 10 minutes at a medium resistance and increase one minute each day for as long as I can until I begin to get too overheated or overly fatigued. Does this sound like a good plan?

Marcia

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Marcia

dignan those are certainly some interesting links. I was only diagnosed this past October and before that and to this day I have kept up a fairly difficult training program for long distance running. I've not experienced any other symptoms(except for some headaches which may just have been headaches). I wonder if my level of fitness has actually helped me and I'm afraid that when I start rebif that I will not be able to continue my running. Has anyone here had similar circumstances? I'm only 21 years old and I'm not quite ready to give up my running-related goals. I'm very worried about my reaction to rebif.

Hi Marcia
best of luck with the elliptical trainer plan - sounds good to me. But just a though - I think a variety of exercise is probably better than just the one type. I tried to do 2 days weights/cardio and 1 day swim, or pilates/yoga class. I agree with the previous posters comments about the endorphins being worth the temporary fatigue, definitely worth it!

I did Tai Chi and Yoga a few years ago and I did find that Tai Chi, although very difficult at first, actually improved my balance and fatiuge a lot after a few weeks.

Best of luck with it all!

MattB, I take rebif, and have been known to run from time to time. I think the way to look at it is that people have different reactions to the CRABs. If you have a bad reaction to rebif, you are likely to discontinue it and try something else (or nothing), so the side effects won't hurt your running in the long term. If you try rebif and don't have any side effects (I experience none), then it won't hurt your running. Either way, I don't think rebif will stop you from running in the long-term.

I am trying to make myself get on my eliptical machine and I've been consistent for almost two weeks but I have noticed that my balance seems worse and my legs are feeling a bit 'off'...does it get worse before it gets better?

I also use an elliptical machine. I'm building up the strength in my legs that was getting much worse from sitting and studying for a year and a half.

I didn't think it was possible but it's coming back for me and my left leg is less "draggy".

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Take care, Ewizabeth Previously Avonex, Rebif & Copaxone RRMS ~Tysabri, 31 infusions, ended 9/09. Starting Copaxone 12/09, waiting for Cladribine to be approved in 2010.