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About 3 weeks ago I finally decided to face the gym again. I stayed away for a few years (terrible I know) because of numbness in my legs exaserbated by seemingly just stepping foot in the gym. Now that I know it's MS and I just have to live with it - I am back in action.

The numbness, however, worsens with exertion. This puts the kabosh on long periods of time on the eliptical and even treadmill - I feel like I'm being a slacker when I stop and try to get a little feeling back in my legs.

Does anyone have any suggestions on minimizing the numbness with exercise? I am getting married in June and need the cardio so I look hot in my dress!!!

Hi Atlantarhea

Sorry I can't be any help with numbness promlem. I go to the gym and the pool frequently. I had occasion to consult a physio recently and she said that it didn't matter what exercises you do if they are not the right ones.
I suggest that you contact a physio and develop a programme of specific exercises. This should improve muscles etc and as a result improve circulation and decrease numbness

Thanks! I have an appointment with my neurologist at the end of the month - I will ask him to recommend one.

I see you're from Ireland - I went there for the first time earlier this year and fell in love... it's a beautiful country

I deal with that as well. You start and then you can't go for long. I got off the stand ups and on to the elliptical. That's what it took for me to go long enough to work up a sweat.

i lose functionality when my core temp gets up. i don't go to the gym any more - i did at one point have a PT while at uni, but she did not work me hard enough.

i have a few bits and pieces of weights and such at home but i'm not disciplined enough, at the moment, to put them to good use.

other than that i like swimming. helps keep the core temp down. i can't afford pool time lately, but when i did go, my hands would go floppy every time. and it's weird and hard to walk getting out of the pool - at least, it was then. i'm pretty sure it would be the same now. i find the more you push yourself the better, though.

at the same time, athletes do have to be cautious about nutrients and athletes with MS even more so.

I see you're from Ireland - I went there for the first time earlier this year and fell in love... it's a beautiful country

Dare I ask was it with the country or a particular individual

For ActiveMSers, I've put together nearly 100 MS exercise tips, including some specifically for the gym and cardio. I think you'll really find them useful and help you look smokin' in that dress.

http://www.activemsers.org/exercisesstr ... ithms.html

Dave Bexfield, ActiveMSers

oh that reminds me ages ago long before i was diagnosed i got interested in yoga and picked up a book from the library. that particular book was called Gentle Yoga and i forget the subtitle but it had all kinds of mods for folks with limitations.

okay i found it
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Developed at the YWCA in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, GENTLE YOGA is a complete and practical guide for beginners and people with special needs, such as those with arthritis, stroke damage, or multiple sclerosis, and for those in wheelchairs. But it is also for those who want gentle, low-impact exercize to improve and maintain health. Clear, how-to instructions for yoga along with 135 illustrations, plus discussions on nutrition, stress management, breathing, and positive thinking.

and i found this one into the bargain..
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Yoga for people with multiple sclerosis? Absolutely! Studies show that after six months of practicing yoga, fatigue and other symptoms are significantly reduced.
Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis: A Journey to Health and Healing is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide to applying the principles of yoga to managing your MS. Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis contains information for people experiencing symptoms across the MS spectrum, including those who are in wheelchairs or who have limited mobility. With the help of this book, you will be able to manage your symptoms, raise your functional abilities to their highest levels, and foster independence and confidence.
Co-author Eric Small was diagnosed with MS at the age of 22, and soon after became a serious student of Iyengar yoga, which has helped him greatly with the effects of his illness. He has been teaching yoga since the mid-1960s. His story is a perfect example of the benefits yoga can bestow on those living with MS.