[Cheryl's Mom]

I would love to hear about anyone with stuff about progressive MS, but especially anyone who has had success finding a place where they can get you into a cool enough pool.

[Aarcyn]

I left you a message on your profile page. There is a group here that exchange good PPMS information.

[marion06095]

I’m so glad you asked! I am always happy to share (brag?) when it comes to talking about how water therapy has helped give me some sort of control over MS. First I’ll give you a little background:

I was a very athletic and active teen and young adult. I was especially good at swimming, and my summer jobs while in school were always swimming related. I qualified for Senior Life Saver two years earlier than most, at age 16. I was a lifeguard at town’s swimming pools for the town I lived in through late high school as well as summers and part-time winters while in college. Over the years, I had kept up with swimming to some extent. Then – yadda – yadda – yadda, I got diagnosed with SPMS at age 59, and my mobility quickly went down the drain. I knew that if I didn’t do something radical, I’d be an “invalid,” what ever that means. I decided to fall back on one of my life-long strengths – swimming. Long story short, I took our two-car garage, and turned it into a swim-spa room. I had a SwimEx physical therapy pool installed. Since then, I have been able to put the power chair in storage, and I rarely use my rolling walker unless I’m going to the airport or a museum or something.

I guess they would call what I do “light aerobics,” and/or “slow swimming.” It is more movement than muscle. Also, part of my workout includes “deep water jogging.” I keep the temperature of the pool at around 85 degrees F. This is a temperature that I can slowly exercise for a good long time (2 hours) and not get cold. I have a little sound system out there, as well as a little TV hung up on the wall. I can’t tell you what a difference this has made in my life. I do owe a whole lot of credit for my improved condition to LDN, but I am sure that LDN’s effects on my health/mobility have enhanced the benefits I get from water exercise. Since I started swimming at home, I haven’t had a swollen ankle, I’ve dropped a ton of weight, and it really helps with the spastisity.

[gonnamakeit]

Originally Posted by marion06095

I’m so glad you asked! I am always happy to share (brag?) when it comes to talking about how water therapy has helped give me some sort of control over MS. First I’ll give you a little background:

I was a very athletic and active teen and young adult. I was especially good at swimming, and my summer jobs while in school were always swimming related. I qualified for Senior Life Saver two years earlier than most, at age 16. I was a lifeguard at town’s swimming pools for the town I lived in through late high school as well as summers and part-time winters while in college. Over the years, I had kept up with swimming to some extent. Then – yadda – yadda – yadda, I got diagnosed with SPMS at age 59, and my mobility quickly went down the drain. I knew that if I didn’t do something radical, I’d be an “invalid,” what ever that means. I decided to fall back on one of my life-long strengths – swimming. Long story short, I took our two-car garage, and turned it into a swim-spa room. I had a SwimEx physical therapy pool installed. Since then, I have been able to put the power chair in storage, and I rarely use my rolling walker unless I’m going to the airport or a museum or something.

I guess they would call what I do “light aerobics,” and/or “slow swimming.” It is more movement than muscle. Also, part of my workout includes “deep water jogging.” I keep the temperature of the pool at around 85 degrees F. This is a temperature that I can slowly exercise for a good long time (2 hours) and not get cold. I have a little sound system out there, as well as a little TV hung up on the wall. I can’t tell you what a difference this has made in my life. I do owe a whole lot of credit for my improved condition to LDN, but I am sure that LDN’s effects on my health/mobility have enhanced the benefits I get from water exercise. Since I started swimming at home, I haven’t had a swollen ankle, I’ve dropped a ton of weight, and it really helps with the spastisity.

Are you swimming by yourself or do you have caregivers helping you get in and out of the pool? How much strength do you have in your legs?

gmi

[MooseasaurusRex]

I was offered the pool at a gym during my PT after the car wreck but I didn't trust my knee and hip well enough to do it. (tore meniscus, shattered pelvis).

But I hope you find a place and keep us posted on the results.

I am the MonSter that MS fears.

[sabimax]

Oh how I wish I could afford what you did!! I am now in therapy for my spasticity, PT, and they want to try some in pool. Not sure how going to work for sure, as the heat of pool 95 is affecting me with some side effects...although the pool feels so good!!

I am undx, but wanted to share, and hope that you find a place where maybe they keep the pool cool enough, maybe you could ask at the Y, and/or at a Physical therapy place that has a pool. IN case cool enough. hugsss,sarah

[kicker]

I love my pool but can only use it in summrer. But I did progress and am now in a chair and can't get in myself. I always felt it did me good, but now have to eait until FH around. Not in as much as I was. We put a handrail down the steps, that helped for awhile but now really need DH to push,lift me into. Once in, there's much more freedom in the wateer for me. How'd you get in?

[kicker]

I have an unexplanable fear of sinking ( well, having only 1 usable habd, maybe not so unexplainable. When I was pregnant, although I am fairly good swimmer and had never had water fears, I thought babies (twins and a pretty big belly) would sink me.

[marion06095]

You can imagine the leap of faith that was necessary in order to turn my pool project into a reality. My husband was strongly against it, and my in-laws thought I was out of my mind. Put a swimming pool in the garage? Preposterous! We are not wealthy people. I am on SS, and my husband is a house painter. I had a little nest egg put aside that had been burning a hole in my pocket for years. I decided to go for it in spite of predictions of failure from the people in my life I respect most. These doubters, however, have long since eaten their words gladly. Even my father-in-law told me he is proud of me.

Getting in and out of the pool was one of my greatest concerns. The pool is sunk into the garage floor. We had to jackhammer it up and excavate in order to get the pool edge to be “sit down” height. I sit down on the edge of the pool, which is about eight inches wide. Then I swing my legs over the edge one at a time. When I do that, I can stand on the submerged side bench inside the pool, and I am in. The first year or so, I needed something solid to hang on to while swinging my legs over, so there was a sort of fixed-in-place trapeze positioned so it is over my head when I sit on the pool side. That gave me two good handholds to keep me steady as I turn. About a year ago, we removed the grab bar. I no longer need it.

Kicker, you said that you worry that your tummy might make you sink? Did you know that swimming is perhaps the only sport in which being “fluffy” is an advantage? Fat tissue is lighter than water, so it makes you float easily. Muscle tissue, on the other hand, is heavier than water, so it makes you sink. Fluffy is floaty. It is when I am weightless in warm water that my body seems at peace. I put in special spa water softeners, plus spa aromatherapy products into the water, and I am in seventh heaven. In a way it is sort of Spartan in nature. More attention was paid to function than form. But to me it is heaven on earth.

[sabimax]

That is why I float so well...I am FAT!! hehehe true..my kids have a hard time floating and I am always like here it is easy watch me lol..