MS sometimes makes it hard to keep moving, exercising, stretching, so we do less and less. Before long, its not just MS that interferes with our mobility and health, its also atrophy of muscle causing more balance problems and more muscle weakness.

So, I want to start a Club to support and encourage us to keep moving --You use it or you lose it! So, what do you do-- do you stretch, do you walk, swim, aquacise, isometrics, lift free weights, calisthenics? Please join the club.

This is a chance to be a charter member If it catches on, I'll start a new thread every month.It was a big hit at Braintalk and I hope it will be a big hit at Neurotalk too!

I swim a mile a day. In 2004, I was so weak, I could not walk across a room. Now I swim a mile every single day and I do free weights twice weekly to help with osteoporosis prevention. Cherie (clinical1) was able to stop using her w/c after she religiously worked on a pool based stretch/exercise routine daily.

What do you do?

My motto is: I cannot control my illness, But I can Control my Wellness!

I think this is a great idea, BBS

What to I do?

Currently I use an Elliptical - Most days I am on it for 30 minutes (give or take) which equals 2 miles. I use resistant bands and hand weights.

I am also in Physical Therapy.

I am going to be looking for ankle weights - the kind that have pockets to put small weights in and add more as needed.

lately i have started walking again. I can average about 1 mile per day now. that is if its not hot out. Last year I couldnt make the mail box.

This is a great idea! I need motivation to keep on using my treadmill. Maybe this will do it!

Well, I'm a little older than most of you guys, but I do stretching exercises before bed to relax muscles and I do stretches and other exercises before rising (Even after a nap). I find that it keeps me a little looser and a bit stronger.

I don't have the strength to take more than a few steps now. I am still able to stand and hold on to something and I want to be able to keep transfering from scooter to place, to place, to pot, to shower and to my chair lift to basement, so I keep it moving as much as possible.

Good thread, BBS, thanks..

Snoopy, that is awesome! I can swim a mile, but the elliptical beats my butt. I can maybe do a minute on it. You are the elliptical star!! I use the ankle weight and have worked up to 20 pounds--impossible! But True! Keep on moving

A mile a day is wonderful--its more than most Americans do in a year, it seems! You are a testimony to perseverence. You went from not being able to get to the mail, to a whole mile. Truly, an inspiration for folks to try to move a bit more each day.

Kitty, dust off the treadmill and join the club Keep us posted on how you do each day on it. we are totally behind you on this

Good for you for stretching Sally. Even people in the wheel chair can find some way to start moving more each day. Yay for you! welcome to the club. We are all charter members

I had just started walking on a treadmill everyday/every other day last month when my left 6th cranial nerve had the TILT! light start blinking. (had diplopia really bad)

Ended up with really bad vertigo and was walking into walls and doors and tripping over things at home because my mom keeps putting stuff on the floor that shouldnt be on the floor. (like her purse, in the middle of the doorway)

I started back up doing that last week. I'm not quite back up to the half hour I was able to do before the cranial nerve went fubar. (I had 3 days of IVSM to speed up the recovery of the nerve)