Hi folks,

I was wondering whether any of you know if it's a good idea to do light / moderate or even hard intensity workouts when you have nerve damage. Does it help or hinder regeneration.
I have PN and want to do everything I can to try to help myself, nutrition wise I am doing everything advised my neuro and nutritionist, but just wanted to know about gym work outs, running and swimming. If you have any experience or advice, then I'd really appreciate it.

Hayley

Exercise is great! Let me qualify that. I don't know the cause of your neuropathy, so I am going to assume that you do not have some medical process going on that caused it that would contraindicate exercise (for example, exercise may aggravate tarsal tunnel syndrome, or some systemic illnesses may require rest -- check with your doctor). But usually, exercise is wonderful. It may not facilitate regeneration, but it will help you maximise the strength and balance you do have, and will help you be your healthiest self, which can only be good. Just listen to your body and keep it reasonable. Anyone, with or without neuropathy, can overdo. Many of us are limited by pain in what we can do, but do the best we can.

First, run it by your doctor. Depending on your age and whether or not you need a stress test before you join a gym (that's what happend to my husband), they found a blockage and he had to have a stent put in.

I think it's always a good idea to ask your doctor "hey, I want to start an exercise program, any reason why I shouldn't"???.

He'll either give you a thumbs up and say "take it easy on the knees, or wherever you have any kind of problem", or he'll say "no, not until you get checked out".

Everybody has various problems, but exercise gets the heart pumping, brings oxygen to the cells, etc.

Walking is always a good beginning. (that is if you are able to do this).

So I wish you well on your road to exercising.

Remember to have fun.

I put on my ipod, turn on the disco music and I go for walks. Sometimes I hobble, but I get there.

I exercise, and actually did competitive (recreational) athletics with PN, altho I had no idea that the pain and other symtpoms I was feeling, were indeed PN.

In general, I totally agree with Dakota, and she knows of what she speaks.

I have a few additional problems that most people do not think of when they think PN. I have global anhidrosis---do not sweat to heat. So I have to make extra efforts to cool myself. I have hypotension and bradycardia, so I have to take care to keep my BP up, and know when to fold, and lie down. Exercises against gravity, such as hiking and running stress my autonomic system terribly and my BP and P decrease the longer I am upright, until they all together dump on me. I do have meds to raise my BP, and I can use compression clothing....provided it isn't too hot.

Other issue, it with sensory neuropathy, make sure you are confident of where your body postion is. Proprioception can be greatly off with PN...using a mirror to make sure you can see your body will help. When outside, not much you can do.

Pool exercise is always great. I learned to swim very well, the worse my PN got, the better of a swimmer I became....because I do not fight gravity, don't traumatize my bones and joints, and don't have to worry about balance or a fall. You can even run in water. I do.

That said, I still bike, still try to lift weights (very hard on me--but I have myopathy too) I swim and I walk....just saw an orthotist today and got spine, AFOs and shoe orthotics to see if we can get me to be able to jog, just a little. I look like the bionic woman. (Actually, what I got is fairly innoccuous and mostly carbon fiber---we shall see how it goes??!!)

I had to promise to do just a little....just to give myself the 'feel' of it. I will never be a runner again--too much nerve and bone damage and risk. Running on already damaged nerves is not advisable. But I can maybe run a few steps and walk a few steps?? Maybe? Depends on how numb I am, or how bad the spine and tibias hurt.

I have a bit of a risk taking personality, so, for me to not feel too depressed, I have to do these things. Plus they increase my endogenous opoids tremendously, and I am sooo much less depressed.

I won't be able to keep up this level for too much longer, and I know it, but I will make hay while the sun shines. My spine isnt going to take too much trama, as it is hard to stay upright for more than an hour without feet going numb and back hurting so bad I have to lay down.

It may seem oxymoronic, that I still do the sports, but they are entangled so much in my self image and who I am, that I don't see I have much option. I am in the position where, I can do this, not every one is. I have more foot numbness... I do not have the burning pain, I have aching pain. That said, I often over do, and end up in the ER, with my famous puke-spasms, which are in themselves, exercise.

I am looking at other things like kayaking or canoeing. I can hike but not too far, no backpack. I can kite (no skis this time). I can snowshoe with orthotics or specialized snowshoes.

I always take a cell phone and hubby says, pretty soon, he will put a GPS beacon on me.

I have never been to a recreational competition where I haven't met folks with very huge physical challenges, amputees, people with aneurysms, blind people. I once met a one legged cyclist who was crossing the country on his bike on a ride to benefit the lung assoc...also a blind cyclist.

Consult a knowledgeable PT....some one who knows neuropathy and loves sports. You can have one that knows neuropathy and doesn't understand a person who loves athletics and you get a bunch of therabands and a few sheets of instructions. You can get one who loves athletics, and you get the go ahead to do things WAY too much for neuropathics......you need to find one who wants to work with people with neuropathy, who understands the many neuropathies that there are, and who respects and will help you live the way YOU want to LIVE! Then you need to be reasonable as to what you can safely do, listening to your body.

Hi Folks, thanks so much for your replies. Good to hear that I can keep on - will also check with the Neuro - although he doesn't seem too clued up to be honest. I love to be out and about and I'm hoping as we all are that the symptoms are going to improve with time (and patience - which is a new skill for me!)

I'm 30 and really active. I workout at the gym before work most days. I am also going to ensure that I get plenty of rest time, earlier nights, have cut out drinking all together.

The other thing I was wondering is if any of you notice that tingly parts - hands and feet for me get cold more easily?

Again, big thanks for your advice.

--with the addition that one's exercise program not only will depend on one's tolerance, but also on what kinds of fibers are affected in one's neuropathic syndrome.

Those with primarily small-fiber sensory syndromes generally have less difficulties with body feedback--the larger, myelinaed sensory nerves are involved in proprioception--and so can generally exercise to a greater extent without bad aftereffects (beyond increases in pain in some instances, but all efforts should be made to control such nerve pain, anyway).

People with larger sensory fiber involvement may experience greater fatigue as their bodies need to channel more energy into basic balance and position awareness--different types of exercise would be indicated for them (i.e., water activities). And, of course, those with motor neuron problems that cause muscular atrophy have an additional set of considerations, especially as regarding endurance.

Nevertheless, unless there are bone/joint/spinal concerns that supersede, I strongly recommend neuropathy patients to exercise to tolerance--the benefits of increased circulation, muscle strength, and weight control are certainly worth it.

Ditto Ditto Ditto. You're 30. You can do stuff we 60 year olds, can't even dream of.

But when I was 30, I could give you a run for your money. I went to Jack La Lanne every single day. Lost 87 lbs in 5 months and looked like Elizabeth Taylor (back when SHE WAS ELIZABETH TAYLOR) if you get my drift.

Oh, be careful when you go into Saunas, Steam Rooms and hot tubs.

Neuropathy could get flared up by too much heat.

But exercise to your heart's content. Your heart will love you for that.

lol