February 2010: Keep on Moving Club
 

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, we started 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, Wii,calisthenics? Please join the club.

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. If you want to try her routines, go to the following link and read how to do it:

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/...t=80565&page=8



What do you do

I did swim my mile today too.

Didnt sleep well last night. I took a zanaflex for muscle stuff, and it knocked me out for exactly 2 hours. then...I was wide awake. so, today I am dragging, and its grocery day. The grocery store almost wiped out every spoon I have ever owned.

Its nap time. That is as much exercise as I am getting today. :o

Tomorrow, when the floor hunks get here, I aint moving a pinky. They can carry my sofa, with me on it, whereever the want..:D:D

You're right Dej, its nap time..:Zzzz:

Ok, well I will carry teh weight on the thread until you two feel better.

I did swim a mile today in the rain.

I love to swim in the rain, as long as there's no lightening. :D

Did 30 min on the recumbant bike once again...not as quickly as last week...my shins are tight again...causing me to wake up in pain. So I couldn't pedal as quickly as I wanted.
Also did upper body work with weights and then stretched the achilles and shins on a step for awhile. I hope it helps lessen these spasms...

walked a half mile this morn. its pretty cold out, and I wasnt going to finish the mile.

Im still in the slow lane, so no more. not even yoga today.

Walked for 30 min. today...that was all I had in me...

My exercise may be held off of for a bit.

I fell down on the ice in the driveway about an hour ago. I'm still cataloging all the pain and potential injuries.

Both knees. Left arm, left wrist, and left shoulder. Right hand and wrist. Low back. It might have woken up the neck injury that I got last fall.

Right foot slipped out and I went straight down on the right knee. Left leg was in front of me, like I was kneeling on one knee with the other knee in front of me. I couldnt stand up on my own because of the ice. I had my mom roll me one of her rollators in the garage and used that to stand up.

Yay for mom's assistive devices! Her rollators have come in handy for me. There's no way she could have helped me up by herself, and I didnt want her anywhere near the ice. I made her stay in the garage and just aim the rollator towards me. Yay for wheels!

It doesnt feel like all my weight went onto the right knee...because my left leg stayed in front of me, I think I caught myself enough to spare myself serious knee damage, but not enough to spare myself the pain in my arm and hands. Too bad neither of my knees likes being bent in either of those positions like that, especially the suddenness of being dropped like that onto the ground. I think my left knee got twisted while the right knee got smacked around a little bit. (surprisingly, the knee pain doesnt feel all that horrible. Left wrist and back hurt more than my knees)

There's a perfect impression of my left hand in the snow where I fell. Big hand print. I'm probably lucky I didnt break my wrist. (been there, done that before) It feels like I came pretty close to it tho. It doesnt feel like anything is broken anywhere tho. Just really really freaking sore. Especially my low back (right around the small of the back, just below that some too) and the left wrist and arm.

I think it set off the Hug in my ribs on the left side...I wasnt feeling "loved" by the Hug until about 20 minutes ago. I hope that goes away really quickly.

I'm going to go take a Baclofen, and a handful of Ibuprofen and go back to bed. (I got 3hrs of sleep last night)

I'm really glad I got my hair cut friday. (chopped off a ton of hair) Now I wont have to worry about trying to do anything to my hair with a sore wrist. I'm going to go lay down and wait for everything to start swelling up. Owwwww!

I hope you feel better soon Erin.

Nice going Dejibo.

Debbie, awesome workout.

Sally, today I went for my swim, it was lightning so I went home. I returned an hour later, sunny, swam a mile :)

I had a horrible visual migraine yesterday, so i am in the slow lane. Wanted to just walk the mile this morn, but half way thru, I got those specs in my vision,and decided to just quit the walk, and come home. its another lazy day. :o

I think that was the smart thing to do Dejibo. I hope it resolves quickly for you.

I swam a mile today.

Dej, they had me take a migrane medicine for the last two vertigo spells I had, in case it was visual migrane. I start with blurry vision in one eye... then go on to off balance feeling wierd, then slam vertigo balance, just off and can not function... then if I sleep hours upon hours it goes away. That is why he had me try migrane med he gave me to try the next two spells saying to take asap as soon as the eye thing... although I do not see specs... like he talked about... well anyhow long story short it did not help at all. So back to square one....

been walking or doing yoga more consistently yeahhh hugss all, sarah

Dej, good idea to stop...hope you're better real soon:hug:

Got released to exercise again...I did 35 min on an elliptical...I was tempted to stop after 20, but pushed through...then did 20 minutes on weight machines. Went home and stretched. Now I'm stiff and sore, but it's a productive sore, not an MS sore, which tells me I worked:)

hi .. haven't forgotten about you!

been keeping up my arm weights/lifts exercises ... added in some sit-up scrunches and touch-my-toes and sky ...

yoga yesterday a 45 min one... yoga for longevity it is called... hehe like I really want to live to 100 in this much pain hehe

anyhow, today I have busy day off, cleaning some then apts... one apt though yeahhh is a massage apt... and I am hurting so it should feel really good on my back. she is really good... wish insurance could cover it...so I could go more often.... anyhow... hugss all, sarah

still in the slow lane, still on the edge of a headache. I have an eye MD appointment on Monday, will ask for meds.

Walked a 1/4 mile today, then stopped to talk to a neighbor. Sat for a half hour, and then walked the other 1/4 mile. Decided to stop once I got back to my house. im pooped! thats enough. :o

Dejibo, you are an inspiration: moving even though you are having a tough go right now.

Hi sabi, that's great !

Vonn, nice to see you back again and moving around :)

Debbie: I bet you are glad you were released. Good going too :)

I swam a mile in the warm pool and warm air (79) jsut before a big storm ushered in the cold front in Florida --- relatively cold, that is.

Hi Everybody! :)

I did 10 minutes on the elliptical today. I'm going to try to do that each day before work. It's better than nothing and gets my heart going.

I have to stand all day at work :eek: so I'm getting strength training for my legs, lol. I'm amazed that I'm able to stand all day but my regular exercise is probably one of the reasons that I can. I'm also very lucky as far as my MS goes (knock on wood.)

walked 1/4 of a mile today, I am too pooped. I came home. The wind is whipping, and it was stinging my face. I was ready to be carried up the steps by the time we got home. the DH waited patiently for me to recoup enough spoons to climb the stairs. I was frozen solid, and really wanted to go in, and angry that I didnt have enough spoons to climb 5 steps! I sat and waited. DH got me some hot cocoa, and sat with me. He offered to drag/carry me. After 15 minutes I was able to make the steps, and sat on the kitchen floor while my DH took off my boots and coat.

anyone have heat issues? I have cold issues too! I had forgotten just how quickly cold can sap me! I was stiff and stumbly, and really should have known better. I am feeling tons better, but now remain very low on spoons for the weekend. I guess I will just have to lay down, and watch movies. oh what a horrible thing! :D

Nice going ewiz :)

Dejibo, that is demoralizing to do all that walking, and then have to pay for it, but that is awesome you did it anyway. you are an inspiration for taking care of your wellness no matter what. When its that cold, would it work for you to just walk around your living room or march in place?

I swam a mile today: Very windy.

BBS, may I come swim in your nice warm pool?:p

yes lets all head to BBS pool and have a party... woohoooo cannonball!!

worked almost 10 hours today, and now paying for it... I am in pain! so no workout... was thinking yoga but I can barely move with out my whole body hurting! hugss all, sarah

This morning I put some fast dance music on Dish Network and danced for ten minutes before my shower. I also did some punches and arm moves then headed off to work.

I'll try to vary my routine but do something each day. Hopefully back to my DVD's when my schedule settles down.

Been a while. Thursday I did spinn class...really tough strength workout. Something like 47 minutes and 700ish calories.

Today, rode in the "Puddle for the Ducks" charity ride to benefit Ducks Unlimited. Rode 46.5 miles at ~17.3 mph and burned 2918 calories according to my heart rate monitor. I felt great at the end and could have done another 10 miles easy. The spin classes are really starting to pay of this year!

Ducks unlimited is lucky to have you TXBatman :)

Yes, you are all invited to come swim at our local pool. There is more than enough room :) I dont understand why everyone in the nation does not live in FLorida!!

I swam a mile today in the 80 degree pool, 59 degree air temp.

I worked out on the elliptical machine today...after about 27 minutes, I had to stop...got overheated and felt really crummy, which is my sign to stop:(
Then I did 20 minutes on the weight machines, and about 15 minutes of stretching/ab work.
Got home and laid in my recliner for awhile after lunch, felt icky. But then I thought I should take furbaby for a walk, since we're supposed to get a dumping of snow tomorrow, so I took him for a 1/2 mile walk.
I am done...

Debbie, I can swim a mile a day, But I would never have been able to do what you did! Great job :)

I did swima mile today, cold pool and cold outside...

Thanks, BBS...I used to be able to swim that far...but the breathing/asthma kicks in, so I have to monitor all that when I swim...

I did 10 minutes of spot exercises this morning then 10 more on the elliptical before work. :thud:

I am going grocery shopping today. that will be exercise enough for me. :p

Spin class last night...1:03 at avg HR 78% of max, max HR 91% of max...882 calories burned. Still a bit stiff in the legs this morning...but that is kind of normal after doing strength profiles with heavy resistance.

TXB, you make us all look like slackers...seriously, great job!!

Did 26 min. on the elliptical before I just couldn't go on any further...I get overheated, I think, because I suddenly feel kind of sick...so I listen to the ole' bod and stop.
Then I did 20 min on the weight machines again and 20 min of stretching. I am so tight today...actually lately...that I'm going to go and stretch again.

I'll tell you...it has been a real interesting ride over the last year or so. I started these spin classes last January, and the first few classes damn near killed me. Just spinning that long even without big increases in resistance was really tough. I was used to pedaling for a while and then coasting when i needed to.

I was never the prototypical "endurance athlete". I have a very stocky build, short legs, and I grew up hating running as a sport with a passion. But over the last year or so, something has changed.

As I have gone through these spin classes and stuck with them, I have been getting faster on the bike outdoors. Feeling stronger on the bike has made me enjoy it more, and enjoying it more has made it easier to do longer distances. So it has created a kind of feedback loop...instead of dreading going to workout on weeknights, I crave it, because I know it is making me stronger. Because I feel stronger, I enjoy the riding more. Because I enjoy it more, it makes me want to ride more.

I have had family and work obligations that have interrupted my schedule a bit over the last month or so, and for the first time that I can remember, I have actually had physical cravings to get on my bike or get into a spin class and just ride. Its been a really cool feeling to be like this and know that I am getting stronger because of it.

So I guess what I am saying is don't feel like a slacker if you aren't doing what I am doing...just get out and do what you can do, and revel in the fact that you are making yourself stronger by doing it. You might be surprised at what you find yourself capable of a year from now.

The swimming has nearly gotten rid of my asthma! It is rare now that I ever need a puffer since starting my swimming in 2004. I learned it from reading a biography of Teddy Roosevelt. He was severely asthmatic as a kid. He treated it by swimming!

that was very well said, TxBatman, and good encouragement for all of us.

Nice going ewiz. Great job Debbie. At least you got out Dejibo: I know your flare has been kicking your butt.

I swam a mile today, cold, cold cold: Water 78 and air temp low 50s. Brrrrrr.

Visual migraine followed by a real one. Didnt get much done today. :(

My dad gets those physical cravings for exercise. He's got a heart problem and was told to exercise. He's told me that the heart problem causes him some anxiety and the exercise not only helps his heart, it helps the anxiety a LOT!

I think he's feeling the anxiety the past couple of days because he hasnt been able to get to work out. My mother has been a bit....needy. (she had a head injury about 50+yrs ago and she's showing a lot of signs of cognitive problems) She has no empathy to speak of and has been yelling at the poor guy to entertain her (by taking her out) as soon as he walks in the door.

He's tired, but wants to go exercise because it helps him so much, and she wont let him do it.

Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to be dressed and ready to go to the gym when he gets home from work, so he'll have the good excuse to go. For some reason, sometimes if I go with him, she doesnt whine...but, sometimes that backfires and she gets mad because she doesnt go with us. ("there's no where to sit!". It's an exercise place...you're supposed to exercise there, not sit)

Hopefully we can get past my mom and get to the gym. I'm going to try to see if I can get up to forty minutes on the treadmill. I want to eventually get up to an hour on the thing within the next month.

My DH and I have several medical appointments at the medical center. I scheduled them so we can just zip from one to the next. I will spend my day on my feet and going from one end of the building to the other. Thats enough exercise for me.