When should I start light exercise again?
 

Title says it all. It will be 3 months exactly since my fall. Some days are better than others. Today seems to be good.

I sat in my backyard and enjoyed the sunshine visiting with friends. Then drove myself to the grocery store and bought my own groceries and here I am!

Was I feeling like I'm back to normal? No. But I did it and it wasn't really all that bad.

I have found the WORST culprit for my symptoms is my COMPUTER! The more time I spend on my computer the worse I feel...same goes for watching movies...no more movies!

If I spend 15 mins on the computer, I make sure I spend at least 30 mins relaxing with no sound and eyes closed.

Same goes for anything else. If i sit and talk with a friend for an hour. I make sure I lay down for two hours right after. I'm noticing progress.

I'd like to start is light exercise...but not sure if I'm ready. Still dizzy and lightheaded with balancing issues. My left foot seems to feel much heavier than my right.

Keep on keep'n on.

It's probably one of those things you'll have to try and see how it goes. Start off tiny - maybe 5 minutes - until you see how your body reacts. And don't do anything that would jar your head.

I bought a recumbent bike http://www.walmart.com/ip/Stamina-Ma...t-Bike/7680164 the first of the year (9 months pcs) and was able to use it as long as I don't let my pulse get too high. Some days I can walk now (1 year pcs).

It's amazing that you had a traumatic car accident whereas I fell snowboarding and didn't even recognize I had a concussion...and here we are dealing with the same condition.

I'm afraid if I try a light jog or walk that I won't feel the negative after effects until days later...and I'm still learning what certain activities trigger certain symptoms.

I know it won't work, but at times I just wish I could RUN my PCS away! Run fast and hard until I can't anymore and BAM! by by PCS!............Ya right!

Instead I'll just curl up on the couch and sit there quietly doing nothing...sounds fun!...and keep telling my girlfriend we can't have sex...yay.


I wonder what the hell I will do for work if I never get better? How will I support myself?


My rant.

Whiplash and PCS is all I got from the wreck. No scrapes, no bruises, no broken bones. It's all in my head!

It's always hard for me to try something new. I'm always afraid it's going to make things worse. Every now and then I just do it.

My boyfriend has put up with a lot. The personality changes are probably the biggest. We use to do outdoor things a lot and now he still has to ask every time if I FEEL like doing something little like a walk, going out to eat, sitting in the park, etc.

I struggle with this. I have my own website design business and because I am very limited in amount of time I can do thinking things it's gone downhill big time this last year. I have severe allergies and asthma so it's not like I can just go get another job. This business was doable because I could do 99% of it at home with no exposure to smoke, perfumes, etc that make breathing almost impossible. I just try to get by day to day...

I too only had whiplash however my doc said my brain moved enough or even hit the inside of my skull which gave me the PCS.

I'm seeing a Neuro doc next week for the first time in my hometown which is a 7 hour drive away. I will remain there living with my parents until i get better or have a grasp on my new condition and can return living independently (if that ever happens).

It's very tempting for me to go live my life like I used to. I still have all these questions about my healing that I don't have answers for, such as:

Can I go for walks? Sit at the beach with friends? Go fishing? Go to pot lucks? Some days I feel good and want to do these things!

If I do these things will I be hindering my recovery? How much sitting in the dark vs enjoying the simple things in life?

I'm 16 months into it and have had to file for disability. A few months ago my cousin came to CA and brought me out to CO to live with my aunt because I was not doing well.

All it took was a car accident, a concussion, whiplash, and a few dislocated ribs and life has come to a stop.

You just have to take it in small steps and DON'T push yourself to hard or you will pay the price later.

Blessings

Nitro-It seems like you're handling things well, doing a little when you feel up to it and then giving yourself time to recover. It's been over 18 months for me and I'm continuing to see very slow progress if I consider large chunks of time. I'm able to enjoy small amounts of socializing (often with ear plugs) and then rest for a while when I start to get overwhelmed or fuzzy around the edges. I think you really have to take the exercise really slow and careful, just like everything else. It seems that patience is key in this recovery. Good luck!

babby steps
 

we all have to take it slow .start in your own back yard.get a planter. 1 or 2 plants or flowers .woter them daily. That's a 15 min workout low impact.and it has its own rewards . Good luck.

Hi Nitro,

I'm pretty much where you are in terms of the time since my fall while skiing. I have progressed to being able to watch movies and this weekend was the first that I allowed a visitor to come over and engage in conversation. I was a daily gym-goer before this and running at least 3 days/ week.

Since the fall I've taken 3 very slow walks which only increased my symptoms. My doctor and I have discussed doing light stretches and movements while being supported by a chair or wall. Nothing that would get one's heart rate up!

He advised me only to start something like a small, brief walk when I am symptom free (which I have not yet been but very much looking forward to the day!). If we start too early, we are susceptible to having setbacks.

Even going outside and sitting on the bench has helped me or going for a very slow, stroll around the block can help release some of the energy. And ultimately, do what your body needs to feel good, whatever that means for you.

Ski,

It seems like you have a solid base of support and resources helping you.

A lot of this makes sense to me and I feel I have started making better decisions to make my days easier. The hardest part is making these changes and choices with NO help from anyone but this website (Neurotalk) and other information on the internet! Because I can tell my symptoms and overall condition seem to be different than others on this website...I actually feel my PCS isn't as bad as it could be.

My family doctor told me to start going on light bike rides and doing puzzles! I know I shouldn't do either of those things yet.

And now I wait to see a neurologist...which won't be for at least a month.

I've been reading that many NHL players are diagnosed with PCS and most return to play within a year...this pleases me.

Hi Nitro,

I imagine it must be frustrating and confusing to not have much support. There generally is not much awareness of PCS in the medical field and although the NHL has increased the public's knowledge of the dangers somewhat, I believe the health care industry has some catching up to do where concussions ans PCS are concerned.

It's an invisible injury and there is some controversy around it because our health care providers must rely on the patient's account of symptoms and improvements.

If you think about Sidney Crosby and how frustrated he must be to be sitting out of the playoffs right now. We fell pretty close to the same time that he was diagnosed. During his recovery he flew home to get the peace and quiet he needed to recover. He started very slow as well and didn't get on the bike until about 2 mths after full rest. I believe he started skating with the team wearing a no contact coloured jersey but is now not skating with the team anymore. My key learning from him is that nothing is more important than your health. He is a good example of someone recovering from PCS.

I know you are looking on the internet for info. If you haven't already, you may find it helpful to read the info in the www.tbiguide.com. It gives you some advice on dealing with the doctors. I can imagine that our long list of inconsistent and invisible symptoms are not always taken seriously which adds to more stress and frustration. You can help yourself with being prepared when you see the neurologist, i.e. have a written account of your fall, what happened after, your current symptoms and all the questions you have.

Take good care and know that we are here to support you.

Nitro, There are plenty of Activities of Daily Living (ADL's to the rehabilitation community) that you can start getting involved in that will give you an indication of your exertion limitations. Taking a walk or just doing some light physical tasks (vacuuming, Yes, anybody can run a vacuum, washing windows) etc, will give you some good experience with your tolerance levels.

I need ear plugs to run the vacuum. The physical exertion of vacuuming is a good light workout.

Slowing start back into life. Experience different body positions. Rolling on the floor, getting up and down, leaning over, etc all will give you some idea of your tolerance for movements. Tolerance for movements were my first hurdle.

Use some common sense as your body 'talks' to you.

My best to you.

Hi Mark,

I've been able to go for a 5 min walk and feel little to no change in my head. Anything more though and I feel dizzy and my balance issue kicks in...I still get very lightheaded if I stand up too quickly however this was an issue prior to my fall.

I found this interesting from the TBI guide that Skiconcussion posted:

Exercise improves your ability to think. This seems pretty obvious, but for individuals with head injury, it becomes crucial. If your doctor has cleared you to do exercise, you should make a conscious effort to do it. Why? Even though the brain weighs less than 5% of the entire body, it uses 30% of the oxygen in the body, and probably the same amount of glucose (which is the energy that runs your body). If we use a car analogy, a clogged air filter and gunked up carburetor will not allow full power. With exercise, you get more oxygen into your blood system. Also, for people who have chronic pain syndromes, some types of exercise are very beneficial. For example, swimming is a very good exercise for people who have neck or back pain. Always talk with your doctor about what exercise works best for you.

I know I'm not ready for this, but me being 26 years old and only 11 weeks PCS this is something I look forward to working towards in the future.

A low impact exercise I used to do is walking in a pool. It is a relaxing but worthwhile way to exercise. No impact from foot plants and no overheating from effort.

The important point from the TBI Guide is the oxygenation of the brain. Gentle brain stimulation such as good music can give me a great feeling of rest. Good rest only happens when the brain is properly oxygenated. You do not need aerobic activity to oxygenate the brain.

Do some reading about fMRI. They can see how the brain gets oxygenated during different tasks.

I'm almost at the 2 month point of my last whiplash. I am in physical
therapy for my neck and shoulder's right now. I have to make sure
I'm careful to watch my steps. And to make sure I go slowly.

I also had a problem with my foot and ankle so it has to be put into consideration too.

I'm a expert as it would seem for these things. Unlucky or whatever
it is. It finds me regularly. I'm hoping this is my last one.

Donna:grouphug:

WELL....I'm the same...computer and tv exhausts me...10 mins at a time at either one...SOOOOO Frustrating! Driving same thing.

Do you get an immediate headache or notice it more later??

I usually seem to notice the majority of my symptoms the next day. And headaches luckily are not a huge one for me. I only get a few headaches a week that don't seem to last that long.

My biggest symptom is the DIZZINESS/UNSTEADINESS and foggy headed feeling. And a very noticeable difference in my left and right feet when I walk. A much heavier left foot.

Before I knew what complete cognitive rest was I watched 3 movies in one day. The next day I was noticeably dizzier and unsteady.

I have to pack all my stuff into a trailer and drive 7 hours to go live at my cabin...which is a positive decision. The drive is certainly going to be a test.

For me it was quit college or walk at least 2 hours a day to get to and from classes and meals. I stayed. Yes, the walks going uphill do cause headaches. But I find that if I consistently do it I have less headaches when I do other things like watch movies etc...I have only now after a full year since my last concussion started to do light exercises at the gym. Mostly I stick to the floor but all of it is low impact such as no jump-rope and no treadmill. I try to go for an hour but have only made it to 40 minutes. I had to do this, I am tired of being 15lbs overweight and panting when I do the slightest things. I can't be consistent with the gym though, it all depends on the week.

I think it is up to you, just be slow, be gentle, and stop when you can't do it anymore.

Good Luck
Margarite

I too wonder about exercise...I've tried the treadmill here and there and not good result headache wise. I've walked outside...same thing.

I guess I have to look at it --well if I'm getting a headache either way -- enjoy life a little....do things in small doses. right??

I am going stir crazy ...and looking forward to the HOT weather....lay on a lounge chair...at least I'll have a nice tan on my body!

First you have to take small steps.

And when you are outside try wearing sunglasses. That should help
with the headaches.

Donna:grouphug: