SCS & Exercise
 

Hi guys,

For those of us on this board who are able to exercise, what kind of excercise are you doing?
Walking? any swimming, i like the back stroke but i'm told nope, i'm lifiting my arms too far over my head and apparently the forward crawl is a complete no no.

Any Pilates? If so how long have you had your SCS, mine is in 6mths now and I couldn't imagine doing any else except walking and I was the person you'd see on the streets walking after dinner when I come in from work. I joined Pilates and managed that really wel, I liF
Walking is too difficult at the moment, apparently my leads have moved and I need to have some revision surgery to sort that out. Before all of this I was walking 2 miles a day and loving it.

I guess before all this crap with my back reaccured I did everything and anything I wanted, this included swimming hiking, walking, Pilates, gym, swimming, litteraly anything I wanted to do I did.

I'd like to hear your feed back if you have any.

All the best

Sophie, :hug::hug::):)

Exercise
 

Well, as for me it has been therapy exercises in a therapy pool, no strokes, just a two hour routine of first one and then another exercise. Bicycling I have resumed, and enjoy doing that with my wife, although I had to remove the toe straps from my pedals since my feet are a problem due to numbness. Walking is limited for me to a treadmill, so I may hold on, again due to the numbness factor in my legs...... to much freestyle walking with my cane I cannot do, and then resort to a wheelchair to do the long distance things like museums, mall shopping, and the like........ I had hopes of returning to downhill skiing after my original back surgery and have tabled that attempt indefinitely. Oh, and I have a device called a Total Gym which is an incline device which with weights can exercise both upper and lower body. That is about it.

Mark56:grouphug:

Hi Sophie :)
 

Good topic!
I too loved to swim - just being in the water, weightless, did wonders since my knees were giving me fits. But, like you say, I guess the reaching motions are not good, so I did the best I could with the little I had to work with, which is treading water. It's a great way to gently use every muscle and improve circulation - especially in the legs.

I'm ever grateful that we have access to a pretty nice therapy pool. I enjoy the warm temperature - very soothing on the muscles and I use the little aquatic 'toys', especially those little floating doo-dads that look like little dumbells, barbells :)

Excercise
 

Hi Rae,

Thanks for your reply, please God ill be able to as much as you and Mark, I certainly cant imagine getting back on a bicycle again, I haven't been on a bike since my problems started when I was about 11-17.

I do like to swim but I'm concerned my arms are over stretching on the back stroke.

I hope all is well with you. I had my scs revision surgery yesterday and so fa so good. I'm tired and sore right now.

S xxx

I was put down for some hydrotherapy, and the physio advised nothing but breaststroke at first and only then after 12 weeks. Just so you know. x

Strokes
 

Hi Saffy- How interesting your physical therapist has put you down for breaststroke, given that the notion of reaching is typically a no no. Working in a warm therapy pool [92 degrees F] my therapist had me doing a good many exercises, none of which involved reaching above the head, but did involve a variety of stepping exercises, lunges, side stepping, marching, walking, lifting my arms with hydro paddles in hands for resistance up to my shoulders from the waist position, both to the side and to the front, and a exercise also using said paddles in a motion like flapping my wings from a shoulder height out to side then meeting in front of me. Again, again, and again. It would take about an two hours to complete all of the pool exercises, then it would be off to the deep end of the pool for "bicycling" and hanging with weights on my ankels as though to provide some traction.

The actual use of swimming strokes was never part of my therapy regimen, but then, perhaps as between different therapists there are variances of approach.

Hope it goes very well for you,
Mark56:)

It's been cancelled as I told them I was having probs with the stim. Boo!

Have to say, my Stim Team never stressed on NOT doing things .. obviously they didn't want me to reach high suddenly, or bend suddenly, but I wasn't told to do things, in fact they encouraged me to do things as I normally would. ? ? ? ?

Blast
 

I was told no bend, lift, stretch, twist, so I reduced it to the acronym BLAST.
Mark56:winky:

Hi Sophie,

I had my SMS implant (along with the paddle) back in February of 2010. After about 2 months, my surgeon gave me the okay to golf. At my year appointment, I was given the ok to do anything I pleased. "No physical limitations" were the exact words. I could even participate in karate as I asked specifically about that. As long as I started out slow, I was able to get my body to handle the activity. Of course, that was quite difficult at first (and still is at times) as I previously lived by the motto, "No pain...no gain". I currently am golfing, participating in water aerobics, working out on the treatmill, doing push-ups & sit-ups, yoga, walking with a little bit of running, and trying to get back into the game of life. I have not joined karate yet but am hoping to in the next couple months. I still feel pain everyday but it is much more manageable. The best part is the SMS is managing the pain as I am no longer on any pain medication. I realize that I still have a long way to go both physically and mentally but I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines. I accept the fact that I cannot do all that I did before the pain but I am finding alternatives that I am enjoying quite a bit. It's finally my turn to beat the pain and I am completely up for the challenge!

I hope you find some type of activity that makes you happy! :Heart:

Kim

Yea Rogue
 

Alright Kim!! Wow! Your status is fantastic, just fantastic! I love the upbeat notion of going for things you can do even if they are not exactly what you did before. Inspirational!

Great BIG THANKS!
Yep,
Mark56:D

Blimey Kim, that's amazing. Am so pleased for you!!!

Your exercise plan
 

Hi Kim,

Wow! That's wonderful that your doctor is allowing you to go back to normal exercising and your golfing, i would have thought a swing would be dificult with a bad back but I'm happy that you can take it up again, I can tell it's something you love. My husband is a golfer and i'd love to be able to play golf with him but I could never get the hang of that swing without going into a spasm and taking to the to muscle relaxants for a week!

After my disectomy in '95 and before my current back problems 4 years ago I was very active, I went to the gym twice a week, swam at least once a week, i'd walk at least 5 miles a day and I took Pilates once a week. It's funny too as alot of Doctors I saw when my pain recurred didn't believe I was so active because they told me so often to get more active and I said that was a huge contradiction. I just didn't think that made any sense, how can someone go from being a text book healthy person to being in so much pain.

I loved being active and I was able to do what I wanted when I wanted in terms of activity. Now i'm more comfortable lying on the flat of my back with a book and the TV control, not to mention my laptop. This is something that i've always struggled with and I look forward to going back to the person I was 4 years ago. As much as i'd love it to happen I don't know if i'll ever get back there again. Please God I will.

I'm happy that you can be as active as you like within reason, I guess bungee jumping is off the cards and like Mark56 said I too was told no twisting, no reaching etc.....

Thanks for your reply it gives me hope and I hope you can continue your activities, i know you said you have pain everyday but managable versus chronic....

Sophie. xxxx

Me too Sinead
 

Sinead I completely understand how you feel now having been so active. I too was a very heathy person. Never took a single tablet. Walked 6 miles a day. Loved being outdoors. Went to the gym and did swimming. That all ended rather abruptly 6 1/2 years ago when my back went click for no apparent reason. I was lying down at the time and just about to get up off the couch. Now it's a different story. I do go walking but nothing like I used to do!!!! That's been the hardest for me. But I'm pushing myself every week to do just that little bit more even if I have to pay the consequences later. It might be just an extra 5 mins but I try. Plus it's a great time to clear the head and do lots of thinking!!

I hate the fact that I can't do things around the house like I used to like painting and decorating. It's sooo frustrating having to sit/lie down and watch while my husband takes over :mad: I then remind myself that you know there are far worse off cases out there and I should be grateful that I can get out and about!!!

Thank God for my laptop/iPad too:winky: otherwise I would be a basket case :D

Take care

Jackie :hug:

Exercise
 

Hi Jackie,

You know what, you sound just like me. I miss my activeness so much as you say it was a great way to clear my head and deal with the stresses of the day. Now I feel like that's all been taken away from me, like you I too push myself just that extra 5 min. Sometimes I pay the price for it and somedays I don't.

I've also put on alot of weight since i stopped being so active and with all the meds I find it difficult to lose it. I also find that all my energy goes towards staying strong and coping with pain. I don't have the concentration or the energy to work on a real diet and when I do I lose nothing. My doctor reckons that is the meds.

Hopefully one of these days we will both be free of this tortuous back pain and be reliant soley on our stims so we can walk 5-6 miles a day and maybe swim a little bit, i'd love to be like Kim, i'm very jealous (and happy) of her although i'm aware she is over a year sincer her surgery and we're both very recent.

It's nice to know I'm not the only one here that misses their exercise and the energy it used to give me.

all the best,

Sinéad :):grouphug::grouphug:

Wellllllllll..................
 

How about a little bike riding.... NO not the Harley D, I mean the push the pedal kind of bicycle. Prior to the wreck, I was riding bike 12 miles a day, whether my real mountain bike, or, if traveling, the hotel stationary bikes.

My wife and I now have bikes and we are riding to rebuild strength and stamina. It is a kick!! Hiking, I used to do, but cannot truly do the wilderness stuff I did because the legs are not what they were with the numbness and all, so I treadmill it, allowing me to hold on as I stride- balance and propreoception is not an issue then. Pool exercise in the local therapy pool is a good one for us.

I may not be doing all I did before, but there is no reason not to give it a go at what we CAN do. GO KIM GO!!!

Yeah, OOah,
Mark56:D

I tried to cycle yesterday but I can't press down with my left leg for one .. shame as we have some beautiful, if hilly, countryside here in Derbyshire. Maybe one day .. I wont give up !

I really need a kick up the bum to get to the local swimming pool. It's not as if I have to rush back for anything, so I can take all the time in the world to get dressed.

Ode to my Bicycle days... :D
 

Before the horrible back pain in my teens at the weekends a group of us kids would take our bicycles out and cycle to the Curragh which is a beautiful place during the summer. We would cycle for hours and hours, we used to go orientering there too, shooing the sheep as we went.
I too loved my bicycle, i loved the fresh air, i loved the down hill journeys where you could just go wow.... lovely

I guess this world we share is lovely in parts. I've loved the many places i've been to in the US, especially Colorado's mountains, gorges, cannons etc.
Yoesmite Nat Park is just pure Wow, I want to go back there and next on our list is Yellowstone Nat Park, I've no idea when I'm going to get there. I could imagine cycling around all these lovely places but not a chance. I think if i were to get on a bicycle now i'd have forgotten how!.

:D:D:D:D

That's right Mark...
 

Go Butt Buzzers go!!!! LOL!!

It is frusterating thinking of all the things you use to be able to do. I went through those negative emotions many times and still have them occasionally. I wish I could still play competitive volleyball, have a work out that leaves me drenched in sweat and still want more, or be able to golf 45 rounds in a day but it isn't going to happen. I, too, have put on a lot of weight since the pain started but I am slowly starting to lose it as I concentrate on the things that I can do such as getting myself physically and mentally ready to join karate in September. For me, setting goals like this really helps. It gives me the focus and motivation to accomplish anything I set my mind to. However, if I don't quite meet the goal in the specified time, I don't get down on myself. I just continue with the same goal but with an extended date of completion. I remember my first goal was to be able to walk around the block without stopping. To anyone else, it seemed so easy but to people who have pain like we do, it's like climbing Mt. Everest. With a lot of luck and patience, I was able to achieved that goal. Then, I was able to set a higher goal and then another goal until I was able to comfortably walk two miles. Now, I'm adding a little running here and there but I've found that it is very hard on my knees so I don't like to do it that much. Before the pain, I was in the military running 3 -4 miles with no problems at all. Truthfully, I'm not heartbroken that I'm not running anymore as I really never like it!!! LOL!!

I wish you all the best of luck in finding what works for you. I still have a long way to go but as I was once told.....it is not the destination but the journey. It may not be an easy journey for some of us but hopefully we have learned something along the way. I know I have. Learning to slow down and appreciate the kindness of others, especially all of you here, is something that I am truly grateful for. :Heart:

I don't know how you all do it. I can't walk to the bathroom without severe pain.

But isn''t that surgical pain?
 

It will relax over time and you will have come into your own with what the stim was planned to do by way of help. Gve it time. Getting up to go to the bathroom and the walking was painful for a few weeks, then that faded to background noise and we became serious about physical therapy along with caging the monster of pain.

Prayin,
Mark56:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: