Trying to Exercise Not Working
 

Hey all,

I am 15 months PCS. I have been unsuccessfully trying to exercise for the past 6 months. I have tried doing the bare minimum. Walking for a few minutes is fine one day and then the next day I will get tired even though I did the same amount. Even just 5 minutes on the exercise bike with no resistance and a slow pedaling speed makes me tired and my chest hurt. I know how important exercise is to concussion so I keep trying but I feel like I just keep making my symptoms worse and I'm not improving at all.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to start an exercise regimen for PCS. I've read the Buffalo Protocol but I can't exercise for 20 minutes. Plus, I've tried monitoring my heart rate and symptoms come on at different BPM's so I gave up with it. Any help would be great.

I'm confused. Is the only symptom from exercising tiredness ?

What other symptoms are you still experiencing ?

How is your health otherwise ?

I also get a tension headache, and squeezing in my chest. And this is from only 5 minutes. I am in good health otherwise apart from the PCS and mostly sedentary lifestyle it has resulted in.

I also constantly have nasal congestion so I'm wondering if that could be effecting things. I use the neti pot which helps momentarily until my nose stuffs up a short time later. It runs in my family, I've always had it.

I started with walking....but I will bet that was well over 2 years after accident?

I hope you find something that works.....I walk alot...helps my mind

Something that helps is have someone drop you off at the gym and tell them not to pick you up until three hours , or however long you like, has passed.

If you are stuck in the gym for hours, you will (or strongly might) find a way to just keep at it. I meander around very slowly and take my time and just keep going over the same thing if I have to. I go when no one is there.

I hope you can keep going. You are brave to try! :)

Mother of Dragons, do you currently work/study full time? Seems that a lot of our symptoms are similar and i do have a stuffy nose as well.
I'm going on 4 years now since my concussion and exercise has been an elusive thing. What has helped me so far is to quit working (I'm a software developer, so was spending 8+ hours per day in front of a computer screen).
In the past six months I've been able to do much more physically, and I do notice that when I start spending too much time in front of a computer I get feel worse after exercise and my dizziness really kicks in. Every doctor that I've seen tells me there can't be any connection between my eyes and the level of physical endurance, but I've tried this several times already and it happens every time.

When I was at around 12 months, I started on the "Buffalo Protocol" on a stationary bike. I literally started at 1 minute of no resistance and built up from there. It was a tough going for sure with many setbacks. But now I'm able to ride 15 miles on an actual bike a couple times a week.

MoD,

I bet you have become out of shape and are just experiencing strain from that. It might be worth telling your doctor, just in case there is something else wrong. I used to get out of breath because I was holding my breath. Go figure.

Regarding your nasal congestion. Have you ever been checked for a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates ? I had surgery for both a year ago. It has totally changed the way I breath. I don't get the nasal congestion I had struggled with for 50+ years. Enlarged turbinates can be a family trait.

The surgery is a simple outpatient procedure that takes 45 minutes or so. There is a common report after surgery. At day three, people say, "Why did it do this?" At 2 weeks, people say, "Why didn't I do this years ago ?" If the surgery is just to reduce the turbinates, it is not as uncomfortable.

MoD,

It took me 18 months before I could go beyond walking more than around the house and tolerate the obvious discomfort of symptoms.

After I went back to the gym it took another 3 months to be able to work hard enough to regain some as semblance of conditioning.

I kept pecking away at things to see what I could tolerate...if I couldn't I waited another couple of weeks.

Bud

physical therapy
 

physical therapy helped me. they focused on the neck issue which was keeping me from being able to move without lightheadedness. I started walking. a little each day. After 8 months was able to do a dvd work out (only to the half way point) but I had to really watch how much I moved my head through it.

Thanks y'all. I know I just have to take it slow and build up. I guess my symptoms are just so inconsistent from day to day that it's hard to establish a regular routine.

Russia, I had been working 4-5 hours a week for a few months but now I am back at school, only 1 class. So I definitely have the time to exercise, I just can't seem to find the right balance.

Mark, thanks for the suggestion. I will be making an appointment with an ENT to check for those issues. I really think that is a factor.

I also think the hot humid summer weather here in NY probably factored so now that fall is coming hopefully I can tolerate more. Fingers crossed.

let me see...inconsistent, ya, I'm familiar with that!

Bud

lol Bud, still can't get used to it!

I think I'm just allergic to exercise. 4 minute walk made my nose stuff up and eyes got all irritated. No pollen in the air. No other symptoms increased. I will solve this mystery!

MOD

Like Bud, it was about 18 months before I could do much aerobic exercise besides walking. My vestibular rehab. therapist gave me an exercise test based on symptoms and gave me a heart rate to stay at without aggravating symptoms too much. The heart rate is very low (in the 120s) compared to how I used to exercise, but I'll take what I can get. Progress is very slow as I am still only able to do 30 min. at a time, but I also do some light strength training. It is still inconsistent - some weeks I just can't do it. I am not working, so that helps.

For the tension headaches... I found that I could not really do upper body work. I started out doing the elliptical instead of jogging because jogging impact hurt my head. But I realized that the arm movement from the elliptical was making my neck tighten up and then affecting my head. Now I just do the stationary bike, which is really boring, but oh well.

As far as breathing / allergies. The allergens on the east coast this year have been terrible. I started taking a natural anti-histamine called D-Hist and it has helped me.

The chest tightness may be something you want to ask your doctor about.

Take care

PS -

I also found a good integrative doctor and got my adrenals checked. I went on some adrenal support and that helped me be able to exercise more.

I'm two and a half years into recovery and able to exercise but it wipes me out by the evening. I can walk briskly about 6 miles or cycle 18 miles. Haven't tried running since last year. I've also suffered from sore dry eyes and blocked up sinuses, my symptoms have been similar to the OP's. I think alternating exercise and rest days might help. Recovery has been gradual like a glacier!

Super E,

I have to alternate between swimming, running on a treadmill (I need to be on an incline running or it pounds my head to much) and walking and require a day or 2 off as needed to avoid head hurting.

Not like the old days but I am way ahead of last year and happy to be doing something again. Sounds as if we continue to be on similar trajectories.

Bud

Hi, Bud yes we do seem to be on a similar path. Lately I've been guilty of overdoing it after a string of good days, must try not to get lured into doing that again!

Even now I'm not sure what PCS exactly is, it's hard to understand why some days are better than others, I can't get a handle on what triggers symptoms sometimes. I think doing things in small chunks is the way forward for me, exercise - rest - computer - rest etc.

Exercise
 

I'm having ups and downs with exercise also. 1.5 years with PCS. I walk the dog on a regular basis and you'd like that would help get things going. However, if I take it up a notch, like walk on a trail with slopes, turns, etc I really feel it in my head when I get back.

I tried the same trails on my mountain bike last week and it was awful. They were gentle slopes with some tricky areas but it was a bit too much too early.

I might try swimming soon. Good luck with your exercise. I hope it works out.

Thanks for the advice y'all. For some reapson exercising has been my biggest challenge and the one I need to overcome the most. Being sedentary is no way to live a healthy life. I tried swimming over the summer but felt is was too intense for me. Even just a smooth, slow breast stroke. I have been able to walk slowly for ten minutes at a time though. That's the walk I have from my car to class and it hasn't cause a spike in headaches. Plus the allergies are gone so my sinuses are better and I can actually breathe. My vestibular therapist really wants me to get back in shape so she's been pushing me a little hard with the exercise bike. Need to tell her to pull back. I wish my healthcare team would do an exertion test on me and just tell me the HR to stay at. Would make things a lot easier. Anyway, progress is still being made! I think I'm going to join a gym so I can use the treadmill and regulate my cardio better with the machine instead of just walking outside. Well see what happens.

Rr, can you explain what adrenal tests would show and how that effects PCS?

For about a two to three years going to a gym made me nauseated and dizzy every time I went. I just pushed through. Now 3.5 years on I experience days where I can really push myself (to the average gym goer my workout is light). I feel like I can concentrate on riding the exercise bike or using a weight machine, and not have to be preoccupied with the dizziness. Even better, often when I leave I feel just as good as I started.

Here's a tip: I find heavy duty ear muffs (that you would use mowing the lawn) help a lot.


Sadly, I don't feel great 100% of the time. So I try to only go to the gym when I already feel decent.

I find after 1 year

Walking = ok, can go with no side effects.

Jogging = A bit harder, you really notice the shock.

Gym = Ok, but not an extreme workout. If you're doing light-moderate weights for a period of time thats fine.