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.