Exercise and stiff muscles
 

Hi

So before sfn I didn't exeecise at all. I am slightly over weight since being in gabapentin (gained 18 pounds in 3 months) I should be 120 and I am 138. I decided to start swimming thinking it was a low impact form of exercise.

I started with 3 laps of the breaststroke and 3 front crawl. The next day I did 6 front crawl and 2 breaststroke. I didn't go yesterday. I think my tight neck muscles have something to do with my neck usage during swimming. ( maybe not). My neck front is sooooo tight it's feels like I am pullin against my own body just to keep my head straight and not have my chin tucked down. I have also been havin a lot of facial pain and pressure in front of my ear and into my nose and mouth ( along with burning and vibrating). Could my swimming have made my neck muscles seize up around the nerve by my ears? If so, what should I do to relieve it? ( it might just be neuropathy progression) but I just don't want this to become a permanent symptom of If it doesn't have to.
I took a flexeril on my swimming days to help prevent this from happening. I have also been taking 1 or two 400nmg advils. Doesn't seem like it worked. What should I do?

My other question is do I rest and take a break from swimming or keep going? What's best for possibly healing the muscle?

Let me commend you on your ambition. 6 laps is a lot for the first 2 days. I couldn't even do one lap when I went a few months ago. I haven't gone since. Just walking in the water was hard. I'll go again when school starts and the kids aren't around. But, I was thinking maybe I'll get a massage a few days before I go again. That might help me not to feel like lead. Or not. :winky:

As far as your neck hurting, that could be from swimming.

Time between swimming is the best rest you can give your body.

It might be your nerves not your muscles that need to heal.. The muscles may stiffen or weaken when they are not receiving the proper nerve signals. I know in my case, my calve muscles are weak, but it isn't due to the muscle itself needing to heal, it's the nerves innervating that muscle that need to heal.
So although it's good to use and stimulate the nerves, overdoing it could irritate them and cause more symptoms. In my own case, I haven't found overdoing it causes any permanent damage, but more fatigue, numbness, and tingling.
Another thing that might cause the symptoms you have could be the cold water. When I have been in cold water for an extended period, my muscles around the nerve damaged area cramp up.

I take a potassium and a Magnesium tablet a couple times a week. I get the toes going in all directions at night. It helps that.

If you weren't an athlete prior to SFN and aren't a proficient swimmer, those swim strokes are probably going to aggravate your neck tightness. You could do some water walking if the pool set up for it (no lane lines). There are "pool toys" you can use to do very gentle strength type training. You could also take it easier by grabbing a kick board and doing some laps that way.

I think the key is to take it easy enough to not cause yourself issues, but try to do enough to maintain some of your muscular and cardiovascular strength.

As a child I took all the swim levels and passed with flying colors. I continued swimming until my early teens but it's been about 15 years... It all came back like riding a bike!

It's great that you were able to jump right back into swimming. (I tried when I was young, but never learned to swim a stroke. - well maybe I could sidestroke 1/2 the length of the pool if it was necessary to save my life).

Still, I have to believe that after 15 years of not swimming, months of nasty SFN symptoms, and a 15% gain in your body weight - you should get back into it very slowly. Do what you can do without causing too much discomfort, then increase in very small increments.

Just don't get discouraged. It's not a race. None of us have the same bodies that we used to have. We can only do what our bodies will allow.

I hear ya Ragtop. :wink: