Hey all, I was diagnosed with COPD last December, I’m 43, I started going to the gym a couple of times a week about 3 months ago to work on my fitness and lose a couple of stone.
I have gradually worked up to doing about 30 mins of pretty hard cardio work, all low impact except walking on the treadmill to cool down at the end so that is at a normal walking pace and while I do find it hard it is manageable.
However I’m having major problems after with my feet which lasts for 2-3 days, they feel to be burning and cramp, which is especially bad in bed which makes sleeping next to impossible that night and very difficult for the one after, the following day they feel numb and heavy and sometimes swell a little, and start to burn again when in bed.
I got this from the start of going to the gym, I hoped it would improve as my fitness improved so persevered, but if anything it feels to be getting worse, do I need to go to my GP about it or is there anything I could try myself first to ease it?
Thanks.
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Shaun53
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Had similar experience to you.Diagnosed c.o.p.d May this year.decided had to get fitter.started walking 3-4 miles per day. one morning woke up tried to get outa bed.The pains that shot through my left foot were terrible.went docs reffered to physio.told i have plantar fasciitis.easier 4u to google it than me explain.Think you could have similar.have to go out now contact you later.cheers
with our breathing problems we need more liquid, I used to get bad cramp and foot pain, don't get it now as I drink a lot of water and raw fruit/veg juice which has the natural "salts" in.
this might tie in with when you started workouts, you would need even more liquid with that maybe.... I'm no expert.
su
Are your socks 100% cotton, these are needed inside trainers.
Also make sure you are hydrated, ie drink plenty of water. I exercise 3 times a week for 30 mins and I drink water throughout that time, the warmer the temperatures the more water is needed to stay hydrated.
Check with your doc if the symptoms your are expiencing persist.
Arthritis in my hands and feet give me this burning feeling when I walked some needed drugs to take it down when the medics have run tests it can be controlled when they have a name for the cause of it.
I suffer from Burning Feet and in my case is caused by the nerve damage caused by neuropathy. This is a common symptom of Diabetes (I am an insulin dependent Diabetic).
There are many other causes of burning feet and some include Hypothyroidism and the side effects of some drugs. Its irritating, its always there and nothing seems to relieve it.
It can be caused by Athletes foot and its always worth checking for dry skin and signs of redness particularly between the toes. My chiropodist has told me to watch out for circular spots of dry skin on the foot and they are an indication of a fungal infection. I now have a double whammy Neuropathy and Athletes foot. Remedy? Lamisil cream rubbed in twice daily, I have become a slave to my feet as well as my lungs!
If none of the above apply see the doctor and there is a perfectly good explanation.
The only person who can give you advice on this is your GP!
Hi shaun sorry to hear about your feet but it is good you are excersing.
I go to a PR )Pulmunory Rehab) group. I dont know if you have heard of the Borg scale?
Basically it runs from 1-7. If you go lower than Borg 4 or higher you are not getting the maximum benefit from your excercise. Borg 4 is feeling breathless but still able to hold a conversation. Excercise should be done at this level. Maybe this is contributing to your burning feet?
But I do think you should see a doctor. Bev xx
Hi I forgot to add I agree with making sure you drink enough water. Take a bottle with you. Also maybe you need to take a rest in the middle so you can catch your breath? x
Thanks for the replies I think I will make an appointment to see my Doctor tomorrow about it, after going last Thursday my feet still feel numb, tingly and heavy so think I had better get it checked out before going to the gym again.
Hello Shaun,
Pleased to see you've decided to see your GP about this. Exercising is such a good thing to do for your lung condition that the sooner this is sorted out the easier it will be for you to carry on comfortably.
Went to see my GP today he spent a long time examining them and wasn’t quite sure what was going on, so I have got to go back for blood tests next week and he has also referred me to both a vascular service to check if there is any problems with my circulation and physio to assess if some form of rehab would help, if the first 2 don’t turn up any results.
But I have to lay off the exercise until more is known about what is going on, this is going to be my first full winter since I got my diagnose and was hoping to go into as fit and as healthy as possible, just a shame there isn’t any form of cardio work out you can do using just your arms. I’m feeling a bit down about at the mo, had a fag when I got home from the Doctors, but just one managed to stick to my E-cig's the rest of the day.
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Concerned Update
High intesity Interval Training
Type2 respiratory failure 
Gym exercises certainly build up stamina; but don't seem to simulate the real world.
Breathing concern that is hard to deacribe
