Endo friendly exercise

[Bledie]

Hello girls

I am trying to start exercising again, can't do pilates, running or yoga. Might be able to do swimming, can do walking. Is there any exercise you recommend, I'm kind of wanting to try something new xx

[worth71]

I do lots of walking, I can't swim very much but I do go to the pool often and the movement helps me no end, I was thinking of trying Pilates actually, but did you find it difficult? My pain is lower back, and lower left pelvis and left leg, but I've heard Pilates is good xx

[Cloudyrain]

Spooky - I asked admin to do a "what exercise people find helps" poll last week (thought it would be useful and a positive change from the normal depressing polls!). I wonder if any exercise is good in that a lot of endo pain is caused where we alter our posture and hold ourselves differently due to the pain. I till be watching the responses closely x

[Bledie]

Spooky! and yeah hope we get a good response I like your poll idea, I'd take part in that. I know some women have had OT support to help with their posture, I had never thought about doing that but might see whether I can go down that route. I love exercising and when I'm not crippled by pain I find it helps to manage the pain. I read somewhere that it regulates estrogen as well, so yeah hopefully we'll get some tips good luck x

[Bledie]

Hi worth71 sorry, just saw your post now! I think Pilates doesn't need to be bad, I did Pilates regularly before my endo progressed, I think it might depend on where your endo is and how much pain you are normally in. Pilates is great for strengthening your core and building up your back muscles so it could potentially be good for you. I was able to do it before I had an IVF in Feb 2013 but after the IVF my endo has been much worse and I cannot do it anymore. So I def recommend trying it and see how your body responds, I realized I wasn't able to do it when I started having cramps right after and the day after. Pilates is a mindful exercise and thus calming, that's what I love about it.

I like walking but sometimes I feel it isn't challenging enough, I think I might have to just come to terms with the fact that maybe walking is all I can do for now.

I'm going to try swimming this weekend to see if I can still do that. I know some women have done water aerobics and find that very helpful. It's mainly old ladies that do it but it might be good

Let me know how you get on, if you decide to try Pilates

good luck x

[worth71 in reply to Bledie]

Whatever exercise I do I end up with mild labour like pains during or after, mainly after, but I still feel much better exercising than not - with the walking I walk very fast, so I'm a little breathless and slightly sweaty, before my lap I walked 3 miles per day with my dogs, at the moment I can only manage a moderate walk for 1.5 miles but its movement which is the main thing - going to try to Pilates next week will let you know how I go lol xx

[Impatient]

Pilates has to be done gently, because you can cause adhesions to tear and more adhesions to grow if you cause trauma to your tummy by over stretching or aggravating endo lesion sites. It doesn't suit everyone.

Very much depends where your endo is and what kind of adhesions you have sticking things together.

Same goes for ll forms of exercise. Probaby wisest to avoid any that put pressure on the tummy, and tummy muscles and ligaments unless you want to run the risk of ouchy days afterwards.

Any activities which just exercise the legs and arms and lungs without hurting endo is the best thing to do. Walking tops that list.

Running is probably beyond what most of us can manage unless it's for the last bus from a war zone.

Just getting active is a start, could be volunteering to help an elderly neighbour by doing their shopping for them, or helping them to get to and from the shops.

A spot of gardening or keeping an allotment can be a varied work out with rest times.

Table Tennis, Badminton for beginners, taking the stairs up or down twice for each time you need to use the stairs,

If you can cope with a saddle, cycling can be good exercise, but for some ladies it's far too painful on the nether regions to sit astride a bicycle saddle.

Some parks have OAP play/fitness equipment in them, if you have one of those near you, that could be a free source of gentle stretching and exercising.

Line Dancing, Tap Dancing, Belly dancing even Ballet for grown up beginners, Irish Dancing too.

Perhaps not pole dancing just yet though.

[Margo45]

I do Qi Kung (pronounced chee gung), it is gentle and stretches muscles, helps with breathing and stress. I also walk 3 miles when up to it but endo puts paid to it for a week. X