I am slowly trying to get back into doing more exercise since my brain abscess in April. Prior to this I used to do a lot of running, hiking and some all round general exercise in the garage. Not being committed to a gym or buying lots of equipment, along with being able to proactively monitor progress and statistics through technology, such as my Galaxy Watch and associated apps e.g. Stava, has been key for me historically.
Anyway, I have been very apprehensive about doing any exercise other than walking since the operation and leaving hospital. I get fatigue, although not horrendously and of varying degrees, but I have been mainly concerned about the ongoing headaches and not wanting to exasperate them. I have found on some of the longer walks such as 10K, it would increase the headaches, but again not to a degree that I am not comfortable with (most of the time). Therefore, I am looking to plan my next steps to improve my overall fitness, which has obviously taken a bit of a nosedive, along with my weight.
My current thinking is to continue walking and gradually increase the distance while looking to introduce other activities. Those that have come to mind are yoga to increase suppleness (nothing I have really great experience of so advice here would be appreciated) and buying an indoor exercise bike to increase cardiovascular rather than running, as I'd imagine cycling would be easier due to not having constant pounding you get when running.
As I have been thinking about this, I have assumed that other members on this site have gone through a similar journey of reintroducing exercise. Although I appreciate everyone's circumstance is different, I was hoping to get some insight into approaches others have used, as it might enlighten me to things I may not have considered. In addition, if there are any recommended free resources and/or apps you can use to help plan routines, that would be fantastic.
If anyone can provide any opinion I would be grateful.
Thanks in advance,
Matt
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m4tthall
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Hi Matt. I walk as much as possible and cycle at the weekends when the roads are less busy. Of course housework and gardening are enough for me to be going on with but, for pure distraction, cycling on a nearby dis-used/resurfaced railway track is my favourite.
I've tried on & off to swim all my life, but even private lessons at 40 failed. I'd love to swim and envy those who do (I have a liberating feeling just imagining it) ; it's also purportedly the best form of exercise.
Keep up the good work...........without overdoing it ! Cat x
Biking defo, smoother less bouncing, also try resistance bands, they are not only for physio anymore but for working out. every exercise you can think of can be done with these bands. Check out meglio.com
When going outside is not possible, consider the "low impact cardio" workouts at HASfit.com. These workouts are beautifully designed and allow you to do as much or as little as you want and still get clear results in terms of muscle mass, flexibility and stress reduction. There is no jumping and no twisting your knees. See the "workouts section fo the site to find these. They also have some for senior and disabled people. We started using these when COVID started and are in the best shape we have been in many years. Remember to start very slowly: No weights at first.
You seem to be giving yourself impeccable advice already Matt. Good work! Only thing I would add is that if balance is any way compromised than an element of extremely slow speed cycling and Indo Board seemed to help me...
British Lung Foundation has a series of exercise videos for aerobic exercise, strength exercises and so on. They may not be exactly what you're looking for but might give you some ideas of exercises that can be done indoors and build up gradually.
Exercise is one of the areas that really suffered after my ABI. I lost all of my core muscle during 4 months in hospital and when I did join a gym I found my motivation had completely disappeared and stopped exercising after 2-3 months.
I found walking has been good for me and regularly walk 10,000 - 15,000 steps a day.
I find that walking at a decent pace to increase my heart rate gives me a work out of sorts and keeps my weight in check
I do a lot of Yoga, there's loads of different types depending on your ability and health. Have a look in your local area for classes, you could start of in a gentle class and work your way up.
Matt, These yoga sessions start on the floor but move into upright. See how you go. They are fun and dynamic. Any that your brain goes... what is that.. .just sit it out until you can follow along with the next movement.
Butiyoga - a recent trendy version of yoga from California
Hi Matt, I think you're doing some really good stuff and others have offered solid ideas.
I suggest Tai Chi if you've been considering yoga. The moves are minimally strenuous for the head and neck and the set can be modified to suit your needs. Take a look at this link: youtube.com/watch?v=f9BFWJs... . It's not as easy as it looks; bear in mind that Moy Lin Shin is a master!
Master Moy wanted to open up Tai Chi for all at minimal (if any) cost for everyone of any age. There's a guy called Kevin who takes you through Master Moy's entire recommended set on Youtube. It's an excellent course. The link is at: youtube.com/watch?time_cont...
It's advisable to warm up first. There are specific exercises for a Tai Chi warm up, but doing the usual gym-type muscle arm/back/leg gentle stretches is a good starting point.
You may find it helpful to set up your computer screen so that you're watching it in a mirror to make sure you're not having to 'reverse' each move!
Tai Chi is reckoned by many medics to be as good as, in some cases better than, a full gym workout. There is no jarring impact on the spine. It has many evidence-based health benefits. People still do Tai Chi in their nineties, even as sitting-down chair based exercises.
I hope you find something that suits!
PS. If you're still getting headaches, it might be worth checking with your consultant to ensure that you definitely don't have a cerebro-spinal fluid leak anywhere. Also, ask your GP to arrange broad-spectrum meningitis jabs if you haven't had them already, especially if you plan to swim. You've probably had them as part of your treatment regime.
Have you thought of Nordic walking, walking with the assistance of pole's, so your upper body takes some of the strain. The is a national network under the Nordic Walking UK. It has a good social aspect.
Like you will read on many posts here, it is early days for you, although you were active, the brain takes a lot longer to recover than you would think. So take your time, it will all come good in its own time, and you can't rush it. Do what you are doing, don't try to accelerate the process
So, 4 months on from this post and it seems my ongoing symptoms have been a good 'excuse' to be pretty rubbish on even the things I used to really enjoy. I need to have a good spell so I can get out of this somewhat lethargic state but feeling that'll be something to commence after Christmas.
Hi Matt, I think even people without brain injury have been 'lethargic' this year, so be kind to yourself. Think about the lethargy though - is it more to do with fatigue? I find if I haven't taken a real break during the morning or afternoon, that I gradually grind to a halt, and end up doing less than if I'd taken 10- 30 minutes 'out'. The best plan is to take a break before you notice you are tired - literally flop down with no sound and your eyes shut for ten minutes - as much as every hour (set timers on your phone) but if that's too tedious perhaps try out a meditation app like Headspace to give you that break instead.
The first neurologist I saw suggested I got an exercise bike on eBay or the like - in fact my Mum got me a free crosstrainer by posting on Nextdoor. I started on just trying to get up to ten minutes a day. I had concussion, so a bit different, but the specialist physio the neurologist sent me to, said I had to stop exercising when it triggered any symptoms like dizziness, nausea or headache (and he didn't want me to do any weights) the trick is to exercise within your current limits, and build up slowly. Walking is great obviously. Earlier posts mentioned yoga and Tai Chi - YouTube is a great source of classes - I run them on my TV 😊
It looks like Christmas will be quieter this year, but bear in mind that Christmas can put a lot of pressure on anyone with fatigue from a brain injury. Last year it took me nearly to the end of January to get back on an even keel - even when being forewarned that it might be tough, and trying to plan to spread out pretty quiet social stuff with the family.
Thanks for the reply. It is a mixture of not wishing to exasperate symptoms I have been struggling to break free from and motivation.
I know exercise can be partly motivation and habit. The latter is also a challenge, as I just cannot get into routines like I used to. Nevertheless, I often find myself sat in front of my computer at the end of the day after work and struggle to find a true reason why I couldn't have done some exercise during day. In fact, no reason why I don't at that point when I am thinking about it! I think feeling low doesn't help and then feeling guilty about feeling low.
I will absolutely start the new year with some kind of plan. I have typically been the kind of person that you're either fully committed to something or it doesn't feel like it's worthwhile. So kicking off now in the run up to Christmas certainly isn't going to feel rewarding.
We did get an air bike for my birthday at the end of September. I used it a couple of times and thought I was going to die. Being somewhat overly dramatic there but it was quite demoralising for me to struggle with a few minutes on an air bike when I had run numerous reasonably paced half marathons prior to kicking things off in April.
Slow and steady, I know that's what I will need to plan for come January but it will be a challenge, conflicting with my natural impatience
Yes, I get that - patience is what we all end up needing with brain injuries!
I don't know if it's the same across all BI, but even a mild TBI is marked by an inability to exercise. But you can overcome that by going slow and steady, as you say.
In the New Year, perhaps try and workout based on your heart rate? It gives you a training target (and graphs with your smart watch and apps) but stop if your symptoms get worse, and work at a lower intensity the following day. (Try and avoid spikes in your heart rate)
Plus watch out for (and try and avoid triggering) 'post exertional malaise' - where you feel ok when you're in the middle of exercise, but are knocked out and /or listless the next day.
You're still in the very early days, so try not to beat yourself up.
Plus the Headway helpline is a great source of support and information on where to go for support 😊
Hi Matt; I understand. I was a runner and cyclist, then a gym bunnie (loved Spin classes despite AF). I used the bike on a turbo trainer until it was stolen from the garden. I had done Pilates for years and added yoga; I finished my gym session with shoulder stands, candle and plough. Then I had pulmonary toxicity and later a stroke. I mentioned yoga to my Consultant Neurologist who told me that she had treated someone who had a stroke doing yoga. She said that legs up the wall was OK, but not to to put my neck into flexion by doing shoulder stand etc.
I began walking. Then I bought a second hand Concept 2 rowing machine that I use outdoors when it's not raining; 1.8 million metres to date. I've used Polar heart monitors since the big grey rectangular model was introduced into the UK. I agreed with my GP that I should limit my maximum heart rate to 180 (I'm 74). The Concept 2 performance monitor is set to show real time heart rate, so I watch it like a hawk. Good luck, take it easy.
For me, weight bearing cardio was difficult if AF kicked in. I couldn't run with my heart rate at 200: then it was walk / jog. There is a photo of me nearing a 10k finish line, head at an angle, mouth open wide. The stroke took some of my peripheral vision, so cycling in the city and driving were no more. The rowing machine at home means that I can stop at any time and, my wife could ring an ambulance if I had another stroke: the stroke had happened without warning when I was in the garden shed. It's easy to vary the effort on a rowing machine; with a damper setting of 4 it can be a leisurely row or hard work. I can have headphones on, or leave them off and look across a nature reserve and watch the birds. The rowing machine is easier to maintain than a bike: every 50 hours vacuum the fan and oil the chain. I wear my padded Spin / cycling shorts, the Polar Chest band and Vantage heart monitor work with the Concept 2 performance monitor. The rowing machine is the same as they have in gyms, and at £500 for a pristine used example, saved gym fees. Just like a Spin session I can get into an hypnotic rhythm. Rowing machines work the majority of muscles and, take my damaged knees through a greater range of movement than cycling. No more hunched over the handlebars and pressure on the prostate either.
Sounds jolly good - I was put on a stationary bike by the physio, because of my oculomotor and vestibular issues (no bouncing up and down on the treadmill for me) only switching to the crosstrainer when it got physically too hard to get my heart rate / bpm up further just on the bike. I got very close to my calculated personal max of 160 bpm over about six months of shifting up slowly in steps of 5 bpm, with some backtracking if it triggered any symptoms - I'd started low after a treadmill test with the physio at 105 bpm. The crosstrainer is also a knee friendly option, while still counting as load bearing! 😊
Yes it's the elliptical - helps my arms, and waist - but if you're used to rowing, I can see that it wouldn't touch your arms. But it sounds like you are enormously fit anyway! 😊
(Physio was keeping me well away from anything that meant my head waa moving too much)
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