Diagnosis last June and I’m currently on 9mg of pred. Struggling to get my head and body round the day to day swings in my condition. Following recommendations in this group one thing has emerged as good for it, gentle exercise . If I walk 2 miles a day pain and stiffness are manageable. Not always as easy as it sounds in our cold and windy winters, but today it’s cold and raining with a 94% chance of being so all day. How to get enough exercise to keep the condition at bay? No space to walk around house and cannot do stairs. Any suggestions please? Thanks.
exercise: Diagnosis last June and I’m currently on... - PMRGCAuk
exercise
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Jakey67
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PMRproAmbassador
Is there a shopping centre or even a large supermarket you can get to? I am always surprised by the step count I can achieve at the Big Spar that is the main supermarket for the town near where I live! I usually park as close as possible and dash in and out to get the things they sell I can't get anywhere else locally, otherwise I hate the place. But when short of exercise I can force myself to to walk around all of it! A proper shopping mall would be even better - multiple levels so different things to see,
And Germans will always tell you - no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!!! Rain I don't mind and it is very funny here as when it rains everyone is out with an umbrella, even riding bikes! But we don't get wind like in the UK and I agree, I hate wind.
Another suggestion that has been made is a mini ergometer - just the pedals of a bike, which you can use while sitting and watching TV. Studies have shown them to be beneficial.
tunturi.com/en/mini-bike-ca...
I'd give you the Amazon link but I only get my page - just google it.
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
Have you seen this - most of the exercise in the booklet don’t take much space..
pmrgca.org.uk/exercise-webi...
Booklet to download -
pmrgca.org.uk/wp-content/up...
Thanks I’ll take a look
I’ve started to do chair exercises . Lots to follow on Utube.
You could look into an under the desk treadmill. I have one and use it some. I prefer to be outdoors, but the treadmill is nice when it's too nasty to be outside.
Lots of exercise videos on YouTube though I admit there’s a lot of rubbish there too. “Walk at Home” and “Bob & Brad” and “Yoga with Adrianne” are a good place to start? It’s certainly nicer to be outside but it’s vile weather here and very muddy also. All the best.
Is it still called Bob&Brad since one of them is no longer in the videos?
Seems to be.. he’s still involved in the company ..
Have you got a pool nearby. The water supports weight bearing exercise and just walking up and down can bring good results in increasing strength for longer outside walks. Jumping, skipping, stretching, running etc is also possible in water which are things I can’t normally do on dry land . There are usually lots of people doing this after hip/knee replacement etc so I’ve never felt out of place or in the way. Swimming is of course also a good source of gentle exercise. As well as walking I normally try to do an Aqua class 4 times per week though subject to energy levels I might only manage 20 mins or so and at the moment can’t go because of skin tear wounds (or walk far) and this has definitely made a difference to my overall well being. As for walking in really bad weather (after knee replacement) as suggested in other’s post places like a shopping Mall are quite a good option plus a range of armchair exercises even when you really don’t feel like it. I found the more you do it the easier it gets and you usually feel so much better for it. Good luck
tai chi ...you only need standing space...videos online
If it's bad weather we pop into a Mall for a walk. I also do stretching exercises every day, about 10 minutes worth. It keeps me flexible and stops my muscles from becoming weak. They were so bad after almost 4 months in bed before diagnosis. I also keep moving around during the day. This morning I'm clearing out a few cupboards. It's amazing how much junk we've stored in the 20 years in Cyprus! Good luck to you....
You got a shed or garage, find a hobby or pastime till summer comes , yea it’s hard when weather is rubbish, or find charity job
Regards badger
Agree with Obscurecloud. If you have a swimming pool nearby use it as the support of the water makes exercise much more gentle on the muscles and joints. If there's an over 60 aqua steps or similar class take part as it should be tailored so you can do as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. I'm going 3 times a week and been doing so for a year now. It doesn't help quickly but the effect builds and I've got some muscle tone back in especially my legs 😀. Hope you have a pool close by or drive to one maybe with the help of some friend or kind person.
Get a dog!
They are super cuddly company and need a good walk at least once a day. You'll find that people walking with dogs stop to chat with you, whereas those that don’t have dogs simply say hello or ignore you completely. Yes, the majority will just be occasional acquaintances but even a short chat lifts your spirits.
Dogs mean you have to get out every day, regardless of the weather. It's just a matter of getting the right clothes, as PMRPro says.
Once you start chatting, people will recommend dog sitters and other dog walkers you can book if you're ever not feeling well enough to do it yourself, or if you need a long trip out to see a doctor or whatever.
Think our cats would have something to say about that!
Nor would it stop the bad weather… unless it has magjcal powers…🤨..😅😂
Yep a dog forces you to get out in all weathers. Sometimes I have to just get the long raincoat on, the waterproof hat, the scarf, the gloves. The first few yards are HORRID but there is always something positive to witness in all weathers. And each step gets easier. And feel fab when I get back.
Dogs are pretty impervious to most weather conditions. They tolerate rain, except when they look out of the door and can smell the rain in the air, and they love snow but they hate hail which presumably hurts their eyes. And wind on a sandy beach must feel like a sand storm in the Sahara.
I'm a cat person at heart but having had a dog for twelve years I wouldn’t be without one now. They are unhesitating in their love for you and always lift your spirits. And….they make you get up and go out, you just need the right clothes.
Yes you're absolutely right on all counts. A very special relationship ♥️
Qigong is fab for core strength, physical amd mental well-being. Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi with Master Wing Cheung There are lots of you tube videos of him doing the set if you type it in YouTube. It wouldn't let me paste a link for some reason.
Do as little or as much as you want. Its superb exercise. Hope you find something that helps xx
Pilates or swimming ? YouTube for Pilates if you can’t travel?
Hi JakeyPlease be kind to yourself. There is no pleasure being out in the freezing cold. Is there a local dance class you could join. Or even a zumba class. Put some music on and just dance at home. If dancing is mot your thing , use your time in structured relaxation or maybe some meditation. My own journey through this disease has benefitted greatly through what I like to call self care. And, using the slow reduction method, after 2 years, I am nearly off the steroids . Good luck.
Gloria
Perhaps we should have a Zoom dance get together!
As a general exercise my physio recommended standing on one leg and also up on your toes. They are easy to do when you are making a drink or washing up and help strengthen your legs. Also getting up from a chair without using your arms, it mustn't be too low though, add a few cushions to raise you up first if need be.
Hi Jakey67. This awful weather puts me right off going for long walks, but I am a member of an online exercise group which started during the pandemic and is still thriving.
There's 100’s of pre-recorded classes on there, which include one of my fave classes, “walk fit” and Pilates, etc. The instructor, Tracey, certainly Lifts my mood and her enthusiasm really sets me up.
But there is nothing as good as walking in the spring sunshine. But where on earth has it gone? It’s certainly not here on the east coast🤣
Fair's fair - it's barely the middle of February!!! If it is any consolation - not here either. But southern Italy is looking better ...
You’re familiar with our east coast, PMRpro, but it’s the continual grey dreary days here thats getting everyone down. But it’s good to see the spring bulbs springing through😄
Oh tell me about it!!! The region I used to live in in Germany is the same, November to spring this dull sea of cloud. I thought they called it "nebelig drupe". it is "nebelig trueb" but Bavaria mixes up t's and d's and p's! Still think the "foggy droop" is better!!!
Honestly - it's that weather that deters me from coming back as much as anything else! No idea why I ended up in the UK, the stork must have been diverted - I'm a sunshine person ...
Blame the jet stream… 🌬️
🙄
Ha, aren’t we all sunshine people! We’re certainly not going to overdose on it atm🤣
You must be mad if you return to the UK, but I know you’ve got your daughter & family here, so that changes things….
have a look on YouTube for indoor walking videos. leslie sansone is well known. You don't need too much space and there are several options in the videos for different abilities.
Or maybe some beginners yoga or chair yoga.
Heaps of videos online for mobility and exercises at all levels. You can do as much or as little as you like, assuming you have the app on your TV. And nothing wrong with putting your favourite music on and dancing round the kitchen. Or how about a swim?
A lot of replies!! so great!! You can use a rainy day to take a break!! I am learning about gentleness in this program----I notice you are doing that too!! May there be many sunny days ahead!!
Dear Jakey I want to add that gentleness in my head and acceptance help me enormously one day at a time for my body to welcome healing ---- most of swings disappeared when I started to take my pred at 2:00 am approx. as this wise group recommended. I wish the same for you! I am at 3.5 mg.---
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