Graded Exercise Therapy

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

I’m wondering what you think of Graded Exercise Therapy (GET)… ??

I was told to do this years ago, went along to listen and thought how, although logical from a non sufferer point of view, what a waste of time!

Yesterday I paid £85 to go and see a neuro physio privately, she done all the tests on me and concluded I do have weakness in my arms and legs, left side worse, I have no shortening in my muscles and no atrophy. All good. And my balance is off. She also said most of my problems are fatigue based.

She’s given me a few exercises to go on with for now which should help with my balance. And explained about finding the the right point for me, ie listening to my body about how much I can do and stop before I get to that point. Again, all very good advice, but it’s stuff I already know and ‘try’ and do.

She was very nice and helpful and I’m certainly not knocker her.

BUT…

I totally understand why professionals talk about GET but without experiencing what we go through, I really don’t think it’s possible!

I have got to the point of knowing my limit in walking is half a mile, but even thats a bit too far without having repercussions, so according to GET, reduce that down, to say quarter of a mile, walk that and get my body used to that, then slowly increase the distance. But our bodies just don’t work the same as other people’s. One day I could walk more than half a mile, the next time my body might only want to walk 1 tenth of a mile (I don’t mean the day straight after, I’m talking hyperthetically)

I understant the need to exercise to a limit I can do, I understand if “you don’t use it you lose it” and I understand doing too much my body WILL punish me!

Anyway… I’m rambling now, I just wanted to know your thought on this type of graded program.

Thank you :slight_smile:

2

Hi,

I have not come accross GET before but on Friday I am starting 4 sessions with a Personal trainer who will take a Holistic view of my diet, stance, muscle strength, I will let you know how it goes…

regards,

Catherine

3

Thanks Catherine.

Anyone have any views on GET?

4

Views on GET?

Yeah, read the Wikepedia article, and keep away from it.

And, you can download a lot of free material from:

5

Thats my thoughts too Geoff!! Why are so many professionals telling us to do it!!!

6

I thought GET was for just for people with ME. I can’t see what earthly use it would be for MS, but maybe I am just out of touch.

I once went to a Pilates class where the woman taking it said she knew all about MS, but it soon became clear that she thought my weak leg would become as strong as the other one if I just tried hard enough. Even people who should know better just have no idea, and it is beyond exasperating.

Alison

x

7

I thought that too Alison, this physio woman seemed to think it would help with my fatigue!

I sometimes wish a top neurologist would actually get MS themselves, then they would actually be able to understand what we go through and maybe be able to provide better solutions!!

x

(and as for your pilates instructor, if only!!!)

8

Hi JulesL,

not sure if this helps, as promised coming back to you about the personal trainer. I started by not mentioning anything about the MS symptoms and he measured stiffness and flexibility in my muscles arms/leg with what felt like a rolling pin being rolled up and down ( I was lying on my back so could not see what he was doing), odly I noticed in the upper left leg and arm I felt nothing which are my areas of weakness but they where more flexiable than the right side when it came to these tests. He measured my spine in 3 places with a compass also looked at my posture. He described my spine as being crunched down in a more definate S shape which he mentioned if I was stretched out I would be 2 inch’s taller (because of this my rib cage is pushed out and he assumed I was having trouble breathing and he was right) and he then went on to describe me as a ‘block of concrete’ also my body is out of allignment. He then gave me a 100 pg booklet to complete at home about my diet and lifestyle. It was embarressing when he asked me to sit over a bench with one leg on each side as I lost slight control of my bladder, but he kindly said nothing, I felt like running to the tiolet but i did not and carried on. Seeing him next thurs and Friday for more sessions and taking him my completed booklet. One of the things he did say was he would show me stretching excercises to help me unfold myself. Please forgive my spelling or adding words if there are any in this as this is something that has got worse for me and even if i proof read i cannot recognise the mistakes. Will let you know what happens next week if you wish.

Catherine