I posted a few weeks ago about something that had been in the papers and is still on the ‘related content’ list at the side of the chat forum screen. This was the idea that short bursts of ‘intensive’ exercise were very beneficial for people with MS. I’ve put intensive in inverted commas because the exercise mentioned was walking and cycling - only intensive for people with quite bad MS, methinks! Anyway, I’ve been going on a cross-trainer which was in our house anyway but hadn’t been used for months. I have been trying to go on every day, for 12 minute a go at first, working up to 15 minutes each day now. And I really have seen improvements in my fatigue levels and in my walking, even in the three weeks that I have been doing it.
I know it’s really hard to do exercise when you’ve lost a lot of function, but definately worth a try - just walking up and down your road and gradually increasing distances would probably help.
Michael Moseley did a programme about this. Not ms but the benefits of people in general doing 60 second bursts of cycling on a excercises bike. It’s supposed to help you burn more calories. I can’t and don’t even want to use the gym anymore or a excercise bike. I can’t even go out on my own due to balance problems and risk of falls. I have thought about buying a rowing machine though…think I could cope with that. I am worried about my fitness levels.
The plus side of using an Eliptical Trainer - cross trainer is that - even if you cannot walk unaided you can still use this machine. Once l have managed to get on it - l am amazed at how balanced and upright it holds me. AND it exercises all the body - as your legs stride along - so does your arms. l have a HealthRider - which l can also manage - and a Power Plate.
l am sure these have helped me keep on the right road to fitness. After a session - maybe only 10mins - l feel invigorated- any feeling of fatigue goes.
its taken me 4 months to be able to move my toes but i can do it! physio and sheer bloody mindedness does work (only very small survey involving myself-and advice from physio )
l know my family and friends dispair when they see me tottering and stumbling about - and would all like me to be safely sat down.
But l have always been like this - and l want to keep doing what l can for as long as l can.
With the help of my rollator - l did get onto the dance-floor on friday night when our friends band were playing at the ‘local’. when l got tired l could sit on it and still manage to ‘strut my stuff’. My legs were agony the following day - which goes to show that my muscles had been worked well. The band are trying to learn my favourite dance number - Killers - Are we Human or are we dancers!!