Has anyone struggled to control their legs in the swimming pool?
It was like I was struggling to prevent them from turning me over in the water, and at other times they seem to be too bouyant…they were floating too high in the water which made it ahrd for me to swim.
I was struggling with spasticity, and after having a massage I found I felt i was swimming “normally” again.
Please tell me that someone has experience or knows what I’m talking about???
Gillian, I have had very similar and assumed that my legs were much more buoyant due to them being quite weak. In fact I went swimming today and exactly the same thing happened. I always try to swim a few lengths and then walk a few as I can’t walk well out of the water. Well today my legs were far to buoyant, my kick was totally uncoordinated and as one leg was stronger than the other I ended up going round in circles. When I started to do my walking lengths I realised why I really struggled to walk through the water as my legs were having a particular weak day, as they often do! I don’t tend to get spasticity so just assumed it was the weakness that I have, coupled with my heavy leg sensations lol Don’t think this helps but at least your not alone! Be well Pat x
Gillian, I have had very similar and assumed that my legs were much more buoyant due to them being quite weak. In fact I went swimming today and exactly the same thing happened. I always try to swim a few lengths and then walk a few as I can’t walk well out of the water. Well today my legs were far to buoyant, my kick was totally uncoordinated and as one leg was stronger than the other I ended up going round in circles. When I started to do my walking lengths I realised why I really struggled to walk through the water as my legs were having a particular weak day, as they often do! I don’t tend to get spasticity so just assumed it was the weakness that I have, coupled with my heavy leg sensations lol Don’t think this helps but at least your not alone! Be well Pat x
if I hadn’t have realised that after I had the massage/reflexology I was able to float normally…I don’t think I would have realised that I wasn’t imagining being unable to control my floating properly.
When I say spasticity it is the word the neuro physio uses to explain the muscle shortening I still have…though my legs felt incredibly heavy when I did swim just before I had the treatments…
I forgot to say I was abroad at the time and it was REALLY hot, could the heavy legs be due to the heat??? I’ve not been abroad since becoming ill so it was a first for me.
I hope you don’t mind but your version made me laugh, because when it was happening to me I got a bit frustrated and I felt like a child learning to swim and unable to control themselves… bashing people in the pool and stuff.
I hope we get some more comments and I will re-post after I’ve spoken to my goddess neuro physio for some advice on this topic. I can’t really afford to have a massage or reflexology treatment every time I want to go for a swim so that I can control myself, lol.
It means the world not to be odd alone (((((((((hugs)))))))) and thanks xxx
Your very welcome Gillian, yes it would be great to hear from others too and I would be very interested to hear what your neuro physio says. Mine told me me legs are not particularly weak, but my problem is sustaining movement. I really understand the like a child thing too. The heat makes a huge difference to me also I can barely drag my legs along if I get hot. It’s a case of thinking through the ‘pick up move forward’ cycle of what should be normal walking. Let me know how it goes. Pat x
Hi, sadly I have now lost the joy of going swimming. It was a pastime I was able to enjoy long after my mobility diminished. But the last few times Ive been, ive somehow ended up nearly drowning. I kept turning over onto my side like a dead fish. even having 2 carers with me, it still happened.
I`ve decided not to go anymore…another lost pleasure.
i stopped going to the swimming baths because in the olden days they put too much chlorine in and my eyes would be red for a week.
then i realised that the pools longer had that much chlorine but by that time i had ms.
i had a really bad experience on holiday in the hotel pool. i couldnt control my limbs and because my right arm is weaker ended up going round in circles.
to make matters worse, i thought i’d try my sister’s knack of floating round the pool on a lie-lo. disaster!!!
the flamin thing kept capsizing and i ended up wrestling it - like crocodile dundee.
very embarassing for me but highly entertaining to the hotel’s children!
i’ve been going for hydrotherapy and realised that i’ve lost all confidence in my ability to float.
I could go away for a weeks residential but I’m loathe to leave my poor husband alone with the dreadful children for a week…but I think its the only chance I may have to get such a good bash at hydrotherapy.
Want a chat about some other stuff so will PM you also xx
