Exercise and Stress

[diguilio]

Can MS lead to stress? I want to excerise but I really can't. So what am I suppose to do?

[Dawnrnuk72]

Have you said that backwards? As in can stress lead to MS? If so then yes I believe so. I once went on a exercise and diet, without consulting my GP, and it lead to a relapse. I was doing aerobic exercise. My MS nurse said hard, aerobic workouts are too much stress on the body.

Physical and mental stress can cause flare-ups.

Someone tried to burglar our house while we were home a few years ago. It's was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. I had a really bad, couldn't walk, relapse a week later.

[Sir-Voor]

Dealing poorly with stress does effect MSers more than normal, and living with MS’s symptoms is stressful.
With my symptoms I try to stay analytical but them and view them just as a problem to solve.

And realizing my earthly life is only temporary and is only an experience I will learn from for my real life in heaven.

As for exercise, any physical activity counts. It does not need to be a full gym workout, you just need to force yourself to do the best you can.

Personally I prefer what I call productive workouts, walking my dog, mowing the grass, laundry, putting up holiday decorations, etc. etc.

[BigA]

Do whatever kind of exercise suits you. Walking is excellent, as is the elliptical or bicycle.

Exercise helps with stress. Stress makes MS feel worse and may worsen progression.

So get your stress handled by meditation, drugs, exercise or whatever. You'll feel better.

[foxz71]

Staying active when diagnosed with MS improves overall cardiovascular health, mental health, and helps to ease the symptoms of MS. According to the National MS Society, "A study published by researchers at the University of Utah in 1996 was the first to demonstrate clearly the benefits of exercise for people with MS. Those patients who participated in an aerobic exercise program had better cardiovascular fitness, improved strength, better bladder and bowel function, less fatigue and depression, a more positive attitude, and increased participation in social activities."

Still motivation can be difficult even on the best of days. There are several key components to starting an exercise program that will work for you.

Start slowly. Five or ten minutes of walking may be more than what your used to. Don't overdue it! This is the number one reason many exercise programs fail. If you push it too hard the first week and your feeling more pain or having more symptoms, the last thing you will feel like doing is continuing to exercise.

Track your progress in a small notebook so that you can see your achievements. This helps to inspire bigger and better performance as your body adapts to the changes.

Exercise within your ability. If your symptoms are such that mobility is difficult; try swimming. Swimming is also a great way to stay cool and still meet your daily exercise requirements. Check with your local YMCA or other fitness facility to find a pool near you. Gently experiment with your abilities and find something you enjoy and look forward.

Exercise during the cooler hours of the day, morning or evening to keep from overheating. Remember that heat can exacerbate the symptoms of MS.

Exercising in segments can help you recoup quicker from each session as opposed to one long training session which may wipe you out.

Listen to the signals your body sends you. You will come to easily know the difference between pushing your limits a tiny bit and out and out symptom exacerbation. You should never feel wiped out for days after a session; if so, you've gone at it a bit to hard. slow down some.

Always stretch prior to any workout.

Adjust your workout to your ability. If your feeling tired, skip the cardio that day.

When using the cycles, use a toe strap. It will help keep your feet where they belong.

Workout near where you can grab onto something if you lose balance.

Tai Chi is an excellent form of exercise for MS. It can also be done in a chair.

Use the facilities prior to working out to help with those sudden urges, and if you feel the need to go while working out, forget the reps and go! Motivation will wan if something like this gets in your way.

Try not to plan to exercise if its going to coincide with the side effects of your medication. Some of our meds cause flu like symptoms, its just not the right time to try to keep up the program.

These are a few steps you can take to start an exercise program that will work for you. I would love input and suggestions from people and I will add to this post over time to improve it. Let me know what's worked for you.

[Shashi]

There is a great site where you can get a free exercise video specifically created for people with MS. I ordered it last year and loved it. It's got three different levels of exercise, based on your needs and capabilities. They're very low stress, but they're very invigorating. And again, as I said, the DVD is free!

Here's the link to the site. The button to order the free video is on the right side of the page:

http://www.msactivesource.com/ms-diet-and-exercise.xml