Exercise - How do you know when to stop?

[billyreuben]

Exercise

A couple of things I tell patients I work with;

1) To use the Borg scale: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutriti...ce/borg-scale/

2) Have two workouts- one for "good days" (where you do "fairly light-somewhat hard" on the Borg Scale) and one for "bad day" (can be simple stretching, walking, and deep breathing). Choose the one according to how you are feeling that day. The important thing is that you are in a routine/doing it daily and you don't want to skip becasue you don't feel well.

3) Ice water- drink this to lower your core temp. You can use other cooling gear as well.

4) Uhthoff's phenomenon- That your MS isn't worsening with exercise/body temp rising. https://www.mstrust.org.uk/a-z/uhthoffs-phenomenon

Bill

[MMMMS]

Thank you for all of your wisdom. By breaking it up and slowing down (slower, fewer reps), I've been able to get good exercise every day this week.

[MermaidOP]

Love this thread!

Marco, Your PT gave you a great suggestion. It matches my experience. And I even think it applies to water aerobics. Instructors will understand if an exerciser needs to retire to the side of the pool and just stretch while holding on, to move slowly on her own, or even to leave the pool and sit on the side. I've certainly done all of these at one time or another.

For me, walking outside is more of a logistical problem. I attempt to walk to the lake where we have lake rights. It's only the equivalent of a block or two away, but I easily can tire enough to need to stop, especially on the way back home. So I have to call Tom to rescue me! So embarrassing and inconvenient.

Stay lifted, everyone and keep moving,
Mermaid Susan

[MMMMS]

My favorite PT lady gave me this advice.

Take a 5 minute break and if you fully recover then continue, but after 5 minutes if you are still fatigued then stop.

That's probably not possible during water aerobics, but fairly easy while walking.

I wish you well...

Very smart.

[Marco]

My favorite PT lady gave me this advice.

Take a 5 minute break and if you fully recover then continue, but after 5 minutes if you are still fatigued then stop.

That's probably not possible during water aerobics, but fairly easy while walking.

I wish you well...

[TheBeans]

For me, when I begin to feel tired and/or hot (as if my face is on fire) I know it's time to stop immediately and rest. I learned the hard way that trying to push through was not something I can afford for my health. I can sweat overall (whole body) but I've found that for some reason my face is my barometer and if it turns from a slight pink to anything above (red/bright red) I'm going to pay for it for the next 2 or 3 days!

I try to stay hydrated while exercising but this doesn't always help keep my body temp down. It was a real learning curve too and I had to watch everything that made me feel extra warm or extra worn out and then see how it affected me afterward. This included yard work or extra physical activity that I wasn't used to (hiking comes to mind). Keep a short journal for your workouts and make notes when you begin to feel differently, even if you feel this way a day or two AFTER the workout.

[marti]

I found out the hard way when I started doing water aerobics. The class was scheduled for about 45 minutes. So I thought I was supposed to stay in the pool the whole time. When I got done with the first class I had the worst palpitations and fatigue I ever had. When I mentioned this to my neuro she told me I was only supposed to do 10 minutes to begin. She was not kidding and I knew it!! Don't push beyond your capabilities.

[Mamabug]

For me, I need to quit when I begin to feel tired. My "window" between tired and MS-exhaustion is very small. If I try to push past tired, even a little, it's too much.

If I sit down for a rest when I'm tired, and ten minutes later, I'm fully recovered, I can try to pick it up again. (For example, if I'm at an activity that involves walking, I take a sit-down break and plan to go again.) But if I'm not fully recovered, I know that I'm done. I just need to quit.

[pennstater]

What a great question.

If walking, my tell tale is I start tripping because not picking my feet up as high as before. The problem - I could be in the middle of the walk. If that happens, I slow down. If that fails, I sit on a bench and rest. I usually walk at a park.

But usually, I know my limit. Like Snoopy said, I gradually increased my distance. Adding on another .1-.2 miles a week. Most days, the mileage is a good guide. I also use a Fitbit to monitor how hard I am working and dial back if it creeps above my normal pace.

Other than that, usually when I am pushing too hard, I get more intense tingling and visual issues. So if lifting weights, or on stationary bike, I know I am entering that territory. I always get an increase in these when exercising, but it becomes more severe if pushing too hard.

[MyGirlsMom]

MMMMS, yes...that is the magic question. I tend to overdue exercise and then end up paying for it. I used to be very physically active so when I walk a mile, which is now considered a good walk for me, it still feels like I should have gone farther. (But I also try to remember those times where I could only walk to the corner and back...if that).

I also time my exercise on my phone via an app so I can see what I did and adjust the next time. It also give me a bit of reward and I can see improvements from a couple months ago.

Additionally, I watch the weather. If the day is supposed to be nice, I will plan on walking outside. But if the weather is bad, I will exercise in the indoor pool. Yes, spend a lot of time looking at my app and the 10 day forecast. 😎 And I also schedule in rest days...time to binge watch shows, read a book, sleep or just putter around the house with no agenda...recovery is key! And I work on not feeling guilty about doing nothing.

You will get the hang of it...and remember, even doing something small is good and give your self a pat on the back for that from me!! 👍🏻 🙌🏼

[MermaidOP]

I was thinking about this issue this morning during my daily water workout. We had a substitute trainer, who did some of the most challenging moves for a longer duration than I am used to. I discovered that my spasticity and fatigue kicked in much more quickly. And I am more tired this afternoon than usual.

My take-away is to be continually conscious of my need to vary my movements in order to allow the most "frozen" and "insensitive" parts of my body to recover. For example, my quadriceps and gluteus muscles on my right side seize up quickly, but if I catch it right away and do some leg swings or twists in a relaxed, full-range, I can resume my workout.

It is frustrating to have to be this self-conscious ALL THE TIME, but I do it anyway.
Stay lifted,
Mermaid Susan

[502E79]

It seems that going until you feel it makes sense. But I don't feel it until later.

Yes this is a commonality that MS patients share imo.

The action (reps with weights, distance / resistance on elliptical, cycle milage, etc.) registers differently than the old "normal."

A personal example: When first beginning with my current trainer, she made me wear a heart monitor, strapped across chest, (not a wrist band or Iwatch!). Only after any cardio action stopped, say near a minute, my numbers would then rise to what should be normal for my age/weight/condition!

Some kind of delay. Not feeling it immediately as a normal person would!

We since have dropped the need to monitor continuously, but noticed this phenomenon with reps & weight also and still adjust the amount to avoid a longer recovery.

What Snoopy suggested I believe is a valid approach, "...do not hesitate to reduce the length of time, pace, distance, if you are paying for it more than a couple of hours."

I'd say 3 sets of 10 works as well as a set of 30. IMO repetitive motion (30 reps at once) when working with weights or bands, feels like more lactic acid is built up in muscles quicker for those of us with MS. Result is increased spasticity. Longer recovery.

I cannot speak to the heat issue. No form of heat currently affects me, but many are not tolerant of any kind of heat.

[Boudreaux]

I go until I can't go anymore.

[SNOOPY]

You need to slowly build up until you find the "sweet spot" or limit. I don't know what exercises you are doing but each type will take time to know what your limit is, slow is the key with each type of exercise. Building up slowly is needed.

Examples:

Walking - Walk to the end of your street and back a few time a day. Increase by a small amount every few days until you find what is most comfortable for you without paying for it for the next day or two.

Weight training - Start with the lowest amount of weight and play with the reps trying not to overdo. Add weight as long as you are not overdoing it.

Elliptical - lowest resistance until you are comfortable the slowly increase resistance.

Always remember not to overdo. If you do then reduce whatever you are doing the next time. With time, patience, trial and error you can find what works best for you. Be consistent and slow at increasing and do not hesitate to reduce the length of time, pace, distance, if you are paying for it more than a couple of hours.

Exercise can cause you to overheat which can make you feel worse (MS wise). The best remedy is a cool shower after working out, it will decrease your core body temperature quickly which means recovery from your workout is quicker.

[MMMMS]

I did more exercise this week than usual, and now I'm feeling it.

How do you decide when to call it quits so you don't end up too tired? It seems that going until you feel it makes sense. But I don't feel it until later. So wondering what you do to not go too far.