Boy, can I relate to what you describe!
When I was experiencing these symptoms the only thing that really helped was water exercises in a therapeutic pool.
A therapeutic pool is 10 degrees warmer than a regular indoor swimming pool.
If you contact the Arthritis Foundation, they can send you a list of pools in your area.
I took a class at a nursing home that was designed for arthritic patients. I felt great after every class.
The idea, at this point, is to exercise your muscles without hurting your joints...the warmer water helps those unused muscles stretch without hurting them.
Gradually, I graduated to water exercises in a regular pool (for arthritis patients); then on to yoga for arthritis patients.
'Land Exercises' comes later....go at your own pace!
Incidentally, I'm only 49 years old.
I find it incredible how slowly we heal from Lyme. If nothing else, it teaches patience.
---Nancy
There are a number of ways, but this was the approach I used. My muscle pain was mostly upper body, around the shoulder blades and neck.
I worked with a physcial therapist who specializes in myofascial release, which is basically releasing the tension and spasms in your muscles. This wasn't easy, and actually hurt a lot. I went through months with little progress, until I started taking Flexeril, which relaxes the muscles.
Once on the Flexeril, the myofascial release began having longer-term effects. I was able to eventually move to strengthening exercises with my physical therapists. Most of it was on a pilates machine.
I also returned to the gym and used one of the exercise bikes that is low to the ground, with a back to the chair. I found this to be the lowest impact cardio work.
After many months, my physical therapist came to the gym with me and worked out a strengthening routine I can do alone on the machines.
I did yoga for a while. It sometimes helped, but after starting to herx, I had too much joint pain.
I FORCE myself to at least walk for 30 minutes every day. The elliptical trainer at the gym or the stationary bike are good too.
I REFUSE to let this little bug make me fat. Even if I feel like hell, i'm too vain to look like hell too!
incidentally, I feel a lot better - less stiff - after I exercise. But i usually feel like i was run over by a truck later in the day.
Jessie
quote:
Originally posted by mammachase:
I have lyme severe enough that I can't exercise without everything hurting. Does anyone have stories of what exercises/program they can tolerate without being in pain just to strengthen the muscles because my muscles are in full spasms especially in my legs all the time, to exercise and just thinking of it hurts!!!
I know what you are saying. Three years ago, I came back from being bedridden by joining a cardiac rehab program.Got bit in Suttons Bay, Michigan August 16, 2000. Exercise hurt and I was shocked at how out of shape I had become. I could only do ten minutes when I started, in one month I went to 40 minutes and I feel it saved my life. After a year or so, we mover from Maui and I had to stop as we became full time Rv people. I was almost a cripple after that, I started a physical therapy class the next winter and found some help, and finally had an appointment with a gal who does myofascial release. I went to her for 4 months and found more releif. She is in Tucson, Arizona. We came up to Michigan for summer, by last November I was in such pain I was going backwards. Because she works in a PT place in Tucson, my medicare covers it. I went back in December, went until April & had great success. She explained to me that the conncetive tissue contracts and as we get pain, we tighten even more. If we don't STRETCH daily, we can only contimue to get worse. Of course it is painful at first and even near the end of my treatment, but I saw great improvement. Pain is a great motivater. I stretch. daily, even when foggy and in pain. I've learned I have to. My goal is to keep it up until I get cured of Lyme and keep my body in better shape so I cam do strenthing exercises then.
I started w/PT here in Michigan In Hart, and have a great gal who does energy work and releases my sacrum and head and massages me too. She has added many exercises for me and just started strengthing stuff too. Keep moving heard the quote , "Move it or loose it!" we have to keep moving. Keep chin up! One of my favorite exercises is to lie on bed on back and stretch back by hanging head over edge, pulling hair on scalp at same time. This is great for Brain fog & cranial pain. Jane in Michigan
Im a runner and cyclist so its hard to keep me on the couch. even when i feel like poop.
I continued to do both, just not at the intensity that i was used to. I found a short run would really help get rid of headaches. Cycling was much easier on the body though, as I had some pretty sore ankles for a while. Oddly enough i found that the pain would really subside after a nice little workout. The days i was to tired i hit the sauna. I know I felt better if I kept moving
greg
Exercise definitely reduces pain, assuming you don't over-do it. If you over-do it, you pay and may even injure yourself.
There are 2 reasons exercise is good for pain:
1. Cardio helps because it releases endorphins and endorphins reduce the pain sensation
2. Stretching, movement and light strengthening help because, to quote a Feldenkrais practitioner I worked with, "when moving comfortably, muscles relax"
My muscles stay so weak and also cramp severly if i try to move. Walking for only a few minutes puts me in pain. I get pain in my neck shoulder and back muscles. If i dont sit emediately i get nauseated and feel as tho i will pass out.
I found out that it is possible Hypocoagulation. My doc C says that hes finding most of his patience have a problem with hypocoagulation(thick blood) Your muscles are not getting the oxigen to them they need to work. When we excersize our corpusles(spelling horrid these days sorry) open and let the bloodin for oxigen. I believe he said that a normal persons blood gets in with in seconds in a lyme patient it takes up to five minutes and up to ten minutes. That is why our muscles cramp so severely.
So this is something you might want to check into.
I have been swiming because of so much bed time it scares me to no end that if i dont get some kind of excersize i may be bed ridden the rest of my life. I love the pool time its very relaxing but also very deceptive. Because of no weight load the first time i got in i deliberately moved a lot to use them. Then came the time to get out. My legs were mush the next week was terrible pain and herxing. So take it very very slow.
I must say altho cause of weather i havent been able to go in as much i have noticed an improvement in feeling my muscles now. They dont feel like mush but like they are firming up. If i was up to it and weather permited i would be in everyday. I dread cold weather.
Graneet
It works all the cells in your system, is aerobic and strengthing. It costs $20.00 at Walmart...although, I got mine at a garage sale for $5.00.
Can't hurt...might help. Walking outdoors is great, although, when my knees are acting up, if I rebound, that, at least, doesn't hurt.
So, sometimes, I have to put the treadmill or my walks outdoors on hold and use the rebounder.
Keep on looking for something that works for you.
lifeline
Also, I get those small electric shocks in my boday. Hate them....any idea what they are? I also get shocks more than most people when touchig metal or another person. Do you get that?
robi
I'm just starting to recover the ability to do things again. I actually had to start with IMAGINING what I wanted to do. This week I started a weekly adapted yoga class, which is my first level goal.
Yoga, done correctly, really helps with my pain and stiffness. My plan is to graduate to a beginners class. I used to be able to do the really strenuous type, but that is a much further out goal. Step by step, I plan to get there.
My cousin bought a big trampoline for her kids. Cant tell you how good of an excersize it is. Is real good for my recovering ankles, and more of a work out than you might think. Plus its fun to jump around with the kids. Makes you forget you are working
greg
I cycled a minimum of 7 - 16 miles a day on road or in gym before Lyme. Now, on a good day I will drag the bike out and am happy to go 2 - 4 miles once a week. Hurts like h...l the next day but worth it.