LymeNet Flash: Exercise +/-

This is topic Exercise +/- in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by crazychris (Member # 7384) on :

So I go out to walk early this morning and I come back and feel miserable. Joints ache, muscles tight. Tell me why does this happen??
Are the buggers jumpy now? IT feels like a catch 22 - exercise to feel better and whamo I feel worse. Suggestions? Advice?

Posted by hatsnscarfs (Member # 6562) on :

I don't know the answer but I had a similar experience. A few months ago I felt well enough to start working out with light weights. One morning I would do upper body and the next day legs and situps. I did this faithfully for many weeks and was starting to get more toned.

My arms got very achey and my elbows hurt a lot. Next my knee started getting really painful. The leg exercises I was doing were the same ones the Physical therapist gave me to relieve knee pain but this time they triggered the pain instead. This was right around the time I switched antibiotics.

I stopped doing weights. Over the last 3 weeks this old knee pain that first started when I strained a ligament, comes on suddenly and severely. It feels like a serious injury and I can barely walk. Then within a few seconds or sometimes as long as a half hour the pain goes away completely and my knee is absolutely fine.

I've been walking to work and trying to make sure I move around but since I need to work a lot lately I'm afraid to add other exercises that will likely trigger new symptoms (or rather bring back old ones).

My opinion is the exercise stirs up the Lyme and gets it out of it's comfy hiding place. The drugs wage war and old pains, fatigue etc. come back until the lyme is all killed and toxins removed.

My plan is to wait before each battle is over before trying new exercise and stirring up more Lyme. Stretching and walking are OK for me though.

hatsnscarfs

Posted by break the chains (Member # 5668) on :

sounds to me as though you are over doing it. i have a very hard time keeping myself from doing the same. i am not the type that is really careful. i used to be involved in a lot of extreme and very active sports. the difference between what i used to be able to do, and what i can now do is great. because of this i forget that i dont have it in me sometimes, and i can really wipe myself out. i think pushing oneself beyond what is within a reasonable level of comfort can be counter productive. it the same thing as a herx that is too intense, it can be damaging.

i have recently just started walking and i have had to build it somewhat slowly. i never wanted to walk before because i thought it was lame comaped to all the extreme sports i had been doing. now i realize how very important exercise is. or how important it is not to just sit around and veg out all the time without getting exercise as i have done. everything starts to break down and become soft and weak.

also i would try to stay out of the mid-day sun. the inensity can be too great for many causing an acidifying reaction. when the suns light is less intense it is extremely benifitial and is alkalizing and helpful to the body.

i am sure exercise is helping though, and i know i have to keep with it.
best of luck to you

Posted by sweet pea (Member # 6495) on :

I was in really good shape before I got sick, so it is really frustrating that when I try to walk for a while, or walk uphill, my leg muscles freeze up. So instead I do a lot of stretching - every muscle in my body - and do floor exercises like situps,leg lifts, and arm exercises w/out weights. That way I can stop whenever I feel I might be going too far, because I'm already home. A physical therapist gave me a list of exercises to do. I know it's good to get fresh air and sunshine also, but I just sit outside to get that. (Luckily I have a deck so I don't have to sit on the dreaded GRASS.)

Posted by SAK (Member # 7387) on :

Exercise is a good thing...we hear it everywhere. I loved working-out for hours before this happened. Now, my experience with exercise has changed, and changed me as a result.

I saw a physiotherapist who believed I had MS. She worked me until I could not even make a step! My muscles and tone are still good from my past work-outs that she thought I'd handle it well. That experience has set me back and made me much worse.

Now, I'm so scared of working-out. I fear getting worse. Stress is bad and it is hard to know when to stop. So, I do light stuff-like yoga.

Most important thing is to be careful and constantly review your load.

All the best to you!

Posted by tickedntx (Member # 5660) on :

LLMD's, including Dr. Burrascano in his treatment guidelines, advise patients to do anaerobic exercise but not aerobic exercise. I believe that this is because the aerobic pathways have been damaged by Lyme.

I believe, though, that for some, low level aerobic exercise, done without raising the heart rate too much, for less than 20 minutes is ok/good.

Best indicator is probably how you feel afterwards, though.

Of course, best to check with your LLMD to determine what is appropriate for you.

Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :

Exercise actually weakens your immune system for a few days, and then strengthens the system. That is one reason you can feel worse following.

Lyme can also case inflammation in the muscles, and that can increase if you overwork those muscles. And, for us, overworking can sometimes mean walking to the end of the driveway.

I couldn't do any exercise until I started taking Flexeril and had intensive physical therapy to relax the muscles that had been tight and inflamed for years. I'm still on the muscle relaxers, but I can exercise now.

I stay away from cardio because it causes vertigo. But I do yoga that is very strengthening, and I find it helps to keep my pain under control. It took a while for the yoga to reduce pain. At first, my muscles would burn the following day. Now I have pain if I go 3 days with no yoga.