What do you do? Specifically if anyone can recommend certain DVD's that are easier on the joints that would be wonderful.
I was walking 45 min a day on the treadmill and doing some light weight upper body exercises while I walked..but my LLMD just told me not to walk on the treadmill...Dr. B guidelines? so he suggested hot yoga, yoga, stretching..etc.
Im not up to joining a gym and dont have the money. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any good DVD's maybe for arthritic people. I am in lots of pain joint/nerve etc.
Posted by ItsMyTurn (Member # 31469) on :
I walk and lift light weights. I know my limits and don't push myself. I also have joint pain.
I would think 45 minutes on a treadmill is too much. I only walk for 20.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Weight lifting (light weights).
Posted by lightfoot (Member # 2536) on :
Besides going easy as suggested above.....I would highly recommend warm water therapy. It can be covered under a prescription esp if you have joint pain.
The beauty of the water is you are supported while you do the work making it effortless. You can add more resistance as you get stronger.
I never could have regained the strength I have without the pool. I'm not talking swimming but doing some simple stuff with a noodle and walking in the pool - frontwards, backwards and sideways.
- Bikram Yoga is great for some people but not usually for anyone with lyme.
That degree HOT yoga can be absolutely killer for anyone with lyme and NOT in a modern, good way.
For those with lyme high HEAT can cause severe trouble, especially with the HEART
and/or for those with any degree of MYELIN damage (as is frequent with lyme. That is discussed in the "Cardiac" thread below).
Now, there are few folks here and there (with lyme) who can tolerate heat and are used to it.
For most, though, even an increase of one degree over their comfort level can bring on harsh symptoms and even damage.
Cozy warm, comfortable is good. Just breaking a sweat is fine. Don't push the heat. This is not a roasting contest. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
PEGGY CAPPY - YOGA FOR THE REST OF US -
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Walking is good as long as you're keeping your heart rate low. Dr. B's guidelines prohibit cardio.
Dr. B's guidelines specify strength training and stretch. I personally like pilates (so much I became an instructor). if you prefer, you can do light weights. The guidelines say to do them light enough that you can work out for an hour. He also says to include stretch. That's why I like pilates, it's strength and stretch.
Yoga is fine if you're careful. Yoga is a lot of stretch and many Lyme patients have joint issues. You want to be sure you are supporting the joint and not glorifying looser joints to make the stretch look bigger.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- SGK:
Do you recommend a particular Pilates DVD series?
I know it's best to have a professional trainer or take a class but for those who are home-bound, any DVD suggestions will be helpful.
Some may appreciate a DVD with pizzaz or peppy background music while others may want one that is calm in nature.
I think the best are just basic and then one can enjoy whatever music they wish at that time, from their own stereo.
I'd also suggest to those wanting to learn Pilates (or Qi Gong or Tai Chi) at home to find a local instructor to come to your home for a few private lessons - or a small group of friends &/or family to split the cost.
Some of the positions are very specific and a lot can be missed if just watching a DVD. -
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I'm not too familiar with most of the videos since I've always done it in a studio setting. I know of this workout online. It's 11 minutes, but you might want to have a pause button handy for breaks.
I'm happy to check out any DVD someone finds online, but unfortunately, I don't know which ones to recommend.
Classical pilates is generally done with no music. The reason is that you want to focus on your body and the movement without the temptation to work with the beat.
This aspect of pilates was great for me because I lost a lot of my proprioception (knowing where your body is in space, think of a toddler learning to walk). When I was sick, I wasn't too weak to walk, I didn't have enough control to walk. Pilates helped me reconnect my mind to my body.
What's also good for Lyme patients is most of it is done lying down, which takes gravity out of the equation.
There's a broad range of pilates work, so don't feel limited by the beginner video. Here's an example of advanced reformer work by the same man. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32thJdJyK8I (you might want to turn your sound off if you're annoyed by a pulsating beat as the video does have music).
Posted by Jennifer70 (Member # 30280) on :
thanks so much for all the info. I was wondering if I would be able to handle the yoga with all my joint pain, issues. Especially hot yoga, I have an intolerance to heat...so Im sure I would not do well with that part of it.
Also my wrists and ankles are very arthritic, idk if i can put weight on them for long periods of time, esp since i've gained alot of weight. I'll try anything to get well though.
I think I will start with pilates.....maybe find a beginner tape. Thanks for the links! It's only been a few days and I miss my treadmill. Im walking for about 20 min a day now.....slower pace than before.
I dont think I can do warm water therapy as Im uninsured.....and all my money goes to meds, and doctors. It sounds amazing though. I would join my local pool but im so self conscious since i gained weight, and also not sure how healthy those chemicals are, Im chemical sensitive now as many of us are im sure.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- SGK,
thanks so much. I hope it's okay that that I've copied & pasted your reply over to that CARDIAC thread, too, where there are collections of exercise posts.
[Should I add on that you are available to lead a group in the Caribbean for a Pilates Cruise? Wouldn't THAT be fun?] -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Jennifer,
You voice the lament of all who have gone before you, "at a slower pace than before."
As long as you are still moving, that is fine. The tortoise really does have some advantages over a jack rabbit. But you need not keep your head down. It can still be fun.
Even some gentle exercise in a WARM bath is helpful (as you express concern over ankles and wrists).
Qi Gong, and even some Tai Chi exercises can be done sitting or lying down.
I hope you find some enjoyment in moving to the pace of a different drummer. It's all about fluidity, core strength, and a steady & consistent rhythm, not speed.
Imagine a novice symphony musician who only wants to play fast. The art is most often not about speed but embracing technique while channeling elements of spirit.
Find what you ENJOY. -
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
quote:Originally posted by Keebler: - SGK,
thanks so much. I hope it's okay that that I've copied & pasted your reply over to that CARDIAC thread, too, where there are collections of exercise posts.
[Should I add on that you are available to lead a group in the Caribbean for a Pilates Cruise? Wouldn't THAT be fun?] -
Yes, that's fine, thanks for asking about reposting.
And, yes, I would be happy to leade a group on a Pilates cruise! I'm there!
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Jennifer, I just read The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson (also has a blog at Marksdailyapple.com ). He is all about low level cardio, which means slow walks. His theory is that you can get a lot more movement in and do well for your body without draining the adrenals by over-exercising if you go for slow walks or slow bikerides.
Even as a pilates instructor, I limit the number of hard workouts I do in a week, usually 2, then one or two moderate workouts (yesterday's was five minutes! usually the moderates are an hour but at an easy level for me). We don't need to go all out every time we exercise.
For the rest of my movement, I walk. Maybe a walk after dinner with my husband. Or some days we go on long walks ... last Sunday our kids didn't want to go because we walk too long (about an hour). But we never walk at high speeds or get our heart rates up. We stroll.
I think (but you'd have to ask your LLMD to verify) that when we say we're using a treadmill, the docs assume we're doing a hard walk and getting our heart rate up, which takes energy away from healing. I would bet you'd be okay to do slower walking so that you can still keep with it.
You might like the book or website I mentioned above. His way of eating is Lyme-friendly.
Posted by Jennifer70 (Member # 30280) on :
Thanks so much. I was so active and naturally a very very fast paced person (im from ny originally ). Prior to lyme i had fast pace jobs, worked out five days a week doing high impact aerobics and fast walking.
I have been walking at about a 3.0 to 3.2 ish speed on the treadmill, for 45 minutes. Do you think that's too much. I really enjoyed it, and even though I was so tired and stiff after, i felt like i got some of my old life back. It meant alot to me to do it.
My adrenals are not good......fatigue, and cant lose wt...So I guess he felt it was too taxing on them. But he mentioned burrascano guidelines.
Im going to check out that book you mentioned Six..thank u so much!
Posted by Jennifer70 (Member # 30280) on :
oh and also i was just prescribed armour thyroid and cortef. Im going to start them after my coartem regimen is over.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Jennifer, I think we all have our own ideal speeds. If you were feeling tired and stiff afterward, it was probably too much. I only walk outside, so I don't know how fast/slow I go. My husband and I walk around and talk.
I take Armour. It's the only prescription I can't seem to get off of.
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
IMO, alot has to do with your premorbid state of fitness.
Right before I got hit hard with Lyme and Chiari Malformation I competed in various endurance events. I raced at a National level as a runner and was Professional Duathlete for a couple of years. Those were the days......
Even if I do 50% (or less) of what I was doing prior to lyme at only a 50% (or less) effort level, those numbers may still be high for someone who was not very active prior to getting lyme. It's all relative.
As a former)competitve athlete, I know my body very well and know when I can exercise and when I cannot. I know how to recover and how to feed my body for optimal health and fitness.
I know there are LLMD's who say no to cardio, but my LLMD advises me to do cardio when I am up to it and it has helped my healing so very much.
The key is to know what over-doing it looks like for you and to know how to recover optimally for your body.
Everyone is different and you need to find what works for you.
Lyme hates cardio (increase oxygen and heat) so I love it even more. It creates quite a nice detox as well.
Posted by MichaelTampa (Member # 24868) on :
I like the "Body & Spirit Workout Special" in the link below. It has an exercise program that is strength-oriented (like weights), but no weights, rather using a towel with both hands, pulling against each other with movement, so you can control how hard it is. More gentle than weights.
I believe cardio is what has helped me get better and stay better.
My LLMD also encourages raising the body temerature by whatever means, via sauna or exercise or both.
I never used to be able to take a hot shower without feeling like i was going to pass out. Now the hotter the better. I use the hot tub at the gym as well.
But going slowly in the beginning might help you not have a nasty Herx, i started off slowly with the sauna, only a few minutes same with the exercise i started with what felt right then continued to bump it up.
To me if i got a herx from exercise i just took it as a sign of lyme dye off.
Yes I have herxed from it, and no it didn't stop me, if anything it pushed me to work harder. i would just tread lightly for a few days then add more time or intensity back in. Each time i got better & better.
I TRULY believe this has helped me. My LLMD told me Lyme doesn't like a higher body temp. I do my best to make my body a hostile environment. Lyme doesnt replicate as well in a higher body temp.
That is one of the reasons it is common for people with Lyme to have lower body temps and be cold all the time. I used to be cold ALL the time even in the summer. The Lyme did something to my internal temperature, i was always cold and it took me a long time to recover from getting cold from being outside etc.
I go to the gym usually 5-6 days a week, i go almost everyday even if it is only for a short time, it helps me. even if i have to drag myself there.
so cardio is not bad for ALL lyme patients... just go easy in the beginning and be consistant.
I did read once a long time ago about a Lymie that beat their Lyme by running. I don't know where that link is but i remember reading it and being encouraged by it to not give up.
I go with what i feel i can do that day... keeping a log of what you do & how you feel might help, especially in the beginning.
I am not trying to discredit any of the opinions above, I just am relaying what has worked for me.
Posted by desertwind (Member # 25256) on :
I agree with shadesofpurple.
I actually start feeling worse when I cannot exercise.
Like right now I cannot exercise because I took a nasty fall on the trail durning a run and fractured my ribs. I feel like I need to get my body temp. up or the bugs will start having a party.
Also, some co-infections can effect the heart. Q-Fever being one of them and it would have been counter-productive to do cardio when my Q-Fever titers were high.
I don't know if this is the link you were talking about but here is a link regarding a runner w/lyme being able to run and compete again. It is also about the loss of her pet, but does mention her having lyme and racing again.
Desertwind- That is not the same one but still a very encouraging story. The one I read about was someone who started running marathons or half marathons.
Still thanks for sharing that link!!
it just encourages me more to stick with it, I am not a runner by nature, aka, I try, but i am not very good. lol
but I do call the gym my second home, i love the classes, & the stepper there will really work up a good sweat which is what i look for.
Jennifer70 I love yoga & pilates class, & in the beginning those were the classes i frequented the most. Eventually I got so i could do more & more and ventured out into other types of classes. Do what you can & keep at it.
Don't give up if you herx from it, just be mindful of what your body is telling you and press on carefully.
Consistancy is key for me.
Posted by Jennifer70 (Member # 30280) on :
thanks so much. I had been walking four to six days a week since november. only lost about 8 lbs and my wt standing still since then, so frustrating. maybe the armour thyroid and cortef will help. Other than walking im pretty sedentary, if i do too much around the house I cant move for two days at least.
I think the stretching part of yoga and pilates will be good for me, i just have a hard time putting weight on my knees, or wrists due to arthritic and fibromyalgia pain. But i guess i just have to push through that and do it anyway.
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![[Wink]](wink.gif)
). Prior to lyme i had fast pace jobs, worked out five days a week doing high impact aerobics and fast walking. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)