My routine varies a lot depending on how I'm feeling.

It just depends upon how mobile you are.

Yes, I have pain but not as bad as some. There are days where I can do nothing and other days I feel pretty godd.

The other day I over did it and cleaned my duaghters room and play room and now I'm in some pretty serious pain.

If you've not done anything for a long time you might want to start with a PT to get going or some gentle stretching.

Sometimes I don't feel like though. But I do it anyway, just at a lower level.

Often what happens is that when I exercise at this "lower level", the interest and energy sort of returns to me.

It's like getting out of bed in the morning. I don't want to do it. But once I'm out of bed and moving about doing things, I'm glad I got out.

I would second what some said earlier about getting started slowly.

Swimming, walking or doing any other cardiovascular equipment at a slow pace is a safe start.

Make sure you warm up slowly, take your time.

You can do it!

it obviously depends on how mobile or sick the individual is, but can't let those muscles get into knots or atrophy.

5 pd weights are great too. due slow motion curls and other weight lifting procedures.

finally get a product called a "dynaband." it is a resistance trainer. the black ones are the strongest. there are many exercises you can do with this.

before i got sick i used to lift weights, run, etc.

i didn't know how to exercise "lightly" for my condition. i have been, for the last month, seeing a p.therapist. she's awesome. top trainer, ex-surfer, etc. chick is in awesome shape.

I started slowly with short walks with a cane and the arm of a friend or family member. I worked up to stretching and Tai Chi. Then, I progressed to yoga, weights and cycling. Yoga has been the most beneficial for me. I have recently started jogging - only a mile or so.

This may sound like a lot but, pre-Lyme treatment I was cycling 7 - 20 miles a day in good weather, hiking & climbing, playing tennis and golf and swimming. I worked out every day.

It is an incredible mental boost to exercise - gets those endorphins working.

Whoever mentioned stretching - that is vital!

Is working out an hour a day on the ellyptical too much excersise?

The pilates machine is the best cuz its just stretching, which if I dont do religiously, I wont be able to touch my knees and Im 5' 3" tall and 105#. My muscles have lost all their elasticity and its a fight every day to stretch them out.

The pilates I can do at a slow pace and rest between each set.

The trampoline tape is just 15 min. but it exhausts me and sometimes Im down for the rest of the day but I keep at it.

I do the pilates more than the tramp cuz some days I just cant make myself climb on the stamp but I can the pilates.

I love to walk my dog but I wake with horrible shin pains at night when I do, even after 10 minutes, so I limit it.

Find something you can do and start small and just keep on keepin on. I might be completely disabled by lyme but Im not going to be bent over with osteoporosis too. We loose more bone from inactivity than anything else.

Horses are my life.

I also walk my dog as much as possible.

Riding has been the only exercise that has diminished the neuropathic pain in my legs . I have been a rider for most of my life, and I ride at a facility for people with disabilities, so they have worked with me through the good days and bad, and to create adaptations as I need them.

Anyone know of a good "senior" Tai Chi tape.

Thanks,

When I have a good day, I dance. That gets everything moving. My hope is to get back to light weights as well, which I used to do three hours a week.

ZipZip, thank's for posting Dr. B's protocol. I'll print it out and keep it on hand. It looks good.

I'm having to relearn to do everything again.

On good days, I can walk a mile or two.

I'm making it to "Curves" for circuit train once /wk. Still dealling with herxing up and down. Hope to increase to 2 then 3 x's /wk

I mostly don't have to pull myself out of my car anymore.

I tried to ski yesterday...usually ski all winter long. My balance was way off, and I had severe pain in my left leg and foot.

I ended up playing on the bunny hill in my high preformance brand new skiis...

I suppose I looked kind of silly , but it felt good to have my balance slowly improve, and to be outside.

This week is suppose to be really warm, so I'll try skiing again when the conditions improve.

I just realized the skis won't rot from disuse!

With my heel spurs, walking is very difficult.

Herxing joints are really bad making me walk like a 90 yr. old lady.

My goal is to get it up to 3 miles fast walking.

When my symptoms were at their worst, I started exercise by stretching. I did very simple stretches I got from physical therapists focusing in my trouble spots (first shoulders and neck, then hips).

I try to do yoga now. I don't push if it hurts too much. I've learned when it's muscle pain (which I find is ok during exercise) and joint or tendon pain (which is not ok).

I get increase myoclonus jerks during cooldown after yoga. I don't know if it's the activity of yoga, or the resting part that triggers it.

So the best exercises are walking and swimming. Having seen the incredibly ugly men in the locker room I no longer have a problem with going swimming. While I may be truly positively revolting in a bathing suit there are others even worse. There was even one brave soul who looked about 198 who was just about ready to get in his coffin. He got in there and thrashed about with the best of them. If he can do it-no modesty there- I can too. Just to swim a few meters a day or everyother day is wonderful for your system. Even if it is painful just keep moving. When you quit moving you are dead.

You are putting oxygen into your system and Boris and Myrtle and their 900 million distant realtions just hate oxygen. For them it is a poison. So just get out there and breathe and up your metabolism away. Walking is just wonderful. Find an area which brings you joy and go for it. Bicycling is just great. Get out and run over the people and dogs/cats/sheep that get on your nerves. It will be so satisfying. You will even get to see a lot more of the world than you do lying in bed being in misery.

It is called EWOT (Exercise With Oxygen Therapy) and is used for many chronic illnesses. Large muscles must be exerted with this therapy otherwise the oxygen won't make enough of a difference to be worth it.

It makes sense, can't hurt and because I still don't have a lot of energy I'm doing it so as to increase my oxygen levels as much as I can with the little I do exercise.