Getting Moving

[Guest guest]

Do you have access to a ymca or public pool?

Manys y's have free arthritis pool classes.

In the water, I do not hurt and can manage much more mobility.

Raniolo

From: kuehnlej <kuehnlej@...>

Subject: [ ] Getting Moving

Date: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 10:54 PM

 

Hello,

I read posts everyday but have only posted once or twice during the day. I have

had RA for 5-6 years and I am taking 10 mg methotrexate by injection once a

week, folic acid 2 mg daily, Orencia infusions monthly, prednisone 10

mg,Gabepentin 900mg, singulair, lexapro, and Imrun.

I use an power wheelchair most of the time I am outside the house and have a

regular wheelchair in the house. I have neuropathy and foot drop (I just got

brace). I am morbidly obsese. I need to get moving around and both burning

calories and strengthening my body. I don't really know how to start. I am

thinking I will start walking in the house when I can. I also have degenerative

disk disease and my back is a real issue.

How did those of you that are physically active get there? Has anyone started as

sedentary and got themselves moving?

in St. Louis

[Guest guest]

,

Have you thought of some form of Yoga? That probably sounds stupid, I know. But

when you don't have space, apparatus or aerobic movement ... I'm not in a

wheelchair, though, so I don't know. What I mean is what about the principal of

Yoga. For example, if you stretch out your arm slowly and gently in front of you

as far as you can as though to reach something, hold it there, but at the same

time try and relax the rest of you, holding your arm there, then lower it and

relax - if you can do that, that's basically no-fuss Yoga.

You could develop a routine to suit the way you feel and the way you can move:

legs, arms, hands, neck, torso. Perhaps you'll be able to develop something for

your back too: gently rotating, bending and so on.

If you had a series of set pieces (move this way, move that way, and so on), you

could string them together to develop a routine that you could use say two or

three times a day - before eating!

The basic effect is to gently stretch and tone up the muscles, get the blood

flowing, get them working.

The key principals are move gently towards a position, relax while holding,

disengage and relax. The more you get used to a 'position', the longer you'll

hold it - It could just be one or two seconds to begin with! What you don't want

to do is force yourself into a position: this is not a 'no pain no gain'

exercise. Slowly, you'll find the 'position' gets easier to get into. If you're

able to do it, you'll find that without putting in very much effort, it can give

you a tiring but satisfying workout. If you force anything, though, you'll

regret it!

Another way of looking at it is to take any movement you can make at the moment,

hold it while relaxing, then disengage and relax. Make what you can do now an

exercise in itself, then expand it bit by bit as you feel able.

Would you be able to lie on your back on the floor? For my own back, I lie on

the floor, knees raised up, arms to the side. The aim here is to gently stretch

the back. Move gently: (1) Try and take one 'step' backwards (headwise) using

each of your shoulders in turn to do the walking. (2) Try and take one 'step'

forwards (feetwise) using each of your hips in turn to do the walking: the way

to do this is not to consciously move your hips but consciously shift both knees

together first over to one side of you, then the other, in order to 'rock' your

hips down towards your feet. Moving your knees like this, your hips should rock

automatically. Relax. If you are able to do it, it's a great way to gently

stretch the back and relieve tension. I hope that doesn't sound too complicated.

Play around with it to suit yourself.

Good luck anyway,

Rick