Yes I Agree, Exercise is Good For MS Sufferers
Lots of learned people are now saying that exercise is good for MS sufferers and yes I agree.
Exercise is good for MSers
I have always thought that exercise is good for you. On what basis can I back up this obvious statement for MS sufferers?
A bit of background
Our Golden Retriever, Tonks, did something to one her knees over the Christmas break; we think it was when chasing deer or muntjac on the common. Don’t worry, she will never catch them. The vet said it was a problem with her cruciate ligament and would need an operation. Now we have to give her some gentle exercise to strengthen the knee. Me, I cannot walk very far, my record when we started this, stood at 200 meters in 6 minutes with the use of one stick (ASCEND trial week 72)
She chases a cat because it runs away
The onerous task of reintroducing her to walks was therefore delegated to me but I would use a rollator rather than a stick. I own a Topro rollator, a classic piece of Swedish engineering. Using it I can walk faster than 30 metres a minute, for longer than 6 minutes and better still I will not fall over. I had very little idea what I could achieve doing exercise by walking. My only worry was that Tonks might see somebody or something that takes her fancy and pull me over. Usually this means a cat and it is worth chasing only because the cat runs away.
Ideal training ground
Our house is on a hill, like most houses in this town. Walking up a hill or down a hill or across a hill when in a wheelchair or when pushing one is no joke. You try it and you will soon see what I mean. Luckily there is a little tarmac mews very close to our house, its flat, level and about 80 metres from end to end, absolutely ideal.
Spotted a cat
So now I take Tonks for a little walk twice a day, its called rehab. I started off walking up and down the road twice and persuading Tonks that using both her back legs was a better idea than hopping on one. Slowly she began to get the hang of it but she isn’t a fast learner. On one occasion there was a cat at the end of the mews, looking very superior, but I spotted it before she did, phew. Over the last couple of weeks I have slowly increased the distance. Now I’m managing to walk up and down this little road 5 or 6 times. That is getting on for a 600 meter walk.
Sponsored walk
Before I started I would have doubted that I could even manage to walk this sort of distance once a day. Now, not only am I doing it twice a day but I want to walk further as well. Yes I must agree the exercise is good for me. I feel much better for getting out and an added bonus is that I am sleeping better. I’m even toying with the idea of doing a sponsored walk; I think that a mile will be as far as I can manage. Watch this space I’ll keep you informed.
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