Is physical exercise good for me
Exercise is definitely good for me
I believe that exercise is good for me and essential to having a good quality of life even despIte suffering from aDVANCED ms MS. It is an excellent activity to re-connect the mind and body before or after a long day of stress. My MS stops aerobic exercise, getting all hot and sweaty. Even just a 200 or 300 meter totter with my rollator leaves me feeling so much better.
What I do
If MS was not a huge part of my life then I might take the dogs for a walk, or do some serious gardening. I am 64 years old and I cannot walk far. It must be on a smooth and even surface and always using a rollator. So my physical activity is limited but I do leave the house and do something every day.
Is physical exercise good for me?
In 2000 and earlier when I could do a dog walk I always felt better afterwards, relaxed. There are the obvious benefits such as fresh air, stretch my legs and the countryside. There were also subtle benefits. It almost always put me into a better frame of mind, more at ease with myself consequently the world seemed better place.
Regular exercise is good for the cardiovascular health, it lowers the blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Exercise improves our mental wellbeing, makes our bodies move and stretches the muscles.
I miss being able to do those things now and I know that I will never do these things again. I feel that I did not derive sufficient enjoyment from them all those years ago. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
No matter what type of exercise I take
Do I miss the physical exercise?
Yes, especially getting physically challenged. I’m no longer able to exhaust my body by physically activity. Instead I become fatigued.
I stretch my muscles every day before I get dressed but they never make my heart beat faster. If I do get onto an exercise-bike and try to cycle a significant distance then I regret it, I always feel wiped out for the next few hours.
The big secret
Being physica is now a part of my daily life. When I go shopping, which I do every day, I leave my mobility scooter outside the supermarket. I then use a trolley as a rollator as I walk round the supermarket. It isn’t easy and it is a slow process but there is always a sense of achievement.
It is true and I have MS
My exercise
This exercise cannot be compared with the activities I used to take. The reason now is not to become a fitter person. Instead as I become more disabled I worry that if I stop then I might not be able to do it the next time – use it or lose it. I always try to challenge the parts of me that are most affected by the MS. My balance is deteriorating, manual dexterity is failing fast and fatigue is always lurking around the next bend.
Exercise is good therapy but it is not a cure for MS. Any regular physical activity is healthy and makes me feel better. I feel happier, more content and always feel as if I have achieved something.
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Yes I agree, exercise is good for MS sufferers
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.April 2019
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