The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #55422   Message #862214
Posted By: Art Thieme
08-Jan-03 - 10:53 PM
Thread Name: BS: Help-exercise & chronic disability
Subject: RE: BS: Help-exercise & chronic disability
Stetching---especially of hamstrings and Achiles tendons helps my MS a goodly amount. Leg lifts and left-to-right both knee back-and-forth movements while reclined does some good too---. Staying limber can't be bad. I can walk about a block & then must collapse into a wheelchair. To keep from relying too much on the wheelchair, at home I leave it in front of the computer and walk as much as I can from room to room---sitting when it's needed. Either because of natural remission of my disease or as a result of exercising and walking some, I've seen some improvement over the last 8 years --- but could be I'm just learning to compensate for muscles that don't work well now by using other sets of muscles. Whatever, staying in motion does seem to help. Not being able to drive these days is annoying, but I've got an electric scooter that gets me out and around town. Just keep doing what you can, and don't let those who think that "you are not doing enough" get you down. All they know is what THEY want you to do and cannot hear what you are saying or what your wishes, needs and abilities are at any given moment. Feel good and go with the flow.

All the best,

Art Thieme