Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion Helpful Tips Any suggestions for a beginner?

Hi All,

I've had AS now for three years, and loathe exercise... ages ago I used to run faithfully, but...

I am getting sick and tired of relying on pain meds, muscle relaxers and an occasional glass of wine to help relax. I have been reading all of your posts about stretching and yoga and some other equally "pretzelizing" of the body suggestions, and frankly, I don't know that I could do any of them! I need something simple, basic and easy to do. Any suggestions?

By the way, this site is awesome... I am overwhelmed by the support and caring you show for one another! I hope to be absorbed into this community soon!

Thanks!

MikeInSLC

Hi Mike: Welcome to kickAS. I swim most mornings, hike on Sundays and bike 3 or 4 times a week. I have read the area around Utah is awesome for hiking and biking. I suggest you try swimming regularly and it only takes about 21 days in a month to make it a habit. It is a good life style habit to choose. Maybe you, the family and friends could go hiking together and make it a picnic. I wish you well and you have started with a good beginning by finding kickAS...Tom

You can't beat walking for being the best basic exercise. I would pick the time of day I felt freshest(which may actually be afternoon or evening) and just make myself go for a short, brisk walk every day in the sunshine and fresh air.
Any sort of brisk exercise will release endorphins and make you feel better.
After the walk, at least 3 times a week I'd do some sort of gentle stretching exercises. 5 times a week would be better, but as long as you do something at least 3x week, you should feel better. If I didn't like to exercise, I'd do something I liked to do better at the same time, like listen to music or watch television.
I learned stretches in high school and I still do them 30+ years later because I am very highly motivated not to stiffen up any more than necessary. I've also from time to time bought exercise books at the store and sort of cherry-picked thru them and modified what exercises I can do. A lot of them fall into the category of "you've got to be out of your mind" so I adapt so I don't hurt myself.

I've also learned some exercises from a physical therapist during PT years ago and continue to do them, because I really like having use of my arms. I do a lot of basic range of motion stuff. I windmill my arms both ways 20 times, shrug my shoulders 10 times, flap my arms 10 times in and out, turn my neck to each quadrant 10 times. I get down on the floor and do basic (modified) leg lifts, leg stretches, and I also just lay there flat out for several minutes so everything can be sucked back into position by gravity more or less. At first this is rather uncomfortable until you get the hang of it, and then you start looking forward to Floor Flatness.
I also think yoga's child pose and cat and cow are very good. I also do boat pose but DON'T do this until you have the advanced abdominal strength to carry it because you'll hurt yourself. I've been battling my tendency to have a spinal curve all my adult life. I like horse stance because it really tests your sense of balance. Sometimes I tend to tip over on one side...means I need more work....


Keep in mind I'm an active female who tended to be pretty loose jointed before I got assaulted by spondylitis, so don't get discouraged by anything I recomended.

Anyway, in conclusion, just do what you find fun and easy and you'll be more likely to keep it up, which is the important part.

Some great tips-thanks for sharing...

Thank you so much for those awesome suggestions! One thing: shouldn't I stretch BEFORE I walk, or because walking tends to be "low impact" I don't need to?

I am REALLY interested in the whole YOGA/Tai Chi thing... I think I'll go check out one of those ".... For Dummies" videos and give it a shot!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Mike

Hi Tom,

I've really wanted to get my bike tuned up and take it out for a spin, but I've been worried about how it will affect my hips and my tailbone! Do you ever have any issues with riding? Do you ever feel like you shouldn't have done it?

As far as the swimming goes, I have a health club with outdoor pools very close to my home... I think I'll try that too!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Mike

My pain management doc said to do 30 minutes a day of either biking, swimming, or walking. I'll let you know when I actually accomplish that. I've gone on three walks in the last three weeks...the first was 15 minutes, and hurt. The second was 25 minutes and fueled by pure anger at my boss, and hurt. The last was a thirty minute walk with my kids...didn't hurt at all, didn't help......but it's progress

Hi Mike, you've received some very good advice already. I just want to temper what Chelle said (no offense to either you or your pain management doc, Chelle).

30 minutes a day is your goal. If doing that much is beyond you right now, start with a shorter time and work up. Yes, you may get some pain from exercise, but everyone does. If that pain lasts for more than a couple of hours, then you, as someone with AS, have done too much. It's best to start where you are now. If right now you can only do 15 minutes at a time, then do 15 minutes twice a day. If you can only do 5 minutes, then do five minutes 6 times a day. Get the drift? Work up slowly to the point when you can do 30 minutes all at once.

One of the best experiences I've had as a Group Leader for the Arthritis Self-Management Program (through the Arthritis Society in Canada and the Arthritis Foundation in the States) was watching one of our women over the six weeks of the program. On Night One, she couldn't walk down her own front steps, let alone down a sidewalk. Her weekly goal became getting down those front steps. By weeks 6, she was not only doing the front steps, but part of the sidewalk - she was doing her back steps and her back yard - but the best one was that she made it down to her basement (with her son waiting to catch her at the bottom should she need him) and back!!

Remember, we are not limited in what we can do, only in how we can do it. Even if you do one minute of exercise, 30 times a day, that's something and it's a beginning. If you do too much at once, you'll get pain filled and frustrated. OK?

Hugs,

Kat,

Absolutely no offense taken. I asked the P.M. doc that very question- if I could do three ten minute walks instead, and he gave me a distainful "Well, it's better than nothing". I figured I'd keep the advice short, since I am certainly not the one to be giving out exercize advice

So yes, Mike, what Kat said!

Hi Mike:

I used to be a runner like yourself but now running is out of the question.

My advice to you is to pick a type of exercise you enjoy mentally and your body can tolerate physically. Everyone with AS is different and can tolerate different activities. Whatever you decide to try, start out very slowly 5-10 minutes and see how your body reacts. Stretching is very important before and after any type of exercise, even walking. Try to stretch as many muscles as possible in all ranges of motion for at least 30 seconds, within your comfort range. You may find it helpful to see a PT to get on some type of home exercise program.

On good days, I enjoy talking walks for 30 minutes or riding a recumbant bike with my back supported (as long as my SI joints are not inflammed). Also, before my pregnancy, I really enjoyed doing a modified type Pilates program- which I learned from a PT. Yoga, regular Pilates, any high impact activities, etc... actually put me in more pain. Swimming too put me in more pain, but I was able to tolerate walking in the water as long as the water temperature was above 90°, otherwise all my muscles would tighten up and I was miserable.

Mike - good luck finding the right type of exercise for you and you should be very proud of yourself to want to keep going.

Keep us posted!

Shari