Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Exercising

I had to go back and refresh my memory and read your other posts. You don't have a diagnosis yet. You are not fused (?) from what I am reading.
However, let me say from experience that if you actually had some sort of very serious physical condition precluding you from exercising you would be specifically told what the actual physical diagnosis is more quickly.

If your current doctor does not subsequently put you on some sort of exercise program when you see them next, my advice to you would be to fire his sorry a$$ and tell him why you are doing so, because with this disease, if you become immobile, you WILL fuse and you WILL become incapacitated.

THIS ISN'T RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND YOU DON'T TREAT IT THE SAME WAY

If you have a blown disc or fracture or some other sort of problem going on, they are obligated to tell you. Find a primary care physician who gives a bleep and don't rely on the rheumatologist, the ONLY purpose of having a rheumatologist in the United States is to get insurance company approval for getting treated with certain drugs.

Laura, doing nothing is the worst thing you can do. While vigorous sports and land aerobics is out, water exercise, water walking, swimming, and deep water exercise is all great for you. And remember the all important daily stretching.
I hope you are feeling better
Cindy

Correct--I do not have a diagnosis as of yet. When I saw the rheumy he mentioned that he didn't think it was AS as it looked like only the left SI joint was being destroyed. I wasn't really impressed w/him but everyone I keep seeing tells me how good he is at finding out what is wrong w/people. My optometrist told me I should just go down there and sit in his office and demand to be seen before May. I have thought about doing just that after my MRI and xray given how they refuse to really answer anything or get me in before May.

Again, I am guessing that because I have been in pain they are assuming I am inflamed and do not want me to inflame the joint(s) anymore by exercising. I do try to move around as much as I can but I don't do any major things like the core strengthening exercises, etc. as those seem to make me hurt even more.

My GP is great, yet she doesn't feel comfortable w/all of this "weird" stuff I have going on. She will order any tests, refer me, or do what she can to help me get to the bottom of it but I guarantee she would not try to decipher it all on her own.

(I forgot to quote Squeaky, but this was in response to trying the NSD diet)

I haven't honestly. Mainly because for one I don't eat many starches to begin with, but also because until I know for sure what my diagnosis is I don't want to deprive myself of what little starch I do enjoy. Plus, I have to take medicine everyday that I am positive has starch in it and I can't stop taking it, nor does it come in any other form.

I agree with the others. Even the smallest amount of exercise you can tolerate is better than nothing. There have been days I didn't think I would be able to even get down my stairs to go to work, let alone exercise, but as long as I don't overdo it, it always reduces the pain.

No exercise will only make you stiffer. I've been in PT for 3 years & when my joints can't do anything on "land", my therapist tells me to get in the pool. My rheum. told me that exercise is not "optional", it is a requirement. I just need to realize my limitations.

I would think that if one of your SIs is being destroyed, that alone should be pointing your doctors to a dx of undiff. spond. at the very least, so you can at least get on some treatment & see what happens from there.

Hi Laura,

I would suggest that you specifically ask your doctor and therapist WHY you should not do any exercises at all, as usually it is very important that you DO find some exercises you can do and do them regularly to help fight the loss of mobility and decreased range of motion that AS always causes. There must be a specific reason they do not want you to do any exercises at this time, and you should definitely find out what those reasons are. Many people here--myself included--find that doing those water exercises you mention helps make us feel better and ensures that we achieve maximum mobility, whidh is essential when it comes to fighting AS.

Brad

Louise, I'm another one that is shocked that a rheumy and PT told you not to exercise. If nothing else, they should tell you why as there may be something going on that might be exacerbated by it. If it is that you are in pain, then you should know that exercise can relieve pain if you play it smart. While you are hanging off that noodle in the pool, kick your legs a bit.

Exercise keeps our joints lubricated, keeps our muscles from stiffening, helps keep our weight down, helps us sleep better thus relieve our fatigue, and also helps relieve the depression that often goes hand in hand with chronic pain.

But don't push it. Just do one minute at a time if that's all you can handle right now, and build up to 15 minutes at a time. Start where you are now, not where you wish you were. If you're in a ton of pain, take is slowly and make it small. A little is enough. But move those bones!!

And find out from the PT what the concern is about you exercising. As I said, there may be something going on that we know nothing about.

Hugs,

I have been using magensium citrate to relieve much of my pain, stiffness, and fatigue.

Magnesium, for Pain, Stiffness, Fatigue, and a News article

I have also lost about 12 lbs of abdominal fat without really trying. I think magnesium has helped me lose fat.

I post this info periodically as I feel fairly sure that an absorbable form of mangesium would help many who suffer from "calcification of soft tissue." That is what AS is all about - calcification of soft tissue - it seems

Laura,

Do you suffer from Crohn's disease? I have read info sources that say sufferers of Crohn's disease have trouble absorbing Magnesium.

I don't think I have an intestinal disorders except that I used to drink 1/2 gallon of coffee daily. Also, I was once a very heavy drinker, and I would - don't mean to be gross -see mucus in my stools. Also, I was on an extremely high fat/high protein diet.

Now that I am mainly on a plant based diet with just a little meat, I really don't take magnesium citrate to often any more. My stools are already comfortably loose due to all the greens and whole grains that I now consume.

The health industry provides all kinds of disease names for different symptoms. What seems apparent to me is that certain symptoms can have multiple causes. In my case it seemed to be diet and lifestyle that caused me to have the symptoms of AS. I had no symptoms until the age of 43. I am gene negative.

Somewhere I read that health begins in the intestines. Magnesium is a great laxative. Take too much and you will have the runs. But cleaning out my intestines by supplementing with magnesium citrate seems to have been very beneficial to my health. Magnesium relax's muscles and helps you sleep better, among other things.