Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Should AS patients use a treadmill?

As my pool is still too cold for swimming, I would like to walk for exercise and weight loss but the pavement in my neighborhood (streets and sidewalks) is uneven due to seismic shifts and I often trip. It's neither safe nor effective. I thought a treadmill would be a great idea but a health care industry friend said it was too high impact for AS patients, even just on a walk setting. I have the opportunity to buy a used treadmill at a good price. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks!

Hi Suzie!

I used to be a runner (reservoir in Central Park with my yellow plastic walkman) then when my SI joint started hurting, went to a stationary bike, then a recumbent bike, and for the last 10 years or so an elliptical trainer. I still use that when I can, because it doesn't hurt my joints (although it has been bothering more sensitive areas)

Problem is, you won't know for sure one device is the right one for you for a while, so maybe you could try out a treadmill at a local gym for a few weeks first? Maybe you could take advantage of those health club free passes, I would bet LV is big enough that you could go to several health clubs and never pay a fee!

I agree with Dow. I would try one first for a week or two before buying one. I would hate for you to buy one then find out you can't use it. If there is someone else in your house that would use it if you can't then do it. Good luck with your exercise routine which ever way you go.

I appreciate the advice but leaving my home to go regularly to a gym, even for a week or two, is out of the question. My husband has MS and I am simply not comfortable being away from home in case he needs me. I was hoping someone in the group had practical experience with a treadmill. After all, if it doesn't work out, I can always sell it again or even donate it. So, has anyone here tried one and have you benefited from it? (And thanks again to Patty and Dow for their responses.)

another thought is go to a reputable dealer (not a department store) where you can talk to the owner, tell them your condition, and discuss returning the treadmill if after a few weeks, if it starts giving you pain. Then you could either return it, or switch it with a lower-impact device, such as an elliptical trainer.

Get the best quality you can afford, I've tried to go cheap on some exercise equipment, and it never worked. Those all-in-one machines they advertise on TV, well they were in many pieces after a few months. And the quality of the motion, especially on the elliptical trainers is important, you don't want them rattling & scraping. Treadmills break down a lot, too, expect that you will service calls to your house for replacement parts, unless you are handy, and willing to look up on the internet for those parts.

BTW, how cold is your pool temperature in Las Vegas? I am determined to start swimming here this spring when the water reaches the roasty-toasty temperature of 68˚ That is pretty much when all the big pieces of ice have melted, just a few scragglers left. At least I have a hot tub to run to when I start shivering! We are thinking about getting a set of those floating balloon-thingies, that are supposed to help the sun increase the warmth in the pool, maybe that will help to get more usage this summer!

Like Dow I found an eliptical/cross trainer really great . I don't have one myself and used it at a gym. It is low impact, and I liked the fact that I could use it in forwards or reverse so it worked different muscle groups. And give my arms a workout too, it I felt like it.
I never really used a treadmill as I figured it would be harder on the joints, so can't help with those. But to find out a good brand/model you could try calling around local gyms and see what they have. Theirs would have to be pretty robust, as they'd get a lot more use than at home, but might be more expensive. Seeing if you could trial one from the store is a great idea too.

Good luck in keeping moving!

Hi suzie,
I agree with Dow, find a reputable dealer or even talk to a physical therapist about it. I can see that the possibility is there for it to be higher impact than just walking.

I have a recumbant bike that also transforms into a stand up elliptical. I can use it in either configuration with little problem.

I keep trying to get my docs to write me a 'scrip for a pool enclosure so I can swim in the winter...But no luck.. I don't imagine that my insurance would want to cover it anyway... But I do have an open scrip for Hydro Therapy, so I can write off all of the chemicals and equipment for my pool and hot tub from my taxes as special medical devices. While writing off a new pool or hot tub won't fly the upkeep of them is able to be written off..at least according to my CPA.

Keep Kickin'AS
Chris

Hi.
Yea, I use it every day, treadmill that is.
Like anything else, some times it hurts a lot.
Some mornings, I slide down the stairs and walk for a bit before I can reach my feet to put on shoes and socks. Especially in the winter, the treadmill keeps me in shape.
I have found, cheap ones are not worth buying.

I thought that Las Vegas was warm enough for a pool year around? I am a runner, and I prefer the elliptical cross-trainer. The treadmill scares me. I am afraid I will fly off the back. I do have MS to go along with my AS, so I do have a few balance issues. Luckily I can still run.

Well, today it's 65 degrees out with winds of 45-50. Brrrr! A jacket and gloves day here - the siroccos that keep us from feeling 118 in the summer make the winter feel very cold. Just bought a new pool thermometer so not sure of water temp yet. Solar guy switched it on yesterday. I expect to be able to use the pool in April but we have had such a cold winter it might be May...snowed 4 times in my backyard this winter! Great tip about the taxes - anything will help on those. We have a recumbent bike that Fred uses but I find it a bit hard on my L. knee. Slow walking on a treadmill is something I know I can do. Doc says I must lose weight but I have the problem that if it hurts to move, I just don't.