Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group What do you do to keep yourself moving?

I am interested in what activities you folks do to "move it or lose it". Especially those who have fusion.

I currently walk my Boston terriers 3 or 4 times a day, do some things around the house or my fiance takes me out to run a few errands. I am forced to get up around 6:30 am during the week in order to take his son to school ( a good thing I think since it makes me get moving even when I just don't feel up to it, same thing with the dogs- they force me to atleast go a short distance). I am up to about 10 minutes of floor laying a day as well ( taking a long, hot, hot shower before is helping with this)

I am hoping to add some activity after I start the biologics.

I am waiting for my bloodwork and chest xray results. Still not sure which one I will be started on- I will be on samples until I am either approved for state health insurance or free med from the pharm company. I am very lucky that my doc is associated with the arthritis center here. They do AS research and he is going to help me with the pharm co. So it is a true case of "beggars can't be choosers" though he did ask if I had a preferance. I am so grateful for his knowledge of AS and ability to read my xrays himself that I told him that I would trust him to chose.

Battling this AS and preserving what range of motion I still have is of the utmost importance. I would appreciate your advice! You guys rock!

Anna

I walk as well, but my real problem is that the more I move, the more I hurt. So usually, I try not to move too much, which is bad, but it makes me feel less bad, which is good. What's a guy to do?

Hi Anna,
I have a 9 yr old, bees, ducks, geese, a dog and two cats oh and a husband. Oh and a full time job and a few other jobs. I mostly sit when at work but have the freedom to get up and move - just walk in the building, or strech and I take the stairs 99,8% of the time. So I would say, I'm busy by virtue of things in our life. I don't get a chance to do 'regular' exercise because I'm too over tasked.

If I had more time I would use the stationary bike, and the medicine ball to strech back and tighten the abdomin. I really can't walk a long distance since I'm having some feet issues.

Just keep moving helps. But some days I hurt all over and do very little.

Hope you can find something that works for you,

Lucy

Hi Grimm

As with many the trouble isn't to keep moving but to start moving..
Lots or stretching in the mornings to get loosened up before getting out of bed. Then a nice hot shower and I am usually pretty decent by then. Throughout the day I have to push myself to move, and stretch. If the weather is fit, I may mow some grass, or go play a round of golf. I can walk the small course in town, but the bgger ones a cart is a must. But I find that swinging a club loosens things up as long as I don't over do it.

It can be a battle to make yourself stay mobile, even though it hurts like hades.

Hi Anna! I try to walk a lot every day. If I go to the mall then I will walk a lap or two before shopping. I do this at Wal-Mart too. I park far away from where I am going. I take the stairs a lot at work instead of the elevator. Things like that. I stretch as well. I think stretching is the key. I have heard that swimming is great but I am not very fond it the activity. I also sleep without a pillow on a firm mattress too. I use a small towel to make the back of your head more comfortable. I feel taller in the morning. It definitely helps with posture.

Craig

Hi Ann, What a great question. I'll bet you get as many answers as there are people around here. Out side of work (I work in an upstairs office and don't have an elevator to go up and down several times a day.) I used to swim until I could no longer do that. I was told by a Dr that the backstroke is the best for AS folks. I swam for about 20 years before the AS dragon took that away. I still try every once in a while, but usually get the same very painful results. Now I walk, ride a bicycle in the warm weather, and stretch to keep as many parts loose as possible.

Hi Anna,
I put a pound of chocolate at the other end of the house and only eat one bite at a time - then walk back to get it!
.... I should build a brace that would dangle the chocolate just out of arms length...

Thanks you guys! I agree that getting moving in the am is the pits- really difficult. For me I allow 1 hour or more to get going, learned the hard way not to rush- had a couple of falls.

Lon I like your idea with the chocolate- I could do that!

I have thought about yoga or tai chi (as mentioned in another thread) which would be like an active hobby (like golf). Maybe these types of things would be good mentally as well as physically.

What a paradox this AS is- move but not to much, rest but not too much.

The suggestions are very welcome!

Be good to yourself today-

Anna

Love it,Lon! That's great motivation to move!!! haha
I like to go walk in the park.The sunshine really does make me feel great!!
Shauna

when i wake in the morning, before i get out of bed, i kind of wiggle everything to get it moving, then a hot shower.

i try to walk every day, but think that might be too much, as when i do, often the PF or the knee flare up. but it feels so good in general while i'm doing it. and if i'm going to be walking, i try to take full advantage of it, walk in the fields and along the erie canal near where i live, enjoy nature. take my ipod and listen to my tunes or turn it off and listen to the birds. sometimes take my camera as well to slow me down so i'm less likely to overdo it. now that the leaves are changing, lots of new photo opportunities. like to walk around my yard and take photos of the garden as well. lucky that my hubby has given me a wonderful array of flowers as subjects, and with the changing seasons, always something new.

when i'm doing well in general, i bike ride, that seems to be the best for the SI, not too much motion to aggravate it. especially the indoor reclining stationary bike.

i used to love to swim, keeps all the muscles strong, but the swimming bothers the SI too much these days. interesting comment about back stroke, that was always my favorite, easiest stroke. i loved reaching back and feeling my whole body elongate.

i know kat swears by pilates. i used to do yoga (like 10 years ago) but it often seemed to do more harm than good. i still do a few yoga poses on my own that are good for me, mix those with some PT exercises. actually a lot of overlap between the two.

as almost everyone else has said, no exercise is bad, too much exercise is bad, but finding the happy medium seems to be the key. but for me that happy medium seems to fluctuate and sometimes it can be difficult to know how much i can do before its too much.

i also sit on stool with dynamic motion (on a spring so it bounces and moves forcing the back muscles to constantly be working, but in a good way instead of a fatiguing static way. and it moves in all directions so i can have my pelvis in good pelvic tilt and the feet firmly planted on the ground. so this stool / chair helps keep me moving even when i'm not.

frequent breaks from sitting, walking around, is important for me too.