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Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group
Neuropathy | Last Active: Oct 27 5:51pm | Replies (6152)Comment receiving replies
Hello. At age 65, I was recently diagnosed with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy. After trying to get answers from my PCP why my feet were bothering me at night and wearing socks in bed so that I could sleep, as well as a detour with orthopedic insoles which only made me walk funny, I finally found a neurologist who tested and diagnosed me. Things are getting worse and I started applying lidocaine patches to the bottom of my feet to get rest at night. I expect that I will be put on medication at my follow-up appointment with the neurologist.
I eat pretty healthy and have been running 10 Marathons since 2013 (the Boston Marathon bombing initiated my running). Currently I am scheduled to run the Chicago Marathon in October. However, I do feel my feet more and more when I run and hope that I will be able to continue my training. Is there any evidence that running might further damage my nerves? Or is good to challenge myself by continuing to run?
My peripheral neuropathy journey has just started and I look forward to learning from others as well as sharing what works for me.
Replies to "Hello. At age 65, I was recently diagnosed with chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy. After trying to..."
Hi dieterreuther, and welcome to a club you never dreamed of joining . . . I'm about 9 years into my PN journey. I have absolutely no medical teaching; I'm simply a patient, so take this or leave it. My feeling is to do as much exercise as you want and can while you can. I think the stronger a person is when they enter the more debilitating effects of this process, the slower the effects will be. I have nothing to back this up other than my experience. Be good to your feet, make certain you are with a medical provider you trust and have confidence in, and enjoy what gives you pleasure. (I only ran one marathon, many years ago, the Seaside Marathon, in Seaside, OR.)
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@dieterreuther Running can put wear on your spine. That happened to my cousin who jogged a lot and she ended up with a lumbar fusion with a cage. The spinal discs are your shock absorbers and those naturally dry out a bit with aging, and the discs can get thinner allowing the vertebrae bones to get closer together and the nerves exit the spine in those spaces between the vertebrae. Activities that pound on the discs can't be good especially running on hard pavement. If there any issues there to begin with, extra wear and tear may shorten the timeline to spine issues. I am a cervical spine fusion surgery patient.
I think it is great that you exercise as that has a lot of benefits. Would walking a marathon be satisfactory instead of running ? Just my thoughts... I'm not a runner. I wouldn't be able to do it anyway because of an ankle fracture 4 years ago that isn't as strong as before the injury. I have to accept the limits of what I can do. I do get beneficial strengthening exercise by riding my horse on trails just at a walk, and that does not cause me any pain. I am trying to strengthen the weaker leg in hopes of being able to hike again in the mountains.
Some neuropathy patients get benefits from myofascial release therapy which loosens up overly tight tissue. That can put a lot of pressure on the body and restrict fluid circulation and metabolic waste removal in the tissues. The fascia also does have some electrical conduction properties that would be inhibited if the tissue is dehydrated and tight. I have dealt with some tightness causing my ankle to collapse because of surgical scar tissue, and my loosening that up has helped the ankle to move better, get stronger and stop collapsing when I step off of it. I think the extra pressure would tweak the nerve running to my foot causing the pain and collapse to get my weight off of it.
Here is our discussion on Myofascial Release Therapy where you can learn more.
Neuropathy - "Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain"
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Jennifer