Neuropathy & Exercise

Hi @southwind, It's been awhile so thought I would let everyone know I found a new exercise that seems to be helping with the numbness in my feet. It's called a Sand Dune Stepper (https://www.sanddunestepper.com/) and I have had mine for a couple of weeks now. I use it for anywhere from 15 minutes several times a day to 30 to 45 minutes twice a day. It's easy on the feet and helps with the balance problems I have.

How about you, have you found any new exercises that help?

I am a retired nurse with peripheral neuropathy from spinal stenosis and notice a difference in numbness after stretch and hold exercises, however it doesn't last The concept is to promote neurogenesis with increasing blood circulation to the capillary beds. This concept is similar to angiogenesis of the heart through exercise to promote collateral circulation in the heart. Loma Linda University has a Physical Therapy program that eliminates or reduces the problem. The have finished a 10,000 cohort study of their program with impressive results They also use ultrasound. I wrote to them and received a brochure but no exercise instructions. Shame they are not willing to share their program with the millions of American's suffering from peripheral neuropathy outside of LA. Perhaps passing this on to your physical therapist may help define the program. I do not know if works for both large and small fibers. Good luck!

@calliopy2 Hi and thanks for the input. Great and inspiring to hear. I'm thinking Mayo's Pain Rehabilitation program may be along the same lines. It is a shame programs can't be shared but my thought is that each persons case is unique to them so, maybe that is why. I receive myofacial therapy weekly and rotate body parts but still need guidance as to how to work my body given my pain and debilitation. I am pending admittance to Mayo for this and of course will share anything I learn after completing the program.
Be well - Rachel

It's been harder lately to get my usual exercise (running 4 or 5 miles a day and 1-hour elliptical at the gym while I watch the news and Jeopardy on 5 tv screens), because the governor ordered all the gyms closed - and the beaches too which I don't understand. So, I scouted the beach accesses, shimmied between fences for a couple of days to get out on the beach and run, wasn't caught by mounted police or the beach patrol jeeps, then I found one state beach that is pretty wide open. Yesterday I was out there for 3 hours and I was the only human I saw (it was gloomy weather). Today there were a dozen or so surfers and a few walkers/beachcombers. And I bought an elliptical. I don't have a tv here in our rented townhouse (the house we own and have tv in is in another state), so now, I want to learn how to get something to watch on my laptop computer. Exercise helps me tremendously - I feel no pain when I'm out running. If I'm in pain at noon and my medicine isn't due until 2, I can go running and exploring for a couple of hours and make it until 2. Peggy

Hi Southwind. I have been down your track and now feel that can overcome my Peripheral-neuropathy . If you can afford meet with a neurologist. He or she will run you through a very intense series o tests: Blood an fMRI brain scans. You wil then know what your real problem is. Then action can be considered. Many neurologists will suggestthat nothing can be done However as you have a brainproblem new research,accepted world wide shows that is incorrect. There is an incredible book ' The Brain that cha ges itself' àuthor Norman Doidge ison the market. Read it, and it will explain many possi ilities that many doctors are unaware of or hop on to your computer , and get through to thde Mayo Clinic who are totally up to date and fully support Doidge's findings. Good luçk and get excited about a better future. I am aged 89, and intend to overcome this problem. Let me how you are progressing. Best wishes.

Thank you. I’m 82 and you are inspiring. I am reading Doiges books. My PN pain is manageable until I go to bed. A few hours asleep and I wake up with pain in my legs, feet and hands plus cramping feet. Usually I can get back to sleep, and after I get up and have been up and around awhile it recedes enough to not be noticeable. Sometimes it goes away completely but comes back almost as soon as I lie down. Does that happen to anyone else? If so what do you think is going on in our brain while we are asleep?

Thanks for your share. Yes similar things are happening to me. I think its due to the lack of motion. While awake one moves some of us more than others.
This reduces the PN symptoms. Try exercising more. When the virus is controlled and you can go out consider acupuncture. This has helped me as has massage. Good luck.

Yes, Catro and all. That happens to me too. This morning was the worst. I only sleep a few hours at a time, aching and muscle cramps wake me up. Peggy

peggy and catro, do you take magnesium supplements? I noticed my nighttime foot cramps are much less since I started taking magnesium citrate 300 mg./day

I took magnesium and it got worse, same with calcium. I drink enough water and I exercise enough (running 4 or 5 or 6 miles a day and taking care of my house and spouse). And when my gym is open I take classes and do the elliptical. My neurologist thinks I have Restless Leg Syndrome (she has it too) as well as neuropathy, she put me on iron tablets and it got better. I think the neuropathy is just getting worse. I looked up books about how to use our brain to change our brain and ordered one. We have nothing to lose - we might as well try everything ! Thanks for your input, all of you. Peggy