Exercise and PN

FWIW, I am holding off on any exercise except walking until I get some results from my tests (EMG and NCV), which are next Tuesday.

I am exploring exercise, I have struggled with being consistent. (not my favorite activity) I do remain active all day long tho.

Good afternoon Kathie @m098011 and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I also have struggled to stay consistent about exercise. I moved from a place where the weather supported outdoor exercise year-round to a new home in the beautiful state of MN...where the weather makes it difficult for consistent outdoor exercise. Here are a few activities that help me.

Join or form a small daily walking group. When others expect you....it might be easier to be consistent.
Find classes at your local community center for "Fitness after Fifty" type programs.
Join Zoom classes for Yoga.....I love just having to get the mat out and plugin.
If you qualify take a look at Silver Sneakers programs.

Ask a Yoga instructor to design a Yoga program for your capabilities and health goals. Use it as part of your morning wake-up routine. Some of my friends add mindful meditation practice sometime during their day.

What has worked best for you?

May you find joy today.
Chris

Probably good you’re waiting and definitely speak with your neurologist. For me, I have found morning walks to be therapeutic. I walk 1.5-2.5 miles a day. I also do Tai Chi/Qigong exercises a few times a week. I also do hand exercises I learned through occupational therapy. I’ve found these helpful for stretching, while not over taxing my body.

Besides the usual neuropathy symptoms I have tremendous pain in my back, knees, feet, and hands. So I have to remember to listen to my body, especially on laundry and shopping days. I do less walking those days and have learned to pace myself.

Everything I’ve read indicates that movement and exercise is important. Finding the balance and type of exercise best for one’s body is the trick.

Having most ny vertebrae fused, I lost running ten years ago. I concentrate on walking, but lost that to gait disturbance. My cycling went by the wayside due to balance issues. I even tried using my hands to 'pedal' my exercise bike from the front.Not a real option. My option for aerobic exercise was lap swimming. Not my favorite exercise, having nearly drowning twice, but I got better at it after several years. Now I can do a mile in the locale aquatic center, year around. Since my legs were worthless in the pool, they dropped and impeded swimming. My physical therapist recommended a float device between my legs. What a relief! Keep on plugging!

You’re definitely an inspiration! I’m sorry you’ve struggled so, but I’m glad that you have found an exercise regimen that works for you. Indeed, “keep on plugging” is a motto I keep close to hand!

I have worked out and played sports every day for most of my life, probably because I'm from Los Angeles and it's part of our culture. I did not realize we were different until I moved to the East Coast and found that most grown ups here don't play sports or work out. Now that I'm 70 and have axonal sensory neuropathy (rather badly), I still run on the beach (or walk on days that my back hurts - latest health issue is spinal stenosis) every day and go to the gym almost every day. Working out distracts me from the pain of neuropathy. I take anti-siezure meds and they help tremendously, I couldn't live without them, but taking any more meds of any kind would make me sleepy and I hate dragging myself around trying to do things when medicine is making me think of nothing but laying down and sleeping. So, for now, I'm doing the best I can. It pays to stay in shape - I can do many things that 70 year olds are 'not supposed' to be able to do.

My husband is just starting to exercise again. Physical trainers recommend starting slowly lest we make our muscles so sore that we never want to do it again, so he is riding an adult trike around our small town. He was doing triathalons when I met him but after 35 years of being sedentary, he gained 100 pounds, has gout, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and high cholesterol so he's starting again at zero. I'm just happy that he's starting again. Peggy

Like you I was once an avid bicyclist. I would like to get a recumbent stationary bike which I believe would be the safest way to get that kind of exercise. Have you considered a recumbent bike?

No, my town has lots of hills and I live on the edge of 200 acres of state forest which makes for nice walking. I’m thinking these days I’m personally better served by walking due to increasing neuropathy. And, my dog probably agrees!

Perhaps @ericd47 or someone else on this chat can advice. I bet you could take one for a spin at your local bike shop.

@catharbert, I used to have a recumbent exercise bike that was a combination bike and elliptical machine but I got rid of it and bought a Teeter FreeStep Cross Trainer which also exercises the arms which my recumbent bike didn't do. I really like it and use it 30 to 60 minutes most days. If the weather is really nice, I will get my walking sticks out and go for a mile or so walk but the bike is much easier and I can use it rain or shine.