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Anyone here dealing with peripheral neuropathy?
Neuropathy | Last Active: Oct 28 4:54pm | Replies (3050)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for your response. I couldn't agree with you more on keeping active. Before the pandemic I played pickle ball twice a week, did Tai Chi once a week and rode by bike. Like all of us things changed a few years ago. Now, me and U-tube exercise together, I do weight exercises (not more than 8 lbs as I am a light weight), do 20 minutes of walking cardio and practice my Tai chi, In nice weather my husband and I still went on bike trips, but right now that is out of the question as we don't have snow tires on our bikes....lol
I was getting into a pretty good daily routine with my actives. However, things kept happening to me that prevented me from exercising, but once I got better, I would rebuild myself back up again. It can take awhile to get motivated again, but I would eventually get back into my routine. At the beginning of Dec I had squamous cells below my eye and had MOE'S surgery to remove it and they had to do a skin graft. I was unable to lift anything heavy or bend over for several weeks. I have to admit that each time I have to stop my exercises it takes me longer to get going again. I could have started doing my exercises again about a week earlier than I did, but I will blame it on Christmas 🙂
After Christmas was over I couldn't procrastinate any longer. Being 69 my balance isn't like it was when I was 30 but still pretty good. Tai Chi has a lot of moves that require balance and I was able to do them. That is one reason I noticed that the neuropathy in my feet was making my balance bad, because I was having trouble doing those moves. Now, when I do Tai Chi I have to concentrate a lot harder to do the balancing. It isn't like it used to be but I think the Tai Chi is helping my stability get a little better.
Good grief.....I wasn't planning on writing so much and I am sure it is more than anyone wanted to know. Anyways, thank you for reminding me of the importance of staying active and even though I have started my routine again you did give me more motivation to up my game and keep moving forward, doing the best I can do.
Maureen
Replies to "Thank you for your response. I couldn't agree with you more on keeping active. Before the..."
I can't agree more about the benefits of exercise. The kinds of activities in which each of us can engage will vary according to the disabilities with which we are dealing. However, a daily routine that includes physical activities is bound to be beneficial.
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Hi Maureen- one of the hardest parts of PN for me is acknowledging, accepting, and choosing to work with my “new normal”. I’m 69 too and was very physically active. My balance has been affected so that I’m not safe on uneven surfaces (no more gardening in the flower beds or rock garden), I have difficulty moving backwards (no more games of badminton (can’t imagine pickle ball). I couldn’t ride a bike as my foot would slide off the pedal without me realizing it, but with ankle exercises and watching, I can ride on flat surfaces safely. I used to walk 4 miles 6/7 days a week, but the PN has affected the alignment of my ankle and knee, so I must keep walking to about a mile or my knee starts to hurt. I used to swim laps- 2 miles twice a week, but the flutter kick makes my leg pain go into the atmosphere, so I do swim-walking. My mantra is “I’m walking, I’m talking” and to try to be always grateful for the positive- helps keep things in perspective because you have this image of yourself and your physical capacity and it just isn’t that way anymore and won’t be again. Hard to face, but you are still you and you will be great!