Re: Exercise?

Maureen in Mukilteo wrote: 
I have been exercising regularly for at least 3 years. I can build
strength to a particular point and then I just crash. Can't get above
it no matter how much I try or how slow. My muscles stop working like
they have run out of energy. My stamina varies greatly month to month
which also makes things hard. For example, I have been taking swimming
lessons and my goal was to be able to do the crawl stroke the length of
the pool. I reached it and could go 2 and 1/2 lengths with a 3 minute
break between lengths. Last Friday, after a week long break, I got in
the pool and sank after two strokes. Haven't been able to get over
since then to see if that is going to be a long term setback or not.

Exercise can get very discouraging because you don't get that reward of
building strength or of reducing pain. Exercise increases my pain and
if I wasn't on pain killers I wouldn't be able to do it.

I haven't found anyone who can explain why this happens.

Maureen in Mukilteo

I have similar difficulties and it had a great deal of trouble with physical therapy which I supposedly need very much -- particularly because I have degenerative disc disease.

At the moment I have given up on physical therapy because every time I reach any kind of exercise regimen that makes any sense at all, I have a terrible setback. And no, no one can explain this.

But I note that you say you use painkillers so that you can exercise. I have wondered about that and have tried to weigh the benefits of all this medication and its side effects, with the hope of getting at least a little bit stronger and more resilient.

My biggest difficulty is with tendinitis and particularly, the point at which the tendon inserts. I have been told, and I believe it, that if I strengthen the muscles there will be less stress on the tendons. People on this newsgroup have suggested that warm water physical therapy is much less stressful on the body and really can provide some exercise success. I myself do not have access to such a situation but you might check around where you are and see if any physical therapy facilities offer a warm water pool.

Louise
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