My Dr. yesterday suggested I get some kind of elliptical machine or recumbent bike to help me with my weight gain. He said that he knows that it will cause some pain but if I want to get on top of the weight gain: stay mobile, cut calories, exercise ugh... well after my apt. I went by the library were my sister works and I looked them up. My sister seen what I was looking at and told me to go to her house and try her husbands out. He has a Schwinn recumbent bike thing. Well I did 5 mins on it, went over a mile, not fast but steady pace, I DON'T exercise at all so ya I broke out into a sweat quick. While I was on it, it was great! No impact on my joints. No pain in my ankles or back. As I drove home that's when the pain started.... in my hips a shooting type pain. By the time I got home 8 miles later my legs were on fire!! I hate hurting, as most of you do lol, and yes I most likely did the wrong thing by going to bed but I was exhausted. I take Ambien to sleep so around my usual bed time I took it. Usually it lets me sleep all night. Well not last night, I woke up at 1 am in pain everything hurt - down to the fingertips ugh well I went back to sleep at 4 and back up at 530 to get everyone off to school and work. My work week does not start till tomorrow, today is my last day off till Sunday. And instead of getting my chores done I have been in bed most of the day to tired and hurting to move except to go to the bathroom and grab a bottle of water. I did get somewhat of a nap in this morning but i'm not able to even motivate around the house (doing what little I do get done) :( I really would like to exercise, yoga is kinda out for me i'm really stiff and not able to bend, also I've broken both of my ankles within a year of each other and walking kills my back and ankles. If the bike would help I would love to get one. But I'm scared.... and I hate to hurt.... any advise?
If you did a mile in 5 minutes you may have been going to fast specially since you haven't been exercising. You may want to try again and go slower our Wal-Mart sells the bike pedals you can put on the floor and do while sitting on couch in comfortable position. Another thing you may try is the gazelle elliptical cause it uses your body weight and not much pain on anywhere else. Can even find those on craigslist for les than $30. Hope this helps.
Gentle hugs,
Connie
I don't know anything about the type of equipment you are talking about, but bikes have always been too hard for me. I don't understand it, but a bike or stairs really hurt me. Treadmill has been the best machine, but you said you can't walk too much. Yoga is good. Most people who start out can't stretch very well if they have not been active. There are some very light stretches in yoga. Someone posted on twitter the other day about chair yoga. You might find some great starting stretches and go from there. I started to do some yoga stretching just sitting on my bed before bedtime for about 5-10 minutes each night. I did about 4 days of it and then I got sick with a cold or sinus infection or something and had to quit. After two weeks I am just starting to feel better and think I will start it back up. I used to do yoga and loved it. I would take a muscle relaxer and pop in a beginner tape right before bed. I could only do a couple of poses at first but then I worked up to completing the tape. I slept like a baby too. But now that I work I can't be on muscle relaxers as they make me a zombie. So I quit. I wish I wouldn't have, now I have to build myself back up. Have you tried water exercises? I had a pool at my last house and it was awesome. The best workout ever for my fibro has been the water exercises, but we moved 2 years ago and I don't have a pool here. Also moved from the south to the middle and it gets too cold to swim all year round. I think if you can get a dr to say you need a pool you can get a tax cut or something on one. I might look into that, but I bought my last pool before that law went into effect. Anyhow it was wonderful.
Hi Sandiekay, I find a recumbent bike a lot easier than the elliptical as it supports your back and you are sitting down. Like all the machines it has different resistance levels. . I also use a treadmill which is basically walking. I am just starting to use an elliptical which I find a lot harder for me and I can only use it for about 5 min at a time
I’ve been using a bike and treadmill for the last year on and off and do up to an hour a session broken into two 30 min sessions.
Using an elliptical to me is like climbing stairs and walking at the same time and I can only do 5 min at a time, I’m aiming for 2 sessions of 20 min by end of year.
If you did a mile in 5 minutes it sounds like there was no resistance and you were peddling too fast Better to use a bit of resistance and start with slow and steady and build up time and resistance. Eventually you’ll find you can do short sprints pedaling as fast as you can, then slowing down.
I went back to the gym yesterday after about 7 weeks out because of various illnesses and my hips have been aching ever since. However I know in about a week and a half everything will feel much better.
Whichever you choose, start slowly, do it consistently and increase time and resistance slowly. I find on the machines that music makes the time go a lot faster. Good Luck.
Lots of hugs
B2chi
Hi
Have you thought about trying another form of exercise? I do aqua therapy and it has really helped. I went to physical therapy several times over the years and between that and being on my feet at work 12 hours it was to much. My rheumy sent me for aqua therapy a couple of months ago and it has been great where I go has a class after you are thru with therapy and the local ymca also has some classes. I hope you find what works for you
Any advise? Yeah, exercise seems to hurt us like never before. And the pain lasts for a day or more. Before I got ill, I finally got into the exercise movement and enjoyed the elliptical machine and recumbent bike. Now I'll not try it as just walking for 10-15 mins. in PT almost did me in!
What about a treadmill? At least that's just walking and you could take it at a slow pace.
I honestly don't know what else to say about exercising with fibro. Some brave souls seem to manage it (hi, b2ching) I'm not sure how they do it. Tai chi or gentle water exercise might be something that's beneficial to you.
And just remember to go for only a few minutes at first, if you do try again. Our bodies are under enough stress so it's best to keep the stress to a minimum until you're more used to it.
Oh and by the way, Planet Fitness is currently offering a deal where you pay $10 to join, $10 a month and no contract or time commitment.
Sandiekay - you should be proud of yourself for trying to help yourself! Don’t know if I would have taken the initiative and got right out there. But I agree with Bchi. Think you may have overdid it on your first try. Anytime we do anything we haven’t in a long time, we have to take it slow and a little at a time. You probably overused muscles that haven’t been stressed like that, thus the increase in pain all over. Once you’re feeling better, try it again at a very slow pace and for less time. Wait a day and do it again at the same pace. If you don’t have a reaction the next day, you can then increase the length of time doing it. Eventually you’ll be able to increase each time you do it. Maybe asking your doctor for a few visits with a physical therapist showing and setting up a schedule at your pace to make sure you’re doing everything correct. That may help.
I prefer the incumbent bike over the elliptical. Less stress on knees and back. You may find that after getting a good work out with the incumbent bike you can gradually work up to a treadmill or elliptical.
I hope you are recovering - sounds like you have a vicious work schedule ahead of you! Take it easy!!! hugs~