First, my exercise routine was disrupted by the pandemic. Then, Hurricane Ian landed a right hook on the exercise room in my Florida community, knocking it out of action. But not long after that, my thoughts were turning to something sweeter — pitchers and catchers returning to spring training here in the Sunshine State — and I finally returned to some spring training of my own.
I’m a big believer that exercise is good for my MS. It helps both my body and my mind. It can be strength, aerobic or aquatic — I try to do all.
I’ve always exercised by myself, but this year, I joined the YMCA and hired a personal trainer. I wanted to learn what I’ve been doing right and what I’ve been doing wrong. My goal was simply to work on my upper body — arms, chest, and core — as I always had. Tabatha, my new trainer, had other ideas.
Focusing training on my MS
Considering my MS and thus realizing that my legs probably needed more attention than my upper body, Tabatha started with exercises to stretch my severely tight hamstrings, stretch and strengthen my hip flexors, and strengthen my glutes. All this was intended to make it easier for me to do things like get up from a chair and stand for a longer period of time. An improvement in my walking would be icing on the cake.
“Why is it that guys always want to work their arms and chest?” Tabatha asked as she laughed.
“Maybe because I’m 74 years old and want to look like I’m 50,” I thought to myself and smiled.
Getting down to it
When you pay for something, you feel more compelled to use it, so I signed up for a series of four 30-minute sessions and scheduled them twice a week.
We first did some work with light weights, which I lifted while sitting in a chair, to strengthen my arms. But Tabatha quickly moved me to a stretching table (I call it the rack). Lying on my back, I wrap a strap around my foot, straighten my leg, and pull on the strap to lift the leg as high as I can. Then I hold it there. I feel it in my hamstring and my biceps — a two-for-one.
“OK, that’s one. Let’s do 10,” Tabatha suggested nicely. (I hate to call it a demand.) After the 10, I cross the right leg over the left to stretch my right hip muscle. Naturally, the process repeats on my left side. It’s simple but effective, and I can walk a bit better right after I do this stretch.
There’s also bridging, or raising my butt up from the mat with my knees bent so that my back forms a bridge. This helps stretch and strengthen my back and core. There are repeated chair up-and-downs — simple for a healthy person, but tough for me, even with my two canes. But it’s getting easier, and it helps my legs, glutes, and core — a three-for-one.
I’ve tried a rowing machine for an all-around workout, but found that it was too hard to position myself on its low seat. Something called a NuStep, which is a seated cross-trainer, gave me a similar workout and was much easier for me to handle.
On your own
I followed up my first four training sessions with another eight. I feel better. I stand a little straighter, when I think about doing it. I now, pretty much, know what I’m doing when I exercise.
I’m not recommending you do the exercises I’ve been doing. One size definitely doesn’t fit all, which is why I’m grateful for Tabatha’s guidance. And you don’t need to get a trainer, or even join a gym, to keep yourself in shape.
The Multiple Sclerosis Trust website has an excellent page full of exercises, designed for people with MS, that you can do at home. The ChairFit with Nancy YouTube channel also offers a series of exercise videos designed for people with MS. You can find other sites if you search.
So check with your doctor to make sure there’s no reason you shouldn’t exercise, and if you get the green light, get going. I think you’ll be glad you did.
[Have you checked out my book yet? “The Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox” is available on Amazon.]
(A version of this post first appeared as my column on the MS News Today website.)
