how often do you exercise


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We are young survivors so people automatically think we have a better chance of getting better I guess. Well when I first had my stroke in 2001, nobody told me I had to exercise. Everybody just preached to me that God was going to miraculously heal me. When I did go back to therapy in 2007, it seemed pointless. Now with no baclofen, no botox, and no therapy my arm and wrist stay bent and my foot flops over since my arch is so weak. I want to exercise. I know I need to. I hate feeling my fingers touch my wrist because my arm stays so bent. I just dont feel like exercising would make a difference. My splint doesnt even keep my wrist straight anymore even when I strap it down as tight as I can. Why should I exercise and what exercises can I do that will actually make a difference?

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At least every morning because at night while I sleep my right side contracts and my ankle turns inward and my leg and arm draw up. I was finally walking unassisted but now the docs are getting pushy about a walker and constantly tell me to "put your shoulders down". If I could they wouldn't have to be telling me that! Every woman likes to look like igor, right? lol

 

Anyway, even if progress takes a year that year will come and It could be better. But if not, maybe it won't be worse. I understand and get discouraged and wonder what's the use. But there's no way I will give up.

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Hi Katrina. The question is not why should I exercise but why should I not exercise. Do you want to wake up in 10 years and ask Would it have made a difference if I would have exercised? Recovery never ends WHEN YOU WORK AT IT. After 20 years I went back to physio therapy and I was able to discard my AFO and wear normal shoes again. So I know recovery never ends. I ask myself if I would have gone back sooner could I have saved myself the heartache of wearing that darn ugly brace? Now you know. The ball is in your court where its always been. Google for exercise, ask at your rehab or hospital for exercise to do at home or go back to PT or OT. All the best to you Sweetie. Go get em!!

 

mc

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I try to get at least some exercise daily. Some days it just doesn't happen. I was always very active before my stroke and I didn't see any reason not to be after my stroke. I am a part-time group fitness instructor at the YMCA. I was very lucky because I was physically able to return to instructing just 3 weeks and 6 days after my stroke. My aphasia was still with me when I returned. It was tough to put back on the microphone and try to instruct a room full of people when you can't get the works out. But I made it.

 

I not sure what your capabilities are. Can you ride a stationary bike? That may help with you weak arch. Just get started with something. Any movement is a good thing.

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hi there,

I have a treadclimber and an elliptical machine, (Without the arm things) and a resistance chair. I do have use of all my limbs, but I don't exercise as much as I know I should.. Apparently at least 30 minutes a day, (Or more :rolleyes: ) is advised. Most of the time I'm too bloody tired out to do much of anything besides housework and cook.

 

Susan :gym:

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I exercise daily and on days I don't I feel it the next day. Some days I'm helping soldiers with no hands or for some no leg and they exercise by routine just like we should! If you think back 20 years ago the world didn't know much about strokes, recovery or anything else about recovering. Now day we know about the signs of a stroke and how to exercise to keep those affected parts moving! I ride my bike and use the over the door pulley from the VA! THEY GOT MORE EXERCISE STUFF FOR THE SOLDIERS SO ON SOME DAYS i GET TO USE IT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO!

 

If at night you slept in a brace in time it would help your wrist straighten up some. The bone is now bent after all this time.

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ok take advantage of where your at or rather where you are not at...... In north dakota we do not have this yet but almost everywhere else has it.... I've posted about the zero gravity treadmill called the Altra G or Ultra G try googling it --- go to the web sit and see if anyone has one near you. if they do --- it would be awesome for you... it wont help to much with your hand. but the can reduce your body weight by up to 80% with air. Even dan who has significant foot drop was able to walk very well on this.. Athletes use this to train. you can even run on them and it is impossible to fall.. google --- if there is one near you go and check it out nancyl

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I do everyday but can only make ten minutes at a time. I have a Threadmill and a stepper and I go to pool on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I don't use the threadmill or stepper the days I go to pool.

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daily. i used to be a body builder, while not even close to what i one was i still feel the hitting the gym at home or the actual gym helps my endurance, tone and strength. i even started some light free weights recently! cable machine type exercises however are great as your strong side can guide your weak side through the motions..

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Katrina,

 

I thought about this post of yours again last night as I was putting my wrist brace on that I sleep in most nights! My whole left arm/hand is noticeable smaller than my right which means I don't use it as much as I should. I'm thinking by putting the brace on at night it will be OK but that's not the case! So today I will go buy another 2 pound hand bar weight from walmart. I'm so used to doing everything with my right hand it's a hard habit to break. I bet it is with you too! Practice makes perfect so try more to wear the brace if just at night because every little bit helps. Your old, old habits are NOW hard to break and your thinking is not helping either!

 

You know I emailed you pictures of me wearing mine and I honestly feel and think I wouldn't be using it as good as I can without that brace at night. Depending on what I have to do I use it during the day too like today I got to work in my yard pulling weeds and popping them out the ground with a weed popper. That takes my HANDS and a foot to stomp it in the ground and both hands to pull it out with the weeds in it!! Then I have to spray weed killer in that hole!

 

Get back on the wagon and stop falling off you are only hurting yourself you are smarter than that Lil Sis!

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Fred, I saw a segment on 60 minutes of a rehab place in Florida where they actually tie the good hand down during therapy and you have to use your bad hand, no choice. I remember one man having to eat his meal that way and becoming very agitated, but he finally did it. They were showing some really fast turn arounds with patients, and this was after many years of bad habits. I'll see if I can find a link.

 

http://www.cbsnews.c...tag=mncol;lst;1

 

Well that wasn't so hard to find. Unfortunately Ray has no movement at all in his right hand, but maybe someday.....this clip isn't what I saw, this was what therapists initially found but then on 60 Minutes they showed people that had lost their arm for years and this worked for them too.

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/02/health/main1364824.shtml?tag=mncol;lst;1

Oh here's more on that, someone 5 years later.

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Katrina:

 

I do my tradmill & stationary bike & shoulder exercise atleast 3 hrs a day for atleast 4 times in a week I don't do much for my hand since it is fist, but where I have movements I exercise those things almost 4 times in a week.

 

Asha

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Katrina,

You have age on your side. You need to exercise daily. to build up endurance and build up muscle.

 

I am a firm believer in daily exercise. I push William to exercise on a daily basis. He is slowly getting better.

 

Yes google exercises for you wrist and get some OT. It will be painful...but keep working at getting better.

 

I believe in miracles and that hard work will pay off. Sweat and tears...

 

Ruth

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Stingray, I missed that 60 minutes but I know that therapy is called restraint therapy and was popular in 2004-5 when I had my stroke! It still applies that if you don't use the affected hand/arm you WILL lose it That's the case with Katrina since therapy wasn't that popular at the time of her stroke so she never had any therapy. I was fortunate to stay in rehab for 5 months before coming home to more out patient therapy where I then learned to walk.

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I stretch every day. Every day. I stretch my leg and move it around to the full range of motion. Also, I lift the affected arm every day. I manually lift the arm while laying down, over the shoulder as high as it will go. Every day! You should try to do something, stretching, every day. No exceptions. Before you get out of bed, every day.

Hope this helps!

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  • 1 month later...

Katrina,

 

I’m not so sure about the value of exercise anymore because I had my stroke while I was exercising. And after that I became very afraid thinking that was the cause of my stroke so I stopped. Plus the doctors told me that I couldn’t do dancing aerobics, and that was my favorite because it didn’t feel like exercise. Sad part is that I really enjoyed exercising, it was a great stress reliever, and it made me feel so much better.

 

I was doing all the right things, exercising daily, watching what I ate, getting enough rest and then the stroke happened and I felt like it was all for nothing. Stuff is going to happen whether you do all the right things or not. But of course everyone says that if you weren’t in good shape it could have been worse and that’s true but the fact that it happened was upsetting because I do take care of myself. As they say damned if you do and damned if you don’t.

 

Anyway I got the ok the from the doctor that it was not the exercise that caused my stroke but I don’t have the same desire like I used because I’m still afraid to really do what I want. Now I’ve gained 10 pounds and trying to lose it but it’s really hard now. Seems like I have to almost starve myself and exercise twice as much to lose a pound and before it was so easy. I think the stroke slowed my metabolism down a whole lot.

 

I’m slowly getting back into it not because I need to so much but simply because I enjoy it and it makes me feel better, and that is something I can do independently plus I need to lose this 10 pounds before I get out of hand. Lol

 

So my advice to you is to do your part and God will do the rest. And even though the stroke happened I’m doing my best to keep doing my part because faith without works is dead and I want to show people that I can beat this with a positive attitude so I can share my miraculous testimony one day.

 

Pam

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Hope I'm not crashing the party since I'm far from a young adult (61). I've exercised all my life and was in decent shape when I had my stroke. I was anxious to get back to it afterwards and started going back to our YMCA at five months post- stroke. However, I found that, even though I used only half the weight I had before, the muscles on my left, affected, side were becoming stiff to the point that my left knee felt like I was wearing a brace and the ataxia seemed to be getting worse. So I stopped going to the Y and decided to concentrate on flexibility exercises. I now try to ride our stationary bike and work out with five-pound hand weights at home every day. This seems to be doing better for me, especially the stationary bike, which strengthens my knee as well as providing some aerobic benefit. I also walk the dog every night, but this makes my left ankle swell up, so I don't go as far as I used to. Lily doesn't seem to mind since she is getting old and a little lazy. Exercise was always a part of my life and getting back into it is one of those things that make me feel normal again.

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Pam, you can try an exercise bike any place you can find one like the gym or if you could get a used one in good condition! Usually they aren't hurt because when people buy them they sit unused in the garage for years. I got one and use it daily! Even walking slowly around the block or from your house to the next block and back daily can give you plenty exercise! Leave the can sodas alone drink water you'll feel much better!

 

 

Wrinkles, the exercise bike it a sure bet to get your exercise done plus an over the door pull up thingy will exercise your hands, arms and shoulders! You can use a walking cane or broom using both hands raising it over your head back down to just below the knees about 6 or 8 times them rest! That works for me!

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  • 6 months later...

I absolutely know you need to exercise, you need to build up your strength and endurance like other's have stated. When I started my recovery, my Dad actually made me walk up and down the stairs to our basement in order to build up strength ( I hated it then). I did as much as I could do, and this was well after my physical therapy was finished. Youth is definitely on your side, but you need to keep your body moving for many reasons including weight gain. I have never been very active at all, until my stroke, and after when I lost 80 lbs.

Keep on moving, and recovering, exercise will help you dramatically ( just don't overdo)

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