Exercise

When I was first diagnosed the consultant said there was no point following an exercise regime. This made me very angry and I changed consultants and have followed an exercise routine ever since.

A friend of mine happens to be a Pilates instructor and adapted exercises to suit me. My carers were trained to do passive exercises; I bought some CDs of gentle music and also some scented candles. It was important to make sure the room was tidy and the atmosphere very relaxing. It has recently been decided by authorities that muscle stretches are important, so I'm glad that I didn't take my original consultants advice. I have also recently seen a NHS physiotherapist who has adapted my exercises, making things an awful lot easier and effective for both me and my carers.

POWERbreathe ®
exercise machine 

Breathing Exercises

Apart from the muscle stretching regime, I do other exercises during the day like leaning forward in my chair to stretch my back, moving my head around in a particular way, deep breathing, holding my breath, using a Power Breathe apparatus and stretching my arms down the side of my chair so they don't get set in one position. I also have a motorised static exercise bike which I use most days, plus I alternate between standing and sitting in my standing wheelchair. My posture must be correct at all times not only during exercises.

Exercise Bike
You can find a lot of equipment off the internet including the exercise bike I use (RECK motomed) but always get a physio to check the machine out to make sure it’s appropriate for you.

Stretching
I have recently added another exercise using my hoist sling which provides leg traction.  Basically the hoops on my sling are slid around my ankles ( I wear thick socks which protect my ankles). Whilst I'm laying on my bed my carer gently leans back with the sling around their hips. This stretches my legs without any effort on my carer's part. It is not a particularly comfortable exercise for me but the benefits outweigh this. I have been sitting in a wheelchair now for 13 years so my knees particularly are seizing up and I do have drop-foot as most people with MS have. I have been doing this leg traction exercise now for a long time and even after a month I have noticed a difference.

Sitfit
It is now much later (in fact a whole year has gone past) and my Pilates friend has given me a strange, though wonderful, present. It is a "Sissel Sitfit", which is put under my pelvis when I do my exercises. It wobbles slightly and I have to tense my abdominal muscles just a little to keep my ballance. This is all so slight that I don't notice it, though it has toned my "core" and flattened my tummy a bit in the short time I've been using it.

Sarah