Exhausted and hurting!

ShrinkingShawna

I've been working out since 4/30/2012. When I started, I was pumped and ready to go. I was doing good working out every single day. I took a 3 day break this week, because my body is simply exhausted. I have absolutely no energy. My muscles hurt just walking a few feet.

My background:

I've been using a wheelchair for 3 years. I used it mostly for safety because I was falling/fainting and doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. Last year I was diagnosed with vertigo. After doing some research I found that it's curable with physical therapy. I did a round of physical therapy at the beginning of the year, but developed pnemonia and had to stop for a while. I just finished physical therapy last week, and I was up to walking 500 feet without stopping, and the muscle atrophy in my back was almost nill. I have a herniated disc in my lower back, however since completing physical therapy it hasn't bothered me very often.

My workouts are focused on strength training (mostly core training). I've recently added leg curls and leg extentions.

The problem seems to be in my legs. They just feel like they are going to give out! I can only do 10-15 minutes of the sit down stair stepper thing (I can't remember the name of that machine) before it becomes really painful. (Walking to the door is another matter)

I am not asking medical advice, I've been cleared to lift weights and work out by my physical therapist and my doctor. But I want to walk without pain! It makes it very difficult to stay motivated to do something that hurts.

Anyone out there have advice on strengthening my legs? Is it normal to hurt this much?

Please help!

Thank you so much!

ZebraBri

I've been working out since 4/30/2012. When I started, I was pumped and ready to go. I was doing good working out every single day. I took a 3 day break this week, because my body is simply exhausted. I have absolutely no energy. My muscles hurt just walking a few feet.

My background:

I've been using a wheelchair for 3 years. I used it mostly for safety because I was falling/fainting and doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong. Last year I was diagnosed with vertigo. After doing some research I found that it's curable with physical therapy. I did a round of physical therapy at the beginning of the year, but developed pnemonia and had to stop for a while. I just finished physical therapy last week, and I was up to walking 500 feet without stopping, and the muscle atrophy in my back was almost nill. I have a herniated disc in my lower back, however since completing physical therapy it hasn't bothered me very often.

My workouts are focused on strength training (mostly core training). I've recently added leg curls and leg extentions.

The problem seems to be in my legs. They just feel like they are going to give out! I can only do 10-15 minutes of the sit down stair stepper thing (I can't remember the name of that machine) before it becomes really painful. (Walking to the door is another matter)

I am not asking medical advice, I've been cleared to lift weights and work out by my physical therapist and my doctor. But I want to walk without pain! It makes it very difficult to stay motivated to do something that hurts.

Anyone out there have advice on strengthening my legs? Is it normal to hurt this much?

Please help!

Thank you so much!

Well first, props to you from not giving up after all you've been through medically!

I guess I'm always in pain when I exercise, but it's bearable, so if it's unbearable I'm not sure what to say. I guess just do all you can do, and stretch!

You're doing a wonderful job

scottb81

I can't speak to how this may be related to your other issues but if anybody else said they started working out at the end of April and didn't take a day off until The end of the first week of June I would tell then it's no wonder the body is exhausted. Your body can only adapt to the exercises at its own rate. If you keep overloading it without rest it will become overwhelmed and get weaker instead of stronger.

Rest a few days until your energy comes back. Eat and sleep well. Then when you get back to it add a couple of rest days to the schedule each week. As you get more fit you may need less rest or you may just work harder each session with the same rest.

Lozze

Simply put you are overtraining. You NEED at least one rest day a week. Your body needs time to recover. If you don't let it recover, it can't fix itself and you get tired and achey and feel like poo. Take a week off then once you get back into it make sure to only do weights every second day and have one full rest day a week.

ShrinkingShawna

Thank you all so much!

Jordant107

I've been using a wheelchair for 3 years.
Anyone out there have advice on strengthening my legs? Is it normal to hurt this much?

Maybe this is the reason that you're finding it so hard?!? After 3 years of little/ no use, your legs are going to have lost a lot of muscle and will take a good while to get back to full strength again!! Think of it like when a baby is learning to walk- it takes time, and they have to build up the strength/ balance/ endurance!!!

natika33

Wow, you've really been working hard! Everyday training is exhausting for anyone, especially if you are working on the same area of the body every time. Even professional athletes take breaks and vary their workouts to hit different muscle groups on different days!

I agree with all the other posters that you should take a week break and then get back into things. Switch things up too. Work on your core one day and your legs the next and then back to your core for example and use the one day that messes up the schedule as your day off.

If your legs are causing you a lot of pain and you only just started working on strength training with them, keep the weights lower than your maximum at first. You might have some bone density loss too in addition to muscle loss from having used a wheel-chair for awhile. It may take longer for your bones to re-adjust to weight-bearing than your muscles.

Speak to your physical therapist again and tell her/him about the pain you've been experiencing.