Suggestions for a hypotonic college student?
kaika_dragon
Posts: 101 Member
Hey there.
As the title implies, I am a twenty year old girl with mild-ish hypotonia. (It used to be pretty bad, but I had a few years of therapy in elementary school. But my muscle tone is still approximately like a four year old's, not like an adult's should be)
If you don't know what hypotonia is, here is a link in the interest of education: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypotonia
This means that a lot of exercises are harder for me than they should be, because I have trouble keeping my body in the positions it is supposed to be in. When I try to hold a position for more than a second or two, I start visibly shaking.
I am also slightly asthmatic, and just have kind of terrible lungs in general. But, I need to exercise more, and I know it. Even my Occupational Therapist told me so, last time I saw her.
Up to this point, the only exercise I've been able to get is through walking. But that gets pretty boring, and isn't a great workout. Right now I don't have access to a gym, but I will in a month or two when school starts up. So both gym and non-gym suggestions are welcome.
Things I can do:
Walking,
Jumping jacks (for a bit)
Things I cannot do:
Free-weights,
Crunches/sit ups,
Push ups,
Those weird machines at the gym with the ski-pole thingamajigs,
Bicycle riding,
Swimming,
Running more than very short distances.
Please help. I can tell I have too much energy, and I am just about dying for more ways to get rid of it, even if I *wasn't* trying to lose weight (which I am). Thanks.
As the title implies, I am a twenty year old girl with mild-ish hypotonia. (It used to be pretty bad, but I had a few years of therapy in elementary school. But my muscle tone is still approximately like a four year old's, not like an adult's should be)
If you don't know what hypotonia is, here is a link in the interest of education: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypotonia
This means that a lot of exercises are harder for me than they should be, because I have trouble keeping my body in the positions it is supposed to be in. When I try to hold a position for more than a second or two, I start visibly shaking.
I am also slightly asthmatic, and just have kind of terrible lungs in general. But, I need to exercise more, and I know it. Even my Occupational Therapist told me so, last time I saw her.
Up to this point, the only exercise I've been able to get is through walking. But that gets pretty boring, and isn't a great workout. Right now I don't have access to a gym, but I will in a month or two when school starts up. So both gym and non-gym suggestions are welcome.
Things I can do:
Walking,
Jumping jacks (for a bit)
Things I cannot do:
Free-weights,
Crunches/sit ups,
Push ups,
Those weird machines at the gym with the ski-pole thingamajigs,
Bicycle riding,
Swimming,
Running more than very short distances.
Please help. I can tell I have too much energy, and I am just about dying for more ways to get rid of it, even if I *wasn't* trying to lose weight (which I am). Thanks.
0
Replies
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have you tried water aerobics?
did your therapist give you any suggestions for walking ?
also walking can be interesting if you turn it into a hike around some scenery rather than just around a track0 -
First reply but I've been on MFP for awhile now. I really like Leslie Sansone. Try her free videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df2gn6-w0dE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cE1jxDS3HY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRScb2l4Z4g
and also Paula Nordine, also free:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-72NYOT-sUY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe2SC3RhjqQ
don't use the dumbells if you can't.
Most of my weight loss was achieved by diet. Good luck!0 -
I haven't tried water aerobics, but I suspect they wouldn't work for the same reason swimming doesn't - I forgot to say it originally, but I also have developmental dyspraxia, and so I have trouble with things that require coordinating different parts of my body to work together. So, I am not really coordinated enough to swim long distances or tread water too well, and jumping jacks require concentration. There's also the fact that I currently only own the bottom half of a swimsuit, but that will hopefully be fixed before the end of the summer anyway.
I do like walking, especially when my sister comes along. And walking around campus is fun, since there are redwoods, and enough hills that it takes a bit of effort. But I get bored sometimes when I am alone, and I just can't walk enough to work off my extra energy. I literally have to walk at a moderate pace for around three hours straight to get tired, even though I can't run for more than two minutes (my lungs hurt too much).
Also, no. My therapist didn't give me any suggestions. I actually haven't seen her in a couple years, because she doesn't work with people past 18. But the last time I saw her, she said that she was really worried about me, and that she thought I needed to do SOMETHING to exercise more, and she didn't really care what as long as I didn't hurt myself.
I also used to do ice skating (just around the edge of the rink), but I could only ever do that once a week, and where I live now, there are no skating rinks. I've tried roller skating instead, but found that it was harder for me, as I had more trouble balancing and stopping without falling on my butt.
Sorry if this makes no sense...
@Pamelaamarsha - thanks! the second set of videos looks like it might be worth trying. And my sister said the same thing about dumbells, lol. I don't want to exercise for weight loss, really, although it's a nice bonus. I more want to exercise because I get so restless and jittery if I don't (which right now is a lot of the time). Thanks for the help.0 -
Have you had a genetic evaluation to assist in identifying the source of the hypotonia and dyspraxia? I'd suggest you see the medical resources at your college, you might get some additional therapy support there.0
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It's not genetic, as far as they can tell. I am also autistic and have a sensory processing disorder that was pretty severe when I was a child. Hypotonia and dyspraxia are pretty common to go along with both of those things, so I think it's reasonable to assume that there is nothing horribly wrong.
Unfortunately, while my college's disabled student services are great, the medical center is useless for the kind of stuff I would need. And honestly, while more therapy would be nice in some ways, I'm not really certain how useful or necessary it is, even if I could find a therapist. I am mostly good on everyday life activities now. I just need to figure out something better than walking for exercise, so that I can be healthier and not as hyperactive.0 -
Given that you listed basically all exercises as not possible, I'd suggest you go back to your therapist (who was concerned for you) and ask for a reference of a therapist that will work with adults (who can work with you to identify exercises that fit you needs).
Other than that - dancing, yoga and tai chi type work cones to mind.0 -
You can also contact the Hopkins Hypotonia Center and get input from them. Phone number is : 410-955-3071 or search the Johns Hopkins Hypotonia Center for their website.0
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Their website seems to have been deleted.
Maybe I'll try yoga again though. I did that for a while, and while it was hard, my balance etc. was noticeably better at the end of the course.0
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