How do you exercise when your health won't let you?

valkc1953 · January 2016

I used to do my treadmill almost every day & when I didn't, I lifted weights. I didn't do great but I certainly felt better after doing them. A few years ago, I got a groin pull that refuses to go away. I have other health issues that come into play, making it difficult to heal. I suffer from fibromyalgia, IBS, CFS & many of the other problems that go with these syndromes. I also have a bad back that makes it hard to do certain things. I do walk with my sister when the weather cooperates but now that it's winter, I'm afraid I'll lose what progress I have made.

Any ideas on what would be a safe & effective exercise for someone in my predicament?

Peeperpat · January 2016

Chair exercises are great! You can GOOGLE and find a variety of them.

deluxmary2000 · January 2016

Can you get an inexpensive treadmill? If you already enjoy walking, that would be a great way to keep it up during colder months.

ninerbuff · January 2016

A seated pedal machine.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

upoffthemat · January 2016

You may be able to walk in a mall or large store as well. I know some malls even have walking clubs. Another thing is just to be less efficient. Park your car a little farther away, take stairs instead of elevators where you can, walk up and down every aisle in a store. It isn't a lot, but every step can help.
I know fibromyalgia can really suck and you can't push it too hard so it might be just finding ways to make everything you do take a little more exercise for a while.

AmazonMayan · January 2016

I walk laps around my house or even march in place or dance to some music...I get up and move without following a DVD or video. Sometimes its 10 minutes at time. That's for days I can't get out and walk or days the pain in my back wins. Sometimes I just swing my arms (anything to move but i don't count towards any burned calories) or do kettle bell or dumbbell exercises. I bought a 15$ set of adjustable dumbbells last year at Walmart. Of course with your groin pull I'm not sure how strength training might affect it.

I had a beautiful treadmill with great features and was so excited. ...it killed my back and I couldn't use it. Sold it on Craigslist lol. I can walk or hike for miles outside many days. Walking has helped me with fibro.

There are hand bikes that you could use. Walmart also had those but unsure if they still do. I've seen them on amazon.

Edited because my phone doesn't like the words I wanted to use and autocorrected to something entirely different lol. The last update on my phone has really messed up my keyboard

cot_ter · January 2016

Yoga google Arthur Boorman to see how it helped him

TeaBea · January 2016

Walk At Home videos. These are low impact aerobics that have no choreography. The means you can always go at your own pace. Keep the moves small and controlled in the beginning.

Here are examples from YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia

CaptainPepperJack · January 2016

If you have access to a pool, that would probably be best, it helps with less impact when you're walking or exercising, etc. Have you thought about going to a physical therapist for a bit, to heal? Good luck!

lorrpb · January 2016

Many people have physical limitations that inhibit certain exercises. It can take some experimentation to find what works for you. Even if you can't do all that you used to, you can do more than nothing, which is still s good thing.

valkc1953 · February 2016

I want to thank everyone for some fantastic ideas. I'm certainly going to get online & see what I can find.

star1407 · February 2016

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/940-chronic-pain-weight-loss
Hiya join our group, we all have either fibro or other long term illnesses that cause pain and fatigue. There's some exercises recommended there too

Chieflrg · February 2016

I deal with many health issues very simular to yours. I found lifting in a progressive lifting program starting from only the bar and form has helped me the most.

Lifting can help chronic pain a lot and relieve the stress that comes from chronic pain. My back was bad for many decades and now it's better at age 46 than when I was 15.

Need2Exerc1se · February 2016

valkc1953 wrote: »

Any ideas on what would be a safe & effective exercise for someone in my predicament?

Safe: Talking to a physician familiar with your medical problems about what exercises would be safe.

Not so safe: Taking advice on exercising with medical conditions from strangers on the internet.

singingflutelady · February 2016

Chieflrg wrote: »

I deal with many health issues very simular to yours. I found lifting in a progressive lifting program starting from only the bar and form has helped me the most.

Lifting can help chronic pain a lot and relieve the stress that comes from chronic pain. My back was bad for many decades and now it's better at age 46 than when I was 15.

Me too. I have severe Crohn's disease and lift heavy (did strong lifts and now Texas Method). I do have to take full rest days in-between ( ie sleep all day) because of the exhaustion and sometimes long rest periods between sets ( to run to the bathroom lol). I do have restrictions ( no jumping, no ab work, no cardio, etc or anything that causes my abdominal pain to worsen) and some days I just can't but making my body stronger has improved my health a bit. I listen to my body more and if it says no not today i don't work out. I had to take a long time off and did not restart until I had permission from my GI.

How do you exercise when your health won't let you?

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