Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion General Message Board for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Related Diseases Exersize

What are your experiences or thoughts on exercise. I want to go ahead and just go at it but I dont know what that will do to me. I walk a little but I really want to get back to 5 or 6 miles a day. What do you do? I know exercise is key in feeling better. Have any of you felt really bad and regardless of a aching burning grinding low back and hips just push pon through and do the intense exercising of your choice. Such as runnning or walking several miles or p90x. Do you find if you jut do it you have found relief in the long run or do these kind of things lead you into a major flare? i HAVE 7 DAYS OFF AND i PLAN ON MAKING MYSELF WALK MY OLD 5 MILES A DAY NO MATTER WHAT. No matter how bad I may feel just do it and see if eating better and pushing through physically might help me in the long run. I just do not want to increase the pain or aggravation I am already in. As many of you that have read my post know I havnt exactly got great control on this disease. I am just tired of it owning me and i WANT TO FEEL MORE MYSELF. Sorry for typos I am so sleepy and to lazy to go back and correct. Just got off a long night shift. Any way I am interested in hearing how any of you deal with and experience pushing yourself more physically.

OK, Yes But. First, you can easily over do it, making it worse and causing additional damage. That is what I did with my ankles, dr said nothing was wrong keep walking. Now they will never be normal and can't be fixed. Plus if you over do it, you will feel terrible the next day.

I saw a PT, they are experts and will show you which are helpful which can hurt. I think weight lifting is bad, or rather certain ones. I know the special way to move my neck to help it. You can have one or two "teaching" sessions which I highly recommend.

Good luck and don't push it. Gradually more every day.

I agree about the weight lifting. I lifted weights for years and ran up to 10 miles at my best at one time. that was just less than 6 years ago. I do still lift light weight nothing like before and not as often. I do get wore out after and hurt more than I should the next day I just havnt pushed myself to keep going due to the total wipe out I have had from it . I just wondered if someone out there has physically pushed through this and found success or I am just wishful day dreaming.I do have a whole stretching routine I go through due to my neck bothering me in the past.I am going to attempt to walk my five miles a day until I go back to work next week and see how my body responds. I want to see if it will help in some way wih this stiffness and the constant aching burning in my grown and butt .My hips are definately getting more involved. left hip always has been more of a bother now my right hip is joining in. I will let yall know how it turns out. As bad as a I have felt off and on the past month this sounds crazy but I am feeling like I need to do something proactive if it is just to test my own theory fail or not. Banana what do you think about this remicade deal I have. It seems if it was working at this point my hips would not have stated in as well that the pain I had prior to treatment would be minimized not expanding.

Its important to listen to your body. If you can push through the pain without causing more pain the next day, you are probably ok. If you are in pain for days after working out, your body is trying to tell you that you are pushing too hard. I hope you are able to enjoy those long walks. My hips would give out by the five mile mark.

OOOOOH! LOL! I know. I know. I havnt gone walking yet today. I slept due to coming in this morning from a 12 hour shift. I actually havnt walked more than 20 minutes since my right hip started in on me so tomorrow I will find out what happens and I can gauge my situation. Isnt it so hard to grasp your body not doing what your mind wants it to ans what it has done before.

groin in previous post not grown. haha

I'm a 41-year-old woman. I used to be a pretty serious distance runner. When things started getting bad for me, I gave it up. At that time everyone told me my problems were mechanical. I now walk a lot (4-10 miles on all but my worst days) and I think it helps significantly--mentally as well as physically.

Thanks to my dog, I walk a few miles almost as soon as I wake up in the morning, whether I want to or not. The sooner I get out, the sooner my back stiffness starts to back off. I'd walk even more if I had more time. I got a fancy GPS watch for Christmas. It is sort of cruel given how much I miss running, but the activity tracker has been great at reminding me when I have been sitting too long (although my back does that too).

I have had to give up weight lifting. My hands and wrists are a mess and the weight causes pain (and not in a good, I'm getting stronger way).

If you have a Y or other good gym reasonably close, talk with the trainer there and explain your situation. I have found the personnel at our Y very helpful, and have formed many new and supportive friendships there as well. I used to be a distance walker and can still usually do that in moderation, but I now find that non-impact exercising is my best bet, and regular water aerobics and/or lap swimming is a lifesaver for me. Still pushing for aquatic tai chi at the Y, but nothing available yet.

Have you been able to walk and if so, how's it going?

I second Joani's suggestion for water exercise. I do water aerobics 3 times a week and it has made a real difference for me.

Love swimming, but darn the only one close is in the summer only. Swimming helps so much because you aren't putting weight on your ankles, feet, knees or hips.

The word to use is Gentle. We do not "break through" the pain and come out the other side...we just make it worse and cause more damage.