THe MS Trust's top 5 tips for staying active with MS
1. Don't overdo it! Listen to your body when it tells you to stop.
2. Everyone can feel lethargic in hot or humid weather, but with MS the effect is often exaggerated.
3. Remember to breathe! It might sound obvious but you'd be surprised at the number of people who hold their breath when they exercise.
4. Have a trigger to remind you to exercise. Maybe when the adverts come on the television or when the kettle is boiling.
5. Choose an exercise that works for you. Everyone is individual and some people like to exercise in a group setting - in a class or as part of a team. Others like to work individually whether it is in a gym, swimming pool or at home.
Some tips of my own...
The tips above are excellent and as a qualified Personal Trainer I have a few more of my own to add too:
1) I can't emphasise the need to stay hydrated enough; being well hydrated let's your body better regulate it's temperature which can help to manage symptoms which are made worse by heat (Uhthoff's phenomenon).
2) I take my own water to the gym and keep half-filled bottle of water in the freezer to top up with fresh water once there. As I live close to the gym the frozen part stays frozen for some time keeping the rest super-cold too (admittedly this won't work if you live further away)
3. Use the fans built into the machines if your gym has them; make sure they are angled to make best use of the colder air (again to help manage body temperature) and ask instructors to turn on the main fans if they are ever off (seems they often are early on Sunday mornings!)
4. Some gyms have 'MS Groups' who meet at a certain time and train under the supervision of a PT; this can be helpful as some machines can be reserved for this specific time, although this is often during the day.
5. Don't be afraid to ask the instructors at the gym for help if you need it; part of the PT training course covers MS so instructors are aware of things which may help you; you mustn't be embarrassed to ask. Or you could book in for a session with a PT who will work with you on a one to one basis.
6. If balance is an issue a PT can show you alternatives to traditional exercises eg using a Swiss ball to help with squats or show you an area where you can stretch using a wall for balance.
7. Even if you have been working with free weights for years please, please always use a spotter; you can't be sure when you will lose control of an exercise, you can really hurt yourself by dropping weights.
8. Wear cooling clothes; shorter leggings are cooler than full-length ones; strappy tops are cooler than t-shirts. Or use a cooling vest if you have one.
9. If you use the gym and drive to workout consider how hard you train to still allow you to drive home; if you are badly affected by heat and this affects your arms or legs, moderate your session so that you will stay fully safe to drive home.
10. If you enjoy swimming or take little ones to the pool, remember that they children's pool is much warmer than the larger pool.
11. Warm up and cool down adequately; use dynamic stretching as part of your warm up (to keep your heart-rate elevated) and static stretches in your cool down to increase flexibility and range of motion at your joints.
1) I can't emphasise the need to stay hydrated enough; being well hydrated let's your body better regulate it's temperature which can help to manage symptoms which are made worse by heat (Uhthoff's phenomenon).
2) I take my own water to the gym and keep half-filled bottle of water in the freezer to top up with fresh water once there. As I live close to the gym the frozen part stays frozen for some time keeping the rest super-cold too (admittedly this won't work if you live further away)
3. Use the fans built into the machines if your gym has them; make sure they are angled to make best use of the colder air (again to help manage body temperature) and ask instructors to turn on the main fans if they are ever off (seems they often are early on Sunday mornings!)
4. Some gyms have 'MS Groups' who meet at a certain time and train under the supervision of a PT; this can be helpful as some machines can be reserved for this specific time, although this is often during the day.
5. Don't be afraid to ask the instructors at the gym for help if you need it; part of the PT training course covers MS so instructors are aware of things which may help you; you mustn't be embarrassed to ask. Or you could book in for a session with a PT who will work with you on a one to one basis.
6. If balance is an issue a PT can show you alternatives to traditional exercises eg using a Swiss ball to help with squats or show you an area where you can stretch using a wall for balance.
7. Even if you have been working with free weights for years please, please always use a spotter; you can't be sure when you will lose control of an exercise, you can really hurt yourself by dropping weights.
8. Wear cooling clothes; shorter leggings are cooler than full-length ones; strappy tops are cooler than t-shirts. Or use a cooling vest if you have one.
9. If you use the gym and drive to workout consider how hard you train to still allow you to drive home; if you are badly affected by heat and this affects your arms or legs, moderate your session so that you will stay fully safe to drive home.
10. If you enjoy swimming or take little ones to the pool, remember that they children's pool is much warmer than the larger pool.
11. Warm up and cool down adequately; use dynamic stretching as part of your warm up (to keep your heart-rate elevated) and static stretches in your cool down to increase flexibility and range of motion at your joints.
Sources;
MS Trust (2017) Open Door; May
MS Trust (2017) Open Door; May
