Fitness w/MS

Exercising and fitness can be overwhelming and confusing for anyone. There are so many options these days that deciding what the best way for you to get or stay healthy can be difficult. For myself, if I drive 10 minutes in any direction from my house there is a yoga studio, a cycle studio, a few Globo gyms, a couple boutique training centres, CrossFit affiliates and a bunch of people running outside with the warmer weather.

One of my immediate thoughts when I was diagnosed was that I would need to create a better baseline for myself so that if the disease started to chip away at my abilities, I’d have a strong foundation. 

What's important to remember is that, just as fitness can be overwhelming for anyone, exercising with MS can be even more so. There are a few factors I’ve learned to keep in mind when it comes to exercising and MS:

-       Physical deconditioning due to low activity levels contribute to weakness and fatigue,

-       Comorbidities (obesity/cardiovascular) have been associated with higher disability levels,

-       Gait training is important for mobility challenges,

-       All types of training (aerobic/strength/mobility) are encouraged.

One thing I’ve noticed about myself is that if I’m not active on any given day, that’s when I usually end up feeling particularly unwell. I feel sluggish, tired and have very low energy levels. So, even on rest days I still do something, even if it is only a walk around the neighborhood. 

You may not be able to do much training in a facility these days depending on where you live, so take advantage of the time and research some new sorts of training that you might enjoy. Keeps things fresh with variety, and try your best to challenge yourself.

-       Jesse