This September Think Exercise

[Veronica]

I know it can be difficult to think of exercise while dealing with IC, but it is important to work at staying in the best shape that we can to help us all deal with this illiness.

If your only able to walk in place in your living room, or around the outside of your house, or down the street it would be a great start!!

I hope all of you will take time for yourselves this month and remember the importance of exercise!

Veronica

[ICNDonna]

Thanks for the reminder --- it's sooo easy to get in a rut of not exercising enough.

Hugs,
Donna

[Iris]

Thanks for the reminder Veronica, I know I had my check up the other day and my Nurse Practitioner made me laugh, she said don't just dust the exercise bike, use it! She was right I have been ignoring it, started doing some garden work and will try out some yoga tapes, one of the gals has recommended. Thanks again for a push in the right direction, take care Iris hi hat

[rnewman]

Thanks Veronica.......
Donna is right!! IM IN THAT RUT!!


I have been so bad I havent even been doing my Physical therapy exersizes....and poof! My hip is out of place! And I have no one to blame but myself!! So now I have pleanty of urinary retention and constipation.....all because I didnt do my 10 minutes before I went to bed at night.

Now Im working on getting it back into place. My physical therapist had "discharged" me, but I think I need to go back just so she can readjust me and THEN i will keep up with the exersizes. And, I want to add more, so that PT doesnt feel like such a chore to do...just a part of the routine.

I have lost a little weight and now I want to tone up. Yoga was my first love- well, ok second, after swimming, but I dont always have access to a pool. Yoga is relaxing and energizing and stregthening.....but its tough to start ANY exersize when your in the "out-of-it" rut and hurting.

Any tips for easy exersizes to start??
Rachel

[Veronica]

Hi! So glad to see everyone's jumping back on the exercise wagon!

Awhile back I had purchased the Hatha Yoga for Intersitial Cystitis that is sold on this site. I think it's a nice gentle yoga tape that would work well for beginners. It's a go at your own speed kind of program.

I also get a Fit Tv station through my cable television that has various arobic prgrams on it that I sometimes exercise to. I just modify it to fit my needs. Maybe I only do the leg work, but not the arm part, etc...whatever I can tolerate that day.

I also try to get in walks outside when possible.

I used to work out with weights and weight machines before IC. Then after IC I lost a lot of my endurance. Instead of trying to do to much I started off using small cans of chicken broth as weights until I could get used to heavier wieghts again.

I think the important thing is to start off slow...small steps...small goals.

Keep up the good work everybody!!!

Veronica

[dyno]

We just joined the Y and I am really enjoying it. I go M-W-F and do aerobics as in the bike, treadmill or now today I did a sp(epthiel) thing. I don't know for sure how to spell it. You pedal backward and forward and there is a incline and it was one good workout. Then on T and Thur. I am going to go do the weight machines when I can. Then on M, W, F afternoons if my grandaughter wants we will go back and go swim. Then on the weekends or nights when my husband wants to go I will also go swim. I am truely enjoying the exercise and hope to get into better shape. It is so easy to just let the exercise slide, I am determined to keep at it now.

Jolene

[Veronica]

Dear Jolene,

Way to go!! I'm so glad to hear you are able to do all those exercises! How fantastic! Keep up the good work!

Veronica

[peiti]

Hi,

I am so glad that this exercise topic is brought up. I am a big fan of exercise. Actually exercise is considered as an IC treatment for me. I work out up to 3 hours a week (sometimes even more). Would like to share some of my tips here.

1. Try to find something that you enjoy doing. Make exercise fun. Believe me, if you don't have fun, you will lose interest very soon. Don't just work out for healthy sake. If you can only walk, bring your walkman with you so you can enjoy the music at the same time.

2. I recorded a couple of tapes from fit channel and bought some yoga and pilates tapes from Amazon so I can exercise at home. I work out with different tape (or DVD) every day so I won't get bored easily. It is so much fun to work out at home. You don't have to drive to the gym and wait in a line to use the popular machine. I really enjoy working out alone at home. That is when I have some personal quality time. However, I think it depends on your personality. If you like hanging out with friends or making new friends, then maybe going to the gym is not a bad idea for you to keep working out.

[mayray518]

I go to the gym Bally's at least 3 days a week. And I also run a few miles when the weather is permitting. It does make you feel better even tho it is hard to get started sometimes.

[emeralds333]

You know, so many of us have complained about having joint pain, especially in our legs and feet. For me, this didn't start until about 6 wks ago but has progressed horribly. After visiting the pain dr and hearing that this is "part of IC" that what it is is myofacial pain (sp?), I've taken the advice that stretching and exercise would really help.

I've been doing the exercises, the stretching ones, in the chronic pain workbook religiously (every single night) and have noticed a HUGE difference in the level of pain in my legs and feet. It's made it a minor irritation rather than a huge problem, as I was walking around like an 80 yr old (and I'm only 34).

Yesterday we had to take my baby to Riley Hospital for some tests and we were gone all day. I was too exhausted to do the stretches and the yoga, so I skipped it. BIG MISTAKE! Today the pain is back just as bad as it was before I started the stretching and the yoga.

And so to make a short story long ( ) half an hour of yoga and stretching every night is more than worth preventing all the pain the next day. At least for me!

Great subject here! It really does help!

Kellie

[Iris]

Hi Kellie, where did you get the chronic pain workbook from? I also have a big problem with joint pain, that I never had before IC, especially in my hips and knees. I have an exercise bike and I try to do some cycling when I can. Would be very interestedin finding the exercises you mention in the book. Thanks for any info, take care Iris hat

[emeralds333]

Hi Iris! It's the Chronic Pain Control Workbook that they sell on this site. (If you go up to the "Browse our site" thing at the top, go to "Shop - Books and More". I thought the price was kind of high but I was so miserable with all of this I splurged on it. It's REALLY GOOD. It's a nice big book and has tons of info and a whole chapter on exercise and stretching and the stretching exercises to do. It says it's more helpful if you do them in the order they list and I think they're right with that. It has REALLY HELPED with the joint pain. I know you and I both talked about that several times this last month. Mine was getting so bad I felt like I was 80. Anyway, let me know if you get it and it helps you. I seem to have to do it every night and that was a little hard at first but I took the attitude that this was "doing something good for ME" and we really need that with this IC. PM me and let me know if you get it and what you think of it!

Kellie