Exercising with Disabilities

[NJChick 3]

How do you exercise?

I have arthritis and deteorating disc in my spine (and knees) so I am not allowed anything that has impact.

I can swim and do the treadmill.

[Teresita 0]

NJChick if you add arthritis after the word disabilities, more people may visit. I was just going to start a thread like that also.

I have a girlfriend who needs knee replacement surgery and I tell her she needs to do upper body exercise until she can get to the pool.

[babyjane 0]

i checked out the pool yesterday where i was going to do their Water aerobics class and the first step down is soooooo steep. i might be able to step down into pool, but doing that step coming back up, i cannot do it. my knee will lock up---i am very disappointed, i had been planning to do this since before my surgery. today i guess i will check out curves. i ,too, can only do the upper excercises due to bad knees and arthritis. i walk with a cane and use my scooter when out in stores, park, etc. i also got me a disco tape at Walmart to use , i can dance my brains out, mostly upper body movements. however, i will do this away from the kids, in my bedroom, or they will choke with laughter.

[Teresita 0]

babyjane did you ask the folks at the pool if they have a ramp? Hey good idea, don't kill the kids with laughter.....hahahah

[vinesqueen 2]

Nah, kill 'em with laughter!

The pool needs to have some way for folks to be accomidated, it's part of the ADA. Don't be shy, ask for the help you need and deserve.

Dancing is great, you can do it at whatever your fitness level is. The key is to get moving and stay moving.

You might give a look at both pilaties and yoga as well. Both are well tolerated, as they can be easily adapted to folks with needs.

[babyjane 0]

i will ask about the ramp--they do have a sling type chair they lower into the Water, but i do not want those teenage lifeguards lowering me into the water with that crane--no way. but, maybe they have a ramp of some sort. i am taking assorted neighbor kids to the pool tomorrow,i will check on ramp. thanks...

[Elisabethsew 50]

I also have arthritis (spinal and need a total knee replacement). I try to increase the distance I work a little more each week but it's hard some days. The grinding of bone on bone and knee locking making increasing my pace difficult. While others are looking forward to plastic surgery, I'm aiming for a healthy weight to have the total knee replacement. LOL.

[Elisabethsew 50]

I know what you're referring to, Jack. I wonder if they make them still... AND what the weight max is if they do.

[S@ssen@ch 745]

I had a hip replacement at the age of 30 and have been having trouble with impact exercises ever since. I've always found the recumbant bicycle helpful. You're gonna laugh, but I used to do Richard Simmons exercise tapes. They're very low impact and can even be done while sitting. He's very enthusiastic and he certainly made me feel better on my darkest days.

Right now, I'm doing an eliptical. It's low impact for knees and hips. It's a bitch to get started because first, your thighs feel like they're on fire then they turn to some heavy jelly-like substance. After a few sessions, you can eventually work up to more minutes but those first few are killers.

I also do an exercise ball where I sit on it and do pelvic/trunk exercises as well as modified crunches. Theraband is also great.

Any pilates or yoga instructional dvd or book should be quite helpful for low impact and strengthening routines. And it doesn't matter that you can't twist yourself into the pretzel that the instructor can. Do what you CAN do and eventually you'll be doing more and more.

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Elisabeth, I wish you the best of luck on your weight loss so that you can get your knee replacement. My mom is 57 years old and had her left knee replaced in May of 2005 and had her right knee replaced in December of 2005. She has done wonderfully! My mother is 5' 11" tall and weighs around 220 lbs. She has always been an overly active workaholic, but for the last 3 - 4 years before her replacements, I watched in horror as she suffered from the pain of arthritis and her bones grinding together. I can't tell you how much the replacements have improved her life! She is her same old active self again! I always joked that when I was little I would have to run to keep up pace with her at the mall, then in the years that she suffered with her knees I was constantly looking for places in the mall that she could sit and rest her legs. Well guess what? Now I'm running to keep pace with her again, and its awesome!! BTW, my mom's name is Elizabeth, (except with the z instead of the s) too! I just know that you will be thrilled with the replacement! I am currently experiencing creeking and popping and some pain in my knees, and am hoping that the weight loss will help, but I know that at some point I'll probably be going through the replacements myself because its hereditary. At least I'll know what to expect! When you do have your surgery, don't hesitate to ask me questions, because I was there every step of the way with mother! Best of luck to you!

I'm 4 weeks post op on Friday, and will start exercising at the hospital where I had surgery with an exercise physiologist. I haven't been doing lots of walking because of my knee issues and some back issues, but have been swimming at home some. I worry that my knees and back will slow my weight loss if I can't exercise a lot. The swimming seems to be fine, but my knees creek a lot when I get out of the Water.. I'll just have to see what the future holds!

[babyjane 0]

elisabeth, i,too, just want to be able to have knee surgery and be healthier. i do not care what "size" i end up at, and cannot afford plastic surgery. i just want to live longer and feel better.

jack, they do still make those small trampolines, i saw one in a sale paper just the other day. but, i think the weight limit is 225lbs--not sure.

[Elisabethsew 50]

Thanks, Kim and Jane! Unfortunately, arthritis does run in my family and my mother has had 2 total knee and 2 total shoulder replacements. I had a bad fall when I was 16 years old landing on my left knee and that's what started my knee problems. The spinal arthritis doesn't give me any pain or problems but I work as an RN and have to do quite a bit of walking so I think the activity keeps the back in check.

The orthopedic surgeon told me I was now in "end stage, bone on bone" arthritis in the left knee. Cortisone and hyalgan injections do nothing so I HAVE to lose weight to have the surgery and make the recovery faster. If I have surgery at this weight, the surgeon said the recovery would be very long and I can't be out of work that long. On a positive note, the orthopedist did say that for every pound lost, there is 3 pounds less pressure on weight bearing joints.

I think the goal for those of us with physical restrictions is to maintain the function we currently have by doing what we can in terms of exercise that does not produce pain.

[JerseyJan 0]

Hi Everyone! It's Been A Few Weeks Since I Have Posted Anything But I Have Been Reading How Great People Are Doing! You All Should Be So Proud Of All The Steps You Have Made To Help Accomplish What You Started Out To Do. My Hardest Thing With Weight Loss Was That I Was Not Able To Move.. To Do Exercise...because I Was Always In So Much Pain. When I Got Banded I Had Kept Off 40lbs Of The 60lbs I Had Lost On The Jenny Craig Program But It Took Me 1 1/2 Yrs To Do That. I Was On About 10 Medications For All My Problems. I Was Banded On Dec. 21, 2005 And I Vowed To Myself After I Had This Done That I Was Going To Exercise And Make It Part Of My Life No Matter What. 3 Weeks Post-op I Began My Exercise Journey. I Began It Hackensack University Medical Center Where They Have A Rehab Program For People That Have Gone Through Bariatric Surgery. I Was Going 2 Times Week And It Really Helped Me Get Stronger Physically And Mentally! When I Say Mentally I Mean It Helped Me Keep Focused With My New Way Of Life. It Is So Important To Keep Talking To Yourself And Telling Yourself To Keep It Up. Pat Yourself On The Back. Anyway, I Have Lost 50lbs Since I Was Banded And When I Add The 40 I Lost Prebanded I Am 90lbs Down From Where I Was 2 1/2 Ago. Plus, I Am A Much Healthier Person. I Had My Blood Tests Taken 2 Weeks Ago For My Phsycial. My Cholestrol Is Now Normal At 161 And The Other Numbers For Good Cholestrol And Bad Cholestrol Are All Within Normal Limits. My Exercising Helped My Bad Cholestrol Get Good Again!! My Diet And Exercise Helped It Tremendously. I Stopped My Medication The Day Before My Surgery And Never Looked Back. I Was Also Type 2 Diabetic And I Stopped My Medication The Day Before Surgery And Again Have Never Looked Back. I Had My A1c Taken (which Is An Average Of Your Blood Sugars Over A 3 Month Period) I Am Happy To Say It Was 5.9!! Anything Less Than 6 Is Considered Normal. My Doctor Wrote To Me In A Letter That There Is No Signs Of The Diabetes. Of Course, I Do Consider My Self A Diabetic But The Thing Is I Am Controlling It All Now With Diet And Exercise. I Couldn't Be Happier. I Still Have Almost 100 More Lbs To Lose And I Am Very Determined To Get There. Another Good Thing Is I Joined A Gym Very Close To My Home. Now I Can Go Everyday Is I Want To. Right Now I Go About 4 To 5 Days Per Week. I Do Right Now Cardio For About An Hour. I Am Into The Eleyptical Machine And Today I Did A Total Hour On That At Level 3!! Wow! It Felt Awesome To Be Able To Do That For That Long And Still Feel Good To Do Things. I Also Have Arthritis Pretty Bad And Fibromaylgia. I Have Herniated Discs On My Left Side Of My Neck, Torn Cartliedge In My Right Knee And Stenosis In My Lower Back. For Years, I Have Been Wearing A Brace On My Left Leg For My Ankle Support Since I Also Have Torn Tendons In My Left Ankle. However, Since I Have Lost Alot Of Weight I Find I Don't Have To Wear The Brace As Much As I Use To. I Use It If I Am Going To Walk A Very Long Distance. However, I Don't Have The Pain That I Use To Have And A Blood Test Showed That My Sedimentation Rate Actually Went Down To 100 From Being As High As 130. Sedimentation Rate Blood Tests Shows When There Is Inflammation In The Body And I Can't Say My Weight Loss Is Making It Better But I Know It Can't Hurt. All In All, I Just Want To Say, I Am A Person Who Had A Lot Of Physical Issues And Still Has Them For The Most Part But With Determination And Doing It The Smart Way..(building Yourself Up To An Hour 4 To 5 Times Per Week) Will Help You Achieve Your Goals!! I Went To Get A New Pair Of Shorts Today And I Am Proud To Say That I Was Able To Fit Into A Size 20 And An 18/20 For Shorts When Last Summer I Was In 28's!! I Am Forever Grateful I Was Able To Get The Lap Band Operation. It Helped Me Realize I Can Do This...lose This Weight And To Be Able To Move Again...yes Exercise!! Exercising Is Addictive But In A Good Way! It Can Only Help You!just Remember To Keep Challenging Yourself...little Steps At A Time...it Really Helped Me With The Eleyptical Machine. The First Time I Was On It For 30 Seconds, Then 1 Minute And Then 1 1/2 Minutes. After That 3rd Time I Said To My Instructor That I Can't Do That Machine. I Was So Out Of Breath And Red In The Face. He Let Me Not Do It For 1 1/2 Weeks And Then He Said...janice...it's Time To Do It Again!! I Looked At Him And Said Ok But I'm Not Happy About It...lol...then I Did It For 3 Minutes And I Didn't Feel As Bad....and That Is How I Kept Doing It...adding A Few Minutes On At A Time Until Where I Got To Today....6o Minutes!! So Keep On Challenging Yourself!!!!

Ok, I Know I Have Written Alot But I Haven't Written In Weeks ! Lol..hope You All Have A Very Happy And Healthy Holiday!! Time For Fireworks!!

Today Is The Best Day Of The Rest Of My Life!!!

Prebanded: 340lbs Dec. 13, 2003 (short Time I Was A Size 30)

Banded: 299.4lbs Dec. 21, 2006

Present Weight: 250lbs July 3, 2006

Clothing Size: Went From Size 28 To Size 18/20

My Goal Weight Is: 155lbs....95lbs More To Go!!

[Jachut 487]

Until my ankle recovered, I found the elliptical great, the stationary bike too. I guess it depends where your pain is. Swimming laps is helpful and there are great Water based classes too.

The rebounders that Jack's talking about are still around and easily obtainable - try googling Urban Rebounding.

[Dody 0]

severe arthritis and osteoporosis keeps me from the excercise I need so badly. I'm having knee surgery this coming Fri. and will be riding a stationary bike for recovery. I'm hoping losing some weight will help me in the walking process, as my problem is not so much in what I eat but the fact I can't excercise. I'm sure my feet will quit hurting some if I take some weight off.

God Bless,

Dody