This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

This is a very old thread but the info to me is of prime significance. It would be most interesting is the OP was around (on the Forum) to update us over her progress over the past 5 years, which coincidentally is 5 years to the day today from your last post.

I'm interested in hearing more about this, especially things like spasticity getting worse as the body heats up. I was diagnosed almost two months ago after almost 8 years of mysterious neurological symptoms (I have a mild form, so far). I know everyone's disease is different and I'm aware that I've been very lucky (most of my everyday problems are my hands/balance at night or going down stairs/loss of sensation in the heat) but I may have some useful tips on exercises to help lower leg tightness and slow, gentle warmups if anyone needs that sort of help.

My question at the moment is; Does anyone get uncontrollable shaking in their legs immediately after running? I've been getting that for the past few months and I'm curious if a vitamin might help, or if walking after a run might help instead of standing still and stretching.

I am not able to run on land. Or at least I wasn't when I first decided to exercise. So I took up running in the pool. I also started swimming which is another great way to manage MS. After 10 years of working at getting fit I am happy to report that my lesions have shrunk and I experience very few symptoms. I have managed to become so fit that I swam 70km continuous (32 hours) without getting out of the water or touching the bottom of the lake. I think that for many of us, anything is possible if you put your mind to it. you just have to start with manageable bits and work your way up.

What makes no sense to me is that knowing this, why would the MS Society close the only gym in our country. Crazy. They know fitness works. http://tinyurl.com/gumbe46

It would be nice to hear from the OP but also to add this to anyone who can because I used to run. I was never a committed exerciser prior to my dx. It was either yoga, swimming (not enough) and a bit of running (definitely not enough).

By my physiotherapist kept pushing me to do aerobic exercise - he said it helps create new neural pathways. So I started running back in 2011 (dx 2005). It was always exhausting but it gave me a real high. I could only run for about 30-35 minutes at best (never without stopping) and sometimes had to do the interval-running that is mentioned here all the way through. That's still valid. I did a little swimming too. But a couple of years ago I damaged my right foot and stopped running and since then my mobility and balance have taken a turn for the worse.

I'd like to think I'll be back but I am not sure. I am working on lower-body strengthening at the gym nowadays. I've even stopped swimming after getting worried about the pool and what I might catch. So I do miss the aerobic exercise. But even after the gym, my legs feel stronger.

So if I could give myself younger self any advice it would be to be more fitness-minded - it really helps.

Jaded wrote: ...
By my physiotherapist kept pushing me to do aerobic exercise - he said it helps create new neural pathways.
...
So if I could give myself younger self any advice it would be to be more fitness-minded - it really helps.

This is very true for me. I still try to go to GYM 3 days a week. I have a personal trainer who is specialized about people like us. Core temperature is important for us so we don't push it. Progressively increasing weights.

I believe our body rewards us with much more increased neuro-healing if we increase physical activity.

*personal
and, agree.

Agree with you Zyklon.

Doing what you can, when you are able is my approach now. There are no guarantees - something we have all had to learn about our bodies.