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Hey folks, I was diagnosed with MS in 2011 and got really nad in 2013-2014, they switched me to rituxan and I've been stable ever since and was able to build up some strength.

My next goal is to build up more leg strength and be able to drive again, hit the breaks and acceleration etc.

Any tips for the gym and building strength with MS?

I'm a 27 y.o. Female btw

I'd like to know about this too. My husband is 43, has PPMS. He goes to the gym very sporadically. He might be going on disability in the next year or so, which will give him more time for physical therapy and the gym. Any experience or advice for exercising/weight training would be great.

I recovered from 6.5 EDSS to 0. I believe gym is a great way to live with MS. I exercise with a personal trainer specialized in sports injuries and people with special needs.

Zyklon wrote:I recovered from 6.5 EDSS to 0. I believe gym is a great way to live with MS. I exercise with a personal trainer specialized in sports injuries and people with special needs.

This is great! What else besides work out in the gym did you do? And what kind of exercise did you perform? Any specific diet? Besides the EDSS did you have reduction in relapse rate?

Core temperature is important. No high intensity cardio exercises. I take care of my neck. I don't go for my %100 but %85-90. Double rest time between exercises. Lots of streching. One day lower body, other day upper body. Monday, wednesday, friday. 200 mg magnesium citrate right after traning. Shower to relax and lower core temperature.

I exercise with my trainer. Never alone.

Diet is low calcium, low saturated fat. Nothing hardcore.

I did not have another relapse after diagnosis, 15 months. Using rebif with a strict supplement regime.

Any exercise, even just walking, is better than no exercise. More is better (without overdoing it). Strange that doctors typically do not recommend exercise when giving a patient a MS diagnosis. So many good things happens to so many parts of the body when you exercise. Some believe the most important factor for optimizing overall health and preventing chronic disease is exercise.

Zyklon wrote:Core temperature is important. No high intensity cardio exercises. I take care of my neck. I don't go for my %100 but %85-90. Double rest time between exercises. Lots of streching. One day lower body, other day upper body. Monday, wednesday, friday. 200 mg magnesium citrate right after traning. Shower to relax and lower core temperature.

I exercise with my trainer. Never alone.

Diet is low calcium, low saturated fat. Nothing hardcore.

I did not have another relapse after diagnosis, 15 months. Using rebif with a strict supplement regime.

I think I don't have a problem with core temperature. I love very hot showers and take them every day, actually I think I take hot weather better than most people around me. I will start the gym again soon, weight is getting on me. Bad thing is that I push my self too hard and it is going to be hard for me to hold back . Any exercise is better than none at all in the end.

ElliotB wrote:Any exercise, even just walking, is better than no exercise. More is better (without overdoing it). Strange that doctors typically do not recommend exercise when giving a patient a MS diagnosis. So many good things happens to so many parts of the body when you exercise. Some believe the most important factor for optimizing overall health and preventing chronic disease is exercise.

Doctors are ignorant for diet and nutrition. From all the doctors I've seen only one told me to do some exercise and another about diet. Everyone else is talking only drugs, don't get too tired, don't get too stressed out, don't drink alcohol, don't go in to the hot sun, etc. I ask about anything besides the drugs I'm on(ocrelizumab) and they start looking at me like a I'm a crazy man. I tell them that I had 1 liter of whiskey last night and they tell me not to joke. I tell them that my job is stressful and I hear that it is bad, but in the end I have to earn the money for the 1 liter of single malts whiskey . Half of my friends are doctors and they don't know about my condition and they drink and smoke(I don't have this sin) way more than me.