Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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good job Laurel. I really had good workout today
Come on all let's do it
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OK,, I'm going to the big gym here tomorrow. My PCP gave me a 2 week pass, so I'm meeting up with someone there to "set up a plan." I'm most interested in the classes,,, especially the aqua classes! Let's see if I can get motivated,,,,,
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Go Glennie go! You will thank yourself
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Those of you who swim/exercise in public pools,,, is there anything I should be concerned about,, LE -wise? Do you swim, or jog or do a class? I want to make the best use of my time there,, and see if it will be worth it to continue on at the gym,, as I have a terrible track record of going,,,,
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Glennie, if you can cover your shoulders in water that's the best. So I would walk with water past my shoulders or sit on a pool noodle and my weight would submerge me right up past my shoulders. That way you get full compression like wearing a full body garment. Have fun experimenting
Watch those foamy hand weights, they look easy but will tire and overwork your le arm. Do a few then build up
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Thanks, Hugz! This gym has 3 locations, and the place I'm going to today to set things up, is not the one with the pool. I have a 2 week free pass so I want to take advantage of everything while I decide about joining.
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I have done water aerobics for 2 years now in a 4 foot high pool. I have worked up to 120% resist foam weights with no problems, but did so slowly. We also do a lot of work with noodles under our feet for leg work/resist. I love the water and find it very supportive to my LE, as well as my joints. Even on days when I am not feeling like exercising, I always thank myself for going after I am done.My Fitbit monitors my sleep patterns, and I find I have much deeper sleep after I do my 2 hour evening class. If you go to swimoutlet.com you can find some very nice high necked mastectomy swimsuits for reasonable prices. I have some water forms, but have also frequently used bath poufs (snip the string that holds then together, then wind them up tightly to make your own forms) as a much less expensive solution that can also go in the washer and dryer. I just sew them right into the pockets of the suit.
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Laural. Great ideas. I love water but the Clirine gates my skin so I don't go often but I would love to. I'm going to try and walk today but it's a bit icy and below freezing today. Going to put on my yak trax under my shoes here chains for your feet.never will fall!
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Ok, I'm all signed up for 2 weeks. The "trainers" have no idea about LE,, LOL,, no surprise there. One woman kept saying, well with high blood pressure,, I guess she is thinking "edema",, but I told her it's different. Anyway, I got acquainted with the women's only gym. It is the closest one to my home, so it will be good for cardio workouts. They even have arm bicycles, like I used at PT, so I think that will be great for working the upper body for a while, before trying weights. I tried the elliptical and Precor and then walked 0.5 miles on the treadmill. I feel SO OUT OF SHAPE!! Hoping that Friday I can get to the big gym and check out the pool and those classes.
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Good for you Glennie. Your going to love what you will be accomplishing
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I liked the bathing suits at landsend.com and because I did not do reconstruction and was left with unwanted excess skin under left armpit and dogear on right side and some other bits as well as visible scars in bathing suit only I also bought swim shirts that were either long sleeve or to above the elbow that I wore over my suit so I didn't feel self conscious going in the pool this past summer. I am still having too much tightness and soreness to be able to wear any forms and the first times I was sure everyone was staring at me but after awhile I realized no one was. I wish my gym had indoor pool as i really enjoyed being in the water.
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Baltus, good ideas. Lands end swim shirts nice. if you get s sporty pattern then they look like surf rashguards. My young daughter wears them to the beach while in the water. No one says a thing about it.
Gave it at the gym today
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Went to the big gym today and got a tour. Did some cardio while I was there. Planning on the first pool class on Tues!!
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I don't post here often, but I read this thread every single day. You're such an inspiration and making me do more and push myself. This lymphedema thing is a pain in the arse, but I sure don't want to let it stop me. Thanks for the smart words about moving, moving, moving! I'm motivated!
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Any advice on the pool? I just joined a new gym with a pool, and used it once. I swam 10 laps and my le arm was sore the following morning, but the other wasn't. Does that mean I should start out doing less, or is that okay? I don't think it swelled any more than usual. How and when can I try to increase the number of laps? Is swimming good for LE?
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Hi Kay, Swimming can be a good activity for LE as the pressure of the water acts similarly to compression on the arm. Even just walking in chest high water can be effective. I do water aerobics. We use foam resistive weights under the water. I worked up slowly to 120% resist weights, but you can get them starting much less resistive to begin with. As with any exercise you have not done for awhile, you will feel tired muscles. I always try to get my compression sleeve back on once out of the water and dry. I have arthritis so am able to do more with the buoyancy of the water than I can on machines on land. Start slow and work up, and watch for any new swelling. Otherwise, enjoy and keep moving.
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Looking forward to my first aqua class tomorrow!
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Did my first arthritis aqua class this AM. Whew! What a work-out! I feel so wimpy!! Will keep going back though.
Pool temp is 84 degrees,, only feels slightly cool, but not too bad. There are classes in the warm therapy pool too which I'll try on Thurs when I have more time for the gym. That pool is supposed to be 93 degrees. Do y'all think that is too hot? I waded it there for a few mins before my class and it sure felt warm to me. Even has me wondering if I could stand a 30 min class,,,,
I'm sure the whirlpool is too hot for us LE people,, but does anyone do sauna or steam room? Maybe not good for LE? Thoughts on that?
Thanks!
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I was told, absolutely NO sauna, steam room, hot tub, etc etc etc. Ever.
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glennie. I'm just off to gym but emailed my question to my mld girl. Hopes she answers. I know she will have the answer because she took the instructors class for lyphedema patients in pool exercise for le drainage that a Physiotherapist developed whose name is dorit tidhar. Google her. I'll let you know asap. Good job moving.
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Haven't got a answer back from my mild girl but looked up what Dorit tidhar the person that designed the aqua lymphatic therapy course (ALT)recommends. 87.8 -91.4 degrees.
I participated in this as a test subject when my mld girl took the instructors class. I'll try to bump up the thread on it. I liked it.
Edited the temperature.Also at this temp slow movement will not increase swelling Dorit reveals on her website.
I would think if you were doing strenuous water aerobics at the higher temp you would want to be careful not to cause swell. Talk to your therapist or google Dorit tidhar method
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Thanks, Hugz!
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Big win here. Although I'm not a runner I did a quarter mile at 6mph which is good for me, working at my maximum heart rate while doing it! It's taken me 14months to accomplish this!
Let's dance move or shake indoors if it's bad weather. Come on all anything but sitting is a step forward!
My gym has a sign on the door saying " sitting is the new smoking ".sometimes I will even stand a few minutes at a time to watch tv.
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wentto gym and rode bike for 10 miles and swam 550 yards. Feeling good about it
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Kay wow I bet you feel like you had a great work out. Excellent:
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Went to 2nd Aquatic Arthritis class today. Went well. Then I did 30 min stretch class in the warm 93 degree pool. This water exercise is a real workout!
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Glennie that stretch class sounds delightful in that temp and not to much above 91.4. Warm Stretch sounds so nice. Just don't overdo it. you need to get use to new routines.Slow and steady wins the race
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Keep it up, ladies! Your bodies will thank you.
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laural thx for the encouragement.
Did a gym day and it felt good.but Off to ocean lodge vacation where there is plenty food, no wifi, no tv but beautiful forest trails to walk and a small gym to work off the party food.
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One small problem with the pool exercises. I have a very wonky cervical spine, and looking up is difficult. So I have found it is hard to be in the pool and look up at the instructor outside of the pool to learn the moves. ARGH!! It's always something,,,, Going to try to stand back further and hope I'm not looking up too much,,,
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