Hello, pat here. Wondering what kind of exercises people are doing... i am still walking and working full time. Im in the mindset that i have to excersise and do pt everyday. I am having more and more trouble walking through people and walking around objects. My leg movements are very choppy. Any ideas or suggestions?
And some days are worse than others...
I walk everyday and do leg strengthening ever other day. I dont know if im giving myself enough time to recoup aftef the workout. It seems like days after strength workouts my leg movement's seem tl be better. Should i be doing this everyday?
I work out every day. I think it's what's been helping me. YOu should try a specific form of exercise called tai chi. You can find videos on youtube that will guide you; it's basically slow movement that helps retrain your brain how to move better. Try swimming, and strength training especially for your core as that helps with balance. I do planks and sitting with a medicine ball and use that. Really anything that gets you moving is helping you. I like to think that anytime I'm not moving, I'm letting my ataxia get worse than it needs to be!
I have heard that wii exercise games work for people, but I haven't tried those. Maybe try joining a local YMCA and do some of their classes? I've heard of people doing chair yoga, and other exercises that help us but don't put us in danger of falling.
You are doing really well to work full time and to keep up with your exercise regime! If you are from the UK, you might want to get your GP to refer to to a neurophysiotherapist, who will test your balance and give you tailored programme of exercises for your legs and core. This has really helped me, as has the regular use of a crosstrainer. I have also found some of the exercises on the Walking with Ataxia web site useful.
I've done PT, OT, and speech therapy. With OT I found out my eyes were also being affected which can also affect your balance. The PT has changed my life. First make sure your PT therapist work with neuro patients NOT orthopedic. There is a difference. The orthopedic therapist just works with what you have and maybe give you some general exercises and a neuro therapist works with you to improve your mobility. They have taught me to walk differently (shoulders back and down and lead with your hips). When I would have a fall my therapist and I would recreate it so I could figure how to do things differently. My falling occurred about twice a week and now it's about once every few months. They have given me exercises to strengthen my core and have taught me new ways to use my core for balance. I don't fall as frequently, I can walk and look side to side, I can look at the sky without hanging on to anything They have taught me how to zigzag thru people, I can walk down aisles, or slopes that go downhill. (Up is not a problem). I can step over objects without hanging on to anything.
I think you need to do exercises but I think you need to right PT therapist (if you're going every day they should be helping), the therapist can give you exercises to target your core (legs are secondary). A neuro therapist would know this and give you the right exercises.
Exercise for a normal person is hard but when you're targeting the wrong area you're wasting your time. You need to target your core but you need to do overall exercise just to keep moving. Do what you can and what you enjoy,
There is a lot of reference to "core balance" and "core strength" across all the ataxia web sites and chat rooms etc. and when I went to my Pilates class, everything there is "core" orientated too, and it dawned on me that that was the reason my physio recommended Pilates to me!
I have a real problem when lying on my side on the floor doing some of the exercises, I tipple over onto my front, or wibble over towards my back .... how can anyone fall over when lying down???!!!
I have decided that this is funny rather than scary; much better to have a little chuckle at the daftness of this than think about this as another development of more symptoms.
I do hope that others can find something to smile at each day through this, too.
I agree wholeheartedly with the comments on the importance of core strength to balance and the necessity of getting the right type of advice and doing helpful exercises. I have an adult daughter who is a trained dancer. Years ago, even before my balance issues were linked to Ataxia, she spotted problems with the way I held myself and walked, stressing the need for me to bend my knees and lead with the hip, tucking my behind in. On frosty ground, she would order me to spot an object and to 'March!'. For those of us with nystagmus, gaze stabilisation exercises are really helpful.Balance is such a complex thing and we need a multi disciplinary approach. We also need to pat ourselves on the back when we make some progress!
Just as funny.... I "fell" and sprained my wrist when I was on all fours.
Caz1961 said:
There is a lot of reference to "core balance" and "core strength" across all the ataxia web sites and chat rooms etc. and when I went to my Pilates class, everything there is "core" orientated too, and it dawned on me that that was the reason my physio recommended Pilates to me!
I have a real problem when lying on my side on the floor doing some of the exercises, I tipple over onto my front, or wibble over towards my back .... how can anyone fall over when lying down???!!!
I have decided that this is funny rather than scary; much better to have a little chuckle at the daftness of this than think about this as another development of more symptoms.
I do hope that others can find something to smile at each day through this, too.
I'm glad it's not just me! I do pilates and have exactly the same problem, although I have found it extremely beneficial to my overall balance
Caz1961 said:
There is a lot of reference to "core balance" and "core strength" across all the ataxia web sites and chat rooms etc. and when I went to my Pilates class, everything there is "core" orientated too, and it dawned on me that that was the reason my physio recommended Pilates to me!
I have a real problem when lying on my side on the floor doing some of the exercises, I tipple over onto my front, or wibble over towards my back .... how can anyone fall over when lying down???!!!
I have decided that this is funny rather than scary; much better to have a little chuckle at the daftness of this than think about this as another development of more symptoms.
I do hope that others can find something to smile at each day through this, too.
Thanks to all for helpful discussion. Agree wholeheartedly that exercise is key and finding a PT who works with neuro conditions is a must! I had a question- Margaretm mentioned gaze stabilization exercises. I’m not familiar with those but think I could benefit. Can you share more info? Thank you!
margaretm said:
I agree wholeheartedly with the comments on the importance of core strength to balance and the necessity of getting the right type of advice and doing helpful exercises. I have an adult daughter who is a trained dancer. Years ago, even before my balance issues were linked to Ataxia, she spotted problems with the way I held myself and walked, stressing the need for me to bend my knees and lead with the hip, tucking my behind in. On frosty ground, she would order me to spot an object and to ‘March!’. For those of us with nystagmus, gaze stabilisation exercises are really helpful.Balance is such a complex thing and we need a multi disciplinary approach. We also need to pat ourselves on the back when we make some progress!
Leg strengthening helps with transferring from one object to another eg betwen chairs or toiletetc.you take many skills for granted when you are younger or at an earlier stage.I am now having difficulty moving around.This impacts on changing position in car and bed.Sometimes feel and look like a stranded bluebottle. I now wish I had excersized the core muscles.
I Googled "gaze stabilization exercises". My occupational therapist gave me these and others to do. During my eval with them they found out my eyes were being affected. Because I was having eye problems they said that could also affect your balance.
I used to fall about twice a week, now it's been a few months since my last fall.
An OT might be able to 1) find out if your eyes are being affected and 2) give you the right exercises.