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physio for PMR?

Posted , 5 users are following.

mark9992
mark9992

Has anyone had results positive or negative in doing physio for PMR?  I've heard its a real thing for this illness, but there's so much rubbish on the net about PMR, I can't tell.  Right now on 10mg I'm doing over an hour on the treadmill a day (at a modest pace).

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga mark9992

    Posted

    I went to physio for painful shoulders before I was diagnosed.  It ended up with me in tears.  The physiotherapist I had at that time gave up on me and suggested massage and that I should go to a naturopath.  Massage was useless.  Did not consider naturopath.  I now go to a physiotherapist who gives me low level light therapy, a modality which may decrease production of the pain-causing cytokines and does seem to be helping me successfully attain and maintain a low pred dose.  She has not given me any exercises other than some to improve my range of motion and others to help straighten and support my spine as I have osteoarthritis, and a diagnosis of low bone mass.  No weight-lifting, no repetitions with elastic bands, nothing like that.  She has a very good understanding of PMR and has treated a number of patients who have it.
  • lorraine59570
    lorraine59570 mark9992

    Posted

    I have a lot of stiffness and pain in the morning or after sitting for a period of time. I have a stretching routine I do every day. I have found that stretching all my muscles just makes me feel a lot better and I don't want to lose my flexibility. 

  • nick67069
    nick67069 mark9992

    Posted

    First ask if the office is familiar and had treated many patiens with PMR. Lots of people had trouble with PT.  My personal experience is very positive.  The focus should be on massage that should help you with stiffness. Second focus should be on range of motion and stretching.  Lastly they may recommand some exercise to help the muscle strength and flexibility. Again the main focus would be how to do proper stretching and maintain range of motion in between the visits.
    • mark9992
      mark9992 nick67069

      Posted

      Easy does it seems to be the order of the day...range of motion and massage.  That's the direction I'll start in!  Thanks!

  • Nefret
    Nefret mark9992

    Posted

    Mark, the one thing we say is that physio for PMR should be gentle but having said that, I have noticed that our gentlemen on here are quite often able to do the heavier exercise sooner than the ladies.

    You do need to be careful;  PMR muscles are already under stress from the condition and don't take kindly to even more stress.

    As for your treadmill exercises - I couldn't even get on a treadmill, let alone use it. But if it is suiting you, then carry on.

    • mark9992
      mark9992 Nefret

      Posted

      That's interesting.  Why are you unable to get onto a treadmill?  You're on prednisone, right?  I'm on 10mg, which isn't quite getting rid of everything, but when I was on 20mg...man ALL pain and weakness was gone.  As an aside, I had to come off of pred because of another illness that I had to get rid of....then they put me on this lower dose.

      Is it possible that your dose of pred is too low?  I'm still trying to get my head around how different it can be for each person, and of course the wide range of reactions to prednisone both in terms of how it relieves symtoms and the negatives from it...or sometimes little or no negatives. 

    • Nefret
      Nefret mark9992

      Posted

      Mark, I am 15 years plus on this journey and no, my Pred dose isn't too low, I will be somewhere between 5 - 7.5mg for life.

      You are right when you say it is so different for every individual;  initially I would have had to be helped on as I was unable to raise my feet even to kerb level (helped might not be right word, hoisted might be better and as for using it, I could walk no more than a dozen steps on a good day, the bad ones I leave to your imagination.

      Now other things have entered into the equation.  Two replacement joints (I am so glad to be free of the OA pain), fibromyalgia, late-onset asthma, T2 diabetes (nothing to do with Pred)  - just to name a few.

      And don't write me off as lazy - before PMR gripped me I was a gym bunny and my hobby was dancing, everything from ballroom to disco.. Now I need to use a rollator to get to the shops and my dancing is restricted to hopping about when I stub my toe!

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