PMR and exercise

PMR in essence restricts blood flow to the muscles and because of that any acute exercise could be damaging. Any anaerobic exercise is  a big NO. that includes heavy weight lifting or anything that requires maximum effort . On the other side, gentle exercise, within aerobic zone is helpful because it increases blood flow thru the muscles and helps with stiffness. 

I have made a journal of my exercise for the first year  or so. If you do it gradually, it is possible to regain fitness level that you had before PMR, but it took me almost a year to do that.

When you  have time you can read my "log" on the progress.. If you have specific question(s) post it here I will try to answer the best I can.

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/pmr-and-excersize-experiment-in-progress-492585?page=0&order=Oldest#main-reply

Further to Nick's post, it really would depend what you were doing before.  I have always walked, so I just kept on walking and in fact increased the amount of time as I was fearful of the bone thinning effects of pred and didn't want to be pressured to take osteoporosis medication.  I was also able to carry on with some yoga and physio exercises I'd done for years, although in the last stages pre-diagnosis and before pred those were becoming increasingly difficult to manage.  Unlike Nick, and perhaps yourself, I've never gone to the gym or done any competitive style activity, not necessarily in a competition, but that sort of thing, like mountain biking or running or weight lifting, etc.  If you've been more athletic, heed Nick's advice, he's got the t-shirt!

Elizamc, each case and everyone is different. Before PMR I rode a road bicycle 3,000 to 4,000 miles a year. Now I walk 10,000 to 15,000 steps a day, unless I am busy doing other things. In the winter I ski, last year up skied 5 to 7 days a week. I do this by trying to increase my activity a little each day. I think my endurance is about 90% of pre PMR, I am very active 80 years young. Good luck on your journey, think positive and try to smile. Smiling 🙂

Hello

I have had PMR for 4 years.Although it has abated somewhat at the moment. Unfortunately I do not think I have been monitored correctly by the doctors I have seen. I was taking 15mg Prednisolone for too long and this has weakened my muscles in my core body and legs. Consequently, I have been in a wheel-chair and latterly using crutches to get about. The pain of muscle weakness is excruitiating - I don't think that GP's have any conception of how painful it is - I was advised to take paracetamol! I csnnot emphasise enough the importance of doing exercise to keep your muscles strong whilst on steroids - I have an exercise bike for this - it it very effective. I wish I had been told earlier of these side effects.

Gill

1) Yes

2) Yes

3? No, no more exercising until the pain is resolving. Some experts think that overdoing physical exercise may even trigger PMR as the final straw. I think it MAY have been what tipped mine over the edge.

Helpful aren't I? But as the others say - everyone is different and everyone will react slightly differently.

I'd been a member of a gym for some time and what I noticed was that I couldn't do the classes as well. I switched gyms to be able to use a pool - I could manage aquafit OK as long as i didn't go flat out. Everything I did had to be adapted and done at a far lower level than before to start with. I had to start "training" from almost zero - but I did get to perhaps 70% for some things. But not all. It depends.

To me the outstanding feature of PMR is the great variablility from one patient to the next. I don't think there are rules we can pass on, or even predictions of how you will react.  The experience of others can inform you about things to look for and things to try, but a cautious trial-and-error approach may be the only way to find out your limits. 

As Nick suggests, keeping records of your level of activity and details of fatigue, pain, etc. will really help, especially when the effect of exercise is delayed or is cumulative over days of exercise. 

It may be best not to compare yourself to others. If you are doing well at half your previous level, increase slowly, to allow time for reaction.  (Like reducing prednisone, you don't want to be impatient and overshoot, causing problems that take more time to resolve.)  

It is great that you want to do as much as you safely can!  Excelsior!