Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Ankylosing Spondylitis Exercise Regimes

Many people would like to start an exercise program but aren't sure where to start. For ankylosing spondylitis people may also be scared they'll cause a flareup or worsening in symptoms.

AS is tough enough on its own without making it worse. So because of a hesitancy to hurt themselves (and no one wants to hurt more than they have to) exercise is shelved as something that would be nice but can't be done.

It can also be difficult to use the energy for exercise if there doesn’t appear to be any positive results. You only have so much energy in a day. Why not enjoy yourself as much as you can.

All of this is unfortunate. These thoughts crossed my mind when I was diagnosed. How will I stay in shape? Will I be able to play tennis, soccer, football, windsurf, run, bike, ski, etc.?

Well I just got back from playing tennis so there's the answer to that question ;). But it certainly didn't happen overnight, and gaining the knowledge regarding what types of exercise were the most effective, how to stagger workouts and how to recover while still having a normal life were among some of the problems I faced. I'll begin chronicling my journey back to full health and strength in my upcoming posts.

No comments: