Sunshine 2's Keep On Moving Thread - February

[agate]

Here's Sunshine 2's Keep On Moving Thread, with apologies for lateness. Here's how she introduced the thread in December:

MS creates some real challenges to keep on moving. It helps to inspire each other on how to find ways to move.

Did you stretch in your bed, swing your arms, roll side to side today? Or perhaps you did housework? Or exercised in a pool? Tracked your count of steps? Chased your cat around the home? Pushed the wheelchair wheels with your arms at the store? Post them here and we can support and egg each other on.

REMEMBER: this is a keep on moving thread, not keep on exercising! Any moving is important it doesnt have to be exercise! Even Science proves that

"MS Moves with Mandy" is a program offered by CanDo Multiple Sclerosis, and you might want to sign up for it. I've signed up for it but probably will skip the Zoom meetings as my computer doesn't seem up to doing Zoom. There will be exercise videos sent regularly by e-mail as I understand it, and there's no fee:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[SuzE-Q]

I swept the floors, then washed them, then vacuumed the throw rugs.

I think that would have justified a large adult beverage as a reward...if I still drank. It must be 5pm somewhere, right?

[Virginia]

I did my routine exercises while brother was repainting my fireplace. Then I went to cleaners and stopped at grocery store for 3 items. Had to walk several isles to find them. Big shopping was done yesterday through Instacart, but as usual I forgot a few things.

[agate]

January average step count: 1,407 based on 26 days. This was the same average as for December.

Recent step counts:

2/5/22 - 3,160 steps
2/6/22 - 2,480 "
2/7/22 - 670 "
2/8/22 - 1,124 "
2/9/22 - pedometer in bad mood
2/10 - ditto
2/11 - 1,701 steps
2/12 - 2,177 "

[Lazarus]

Great count Agate.

[Virginia]

That 3,160 and the one in the 2000 range are especially great.

[agate]

Thank you! There were days when there were frequent trips to/from the laundry room because all of the machines were occupied, and I keep going back until one is free.

[Virginia]

This is the exercise routine that the Physical Therapists came up with for me. I am pretty sure that most of you will already know most of them. I did, but I was not doing them so that I would get the most benefit they told me. When I count I am trying for 5 seconds.

Stand on tiptoes and hold for 5 seconds - 20 times
Lift legs out to the side looking straight and making sure foot is straight ahead and not turning and hold for 5 seconds - 20 each side
Lift legs to the back hold 5 seconds - 20 each leg
Lift leg up toward butt (DO NOT HOLD) Lower as slowly as you can - 20 each leg
Walk sideways, keeping body straight and looking straight ahead. I walk the length of my galley kitchen and back at least 5 times sometimes 6
High step or goose step trying to keep shoulders back and back straight. I did 60 today. Do slowly.
After doing high step walk backwards to where you started
Squats - I did 20 today trying to remember to keep back straight and hold for slow count of 5
Sits to Stands - I do 20 trying to sit back in chair when I come down. They told me holding arms straight in front of you is best.
Step ups - 15 times each side. I hold on to banister and step up with right leg then I bring left leg up and step down with right leg. I then repeat this with left side. (I have inside stairs)


The above took me 41 minutes today because I try to do them very slowly. They taught me that all exercises are better done very slow.
Suze-Q is really good at High Stepping. I have more trouble with that one than any others. It is a balance exercise and I have to touch the counter quite frequently.
This is a very simple routine and they would have liked me to do it twice a day rather than one time, but I knew I would get very tired of it if I did it morning and night.
Hopefully, I will be able to up the number of times to 25 on many of these soon. Also, they told me that what I do around the house counts toward my physical therapy.
One of the therapist said that the squats and sits to stands were the best things for me.

[agate]

Thank you for the details, Virginia! When you do the high stepping, are you keeping your legs straight or bending at the knee?

[Virginia]

Agate, they told me to bend at the knee. That is my hardest one because of loosing my balance. I think Suze-Q can lift her knee pretty high. She has practiced them awhile. I use to walk down the hall doing something similar, but I was not careful about holding my shoulders back and my back straight and doing it in slow motion. It makes a difference in how well I can do them, but if I wasn't doing them right I had rather do fewer and try to get more out of them.

[SuzE-Q]

Thank you so much, Virginia! I did them all yesterday, just a few of each, not the entire duration.

When you are walking sideways, are you overstepping each, so kind of crisscrossing, or are you ending each step right at the other foot/leg?

I certainly learned my weakness, and that is squats. I kept feeling my quads weaken and I fell onto the floor a couple times. Really need to work on strengthening my leg muscles.

[Virginia]

Suze-Q, I am not crisscrossing my legs on the walking sideways. Also I am just walking at normal speed. I do not slow this one down. If you are having trouble with squats keep trying to do them because they really liked that I could do them and sits to stands. Do not go too low with squats. Just go low enough to sit in your lowest chair. I use to think the lower I went the better, but that is not true. I was going real low back some years ago and ended up hurting a knee.

Consistency is the key with these simple exercises. I would rather be out for a walk, but for me the number of rotations my legs make the quicker they wind down. We are all so different with our MS.

[SuzE-Q]

Ok, thanks, Virginia. Is there a reason for sidestepping as opposed to straight walking? I definitely feel backwards walking uses different muscles, but I'm curious about the side walking.

Yes, the squats are key to avoiding time on the ground, I definitely see the connection between the same muscles used. I'm becoming a little concerned about falls and my ability to get back up.

Thanks for helping me add in some new important exercises into my sequence!

[Virginia]

Suze-Q, the walking sideways and backwards are both for balance as much for muscles. From the beginning, even weak as I was, I could do these well. One of the therapist told me it was alright to rest my hands on the counter when sidestepping but I didn't need to. It is trying to lift my legs high when trying to do the high step that causes me to lose my balance. I walk down my kitchen facing forward but stay close enough that I can reach for my counter which I always have to do.

[SuzE-Q]

Thanks, Virginia. I stay close to a counter or wall too. I am glad I am more motivated, with the extra exercises, I add them all in here and there throughout the day.

Hope you continue to feel stronger and healthier.