Exercise

[katielynch]

Hi all,
I'm new here and have been reading posts last couple of days. I'm getting the feeling that exercise is not good for PN/PNE and this is extremely upsetting and depressing for me. I've been an "exerciser" since my late teens and until this all started happening in March/July last year considered myself in pretty good health, aside from arthritis setting in and aches and pains that come from doing too much (5 - 6 days a week). It's probably a major contributing factor on why I'm here with most probably PN and/or hopefully not PNE. But exercise, especially CARDIO was my escape, my time, my time to shine and to sweat and to feel good about myself. Now I can't do cardio, especially with partial tear of my left hamstring, but I'm stubborn and I did keep trying until last weekend. The thought of not being able to get on a stair climber or ride a spinning bike, or even walk at an incline.......is devastating to me. I see people running or going to the gym right now and I'm so bitter and I hate that. Is there anyone out there who is able to now exercise without hurting themselves further with PN?? Please please any positive alternatives. I know it sounds stupid, but it makes me feel like "what the point".

[Lara]

Same boat here,you arent alone.
I was an obsesive person with my exercises ,heavy runner,wrightlifting,6 times a week,but i love both cardio and weights,i had a resting heart rate of an athlete,mylast craziness was doing Insanity,but now i cant do ,but you know what? i go to the gym anywas and walk at a slow pace on the treadmill,i also use 5 or 10 lbs weights when im.laying down to work my upper body,im am.not quitting ,i need the "high" from running so i jog for 3 mins every day then walk 27 mins..at night it burns but its worth it.. i am not coming to this site anymore its not helping me. I am sure that my problem is TMS . pm me if you are intersted about it.
Mind is powerful dont let it to stop you,here plp will tell you not to do this and that,not to bend.etc..i think that we get worse thinking and selfdiagnosing ourselves. I started dr Sarnos steps sundaay and have been at the gym 3 times this week and sitting with no pain.. at least for me this is not where i belong. Pm me if you want more info.
take care and be positive ,stop searching the internet it makes you worse.

[nyt]

Exercise is good for individuals with PN/PNE you just have to monitor what exercises flare your symptoms and work within that. Not exercising at all is the worst thing one can do esp. with chronic pain. Depending on the PN dr. there are a very amount of limitations AFTER surgery that are slowly lifted based on how the patient is progressing but this is all related to surgery. The only real long term limitation I have seen is most PN dr.'s recommend you not do the frog kick when you swim esp. after surgery. Other than that it is recommended that you exercise within your limits. I can't do the type of exercise program that you both describe but I exercise everyday. I swim laps twice a week, a 10-20 min yoga routine every morning and my PT nerve glides. Now don't laugh but I consider vacuuming exercise as I have to break that up because it is very difficult for me to push a vacuum or for that matter sweep and mop so they fall under my exercise program. But by all means, keep exercising, you just might need to tone it down for a while.

[christi]

Swimming has been a lifesaver for me. Lifts my mood and keeps my upper body relatively toned....

[katielynch]

Thank you all for positive suggestions re: exercise. I am not going to give up:))) I wish all a nice weekend with low pain level!!

[konedog4]

Exercise is something that I think is individualized per person depending on the degree of pudendal nerve entrapment. For instance, I got PN problems from cycling. At first I could not sit unless I was on a sitting cushion with a cut-out. That was my only limitation. I could exercise, stretch, lift weights, etc. But last fall I really strained while lifting a heavy log in the woods and I used my legs in a squatting position. This seriously aggravated my pudendal nerve to where I could no longer sit, even on a cushion. I had trouble standing as well. Now the only exercise I do is walk and swim. If I try to do anything else, it aggravates the pudendal nerve, especially anything that causes internal pressure to build do to straining. You don't want to further aggravate an already injured/entrapped nerve. It just makes things worse. My advice, and what I had to swallow too, is that until the nerve is decompressed and freed, one has to accept limitations in exercise and lifestyle. I KNOW that is hard. I have had to give up many things that I absolutely love to do, but simply cannot any longer, or more pain and disability result. Acceptance is hard. I see people outside skiing, running, biking, hiking, etc., and I am reminded of what I cannot do any longer. This used to depress me, but it does not any longer. I accepted my condition and now concentrate on what I can do and then enjoy those things. I may never be the athlete I want to be, but there are other satisfactions in life. I am learning to accept this each day I live with PNE. You can learn to accept it too.

Jim

[Violet M]

Excellent post, Jim. I was going to say pretty much the same thing you did. I continued to exercise heavily after my pain started and eventually it pushed me over the edge into full-blown PNE. I can't exercise like I used to because of chronic ligament strain and pelvic instability from years of extreme exercise but after spending the better part of 2 years lying on the couch, I am so happy that I can walk for 2 miles - I feel incredibly lucky!

I read one of Dr. Sarno's books. It did not help me at all because my issues were not psychosomatic but were due to a nerve being irritated by ligaments. Once the ligaments were cut and the compression relieved on the nerve, the pain eventually subsided. Each person is different and you have to figure out what your own limitations are and what you can do.