Exercise Solution: My Big Red Bouncy Ball
*bounce bounce bounce*
I'm sitting on it right now. Bouncing away as I type. Watch.
*bounce bounce bounce*
See? It's a fun toy. Not only that, it's the first real thing that I have found in my journey towards lessening my aches and gaining my strength (and hopefully, my waist size) back. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
"The key to wellness is exercise."
How many times have I read this? Problem is, (and MAN am I becoming a broken record) no one can agree on how people with Fibro should go about it. One book said that I should try jogging. Jogging? Are you f***ing kidding me? My body crashes out if I go up and down the stairs more than 5 times a day. And you want me to jog? Besides, joggers piss me off. No offence to those of you who jog. In fact, more power to you if you can do it and if you enjoy it. But jeez. Where are you running to? How can you run 'nowhere', without a final destination besides getting back home? Why are you on the road where I can hit you with my car?
Another said "Avoid all impact exercises. Try yoga." Now this is advice that makes sense. It increases oxygen in the body, you get a good stretch and it will help with relaxation. Of course, even when I was in the best shape of my life, sitting on the floor (ESPECIALLY cross legged) for any amount of time causes me pain and discomfort (cushy mat or no cushy mat).
The other was aquatic exercise. See my response to this in my blog "Insult to Injury in the Retail World". Fantastic idea, but I just can't deal with the bathing suit thing at the moment.
"Join a gym." Ok. But since I am currently working part time because that's what my body can handle, who is going to pay for it? And on those days that I crash out, how am I going to get there or who will get me home? I would totally bail on the gym. It's too easy not to go, especially when I have no one to go with me.
Tai Chi is something else I would suggest to people. I currently can't find a program nearby, and have I mentioned that money is tight?
Getting back to my main point, the books I have read can't agree. "Do light weight training and build strength". "Don't do weight training at all. Do low impact exercise". "Don't do any exercise, even low impact, for the first 5 months of your exercise program. Do stretching only".
Another book, which believes that people with trigger points suffer from both Fibro and Myofacial pain, says that until you heal the trigger point itself, any exercise will cause more damage.
Fantastic. You can all line up and bite me.
Process of elimination: I need something inexpensive that I can do at home. Something where I stretch and do a very limited amount of 'any impact' exercise. Something that does NOT require a bathing suit. The answer? My big red bouncy ball.
*bounce bounce bounce*