Completing a 10k endurance event last year wasn’t enough for Team MSAA participant Tiffany McCahill. She’s doing it again, but this time raising the bar and taking on the half marathon!
Summer brings longer days and the perfect opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities. However, the heat can be a challenge, making it essential to find ways to stay active while remaining safe. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your summer workouts:
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Mantenerse activo puede ser un reto a medida que aumenta el calor del verano, especialmente para quienes padecen una enfermedad crónica como la esclerosis múltiple (EM). Personalmente, este verano ha sido particularmente caluroso. Aunque mantenerse activo es fundamental para nuestra salud, ¿cómo puedo hacer ejercicio y mantenerme activo cuando lo único que quiero hacer es quedarme en casa y acostarme frente al ventilador? A continuación, le ofrezco algunos consejos que le ayudarán a mantenerse activo durante el verano:
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As the summer heat continues to rise, staying active can be challenging, especially for those managing a chronic health condition like multiple sclerosis (MS). Personally, this summer has felt particularly hot. While staying active is crucial for our health, how can one exercise and keep moving when all they want to do is stay indoors and lie down in front of the fan? Here are some tips to help you remain active and thrive during the summer months:
Continue readingThis summer has been incredibly hot across the nation. Possibly due to global warming. Heat waves have been unusually common this year. Staying active in summer can be a challenging task but there are ways you can beat the heat. With some of the tips below, these tips may ensure you are able to continue with your daily routines and exercise regimes.
Continue readingBy: Stacie Prada
If you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, stretch, or flex. Just keep moving.
Living an active lifestyle can be a challenge in the best of circumstances. Add living with multiple sclerosis symptoms such as fatigue, foot drop, and heat sensitivity, and it’s generally frustrating and takes more effort to stay motivated. Factor in adverse weather conditions, and it’s a huge undertaking to override the urge to be sedentary.
With MS, it’s common for symptoms to act up when the body temperature increases. That’s why hot weather is one of the many obstacles to staying active. When I was still learning how MS affected my body, it was scary when a jog led to body numbness from the neck down and an inability to control my feet reliably. Over time, I learned to differentiate between heat and exertion-induced pseudo-exacerbations that would subside within an hour or so after I cooled down and disease-progressing exacerbations that last much longer.
Continue readingExercise and staying active has so many benefits such as improved mental health and wellbeing. However, for many, the extreme summer weather we have been experiencing can make it hard to stay active. Heat sensitivity is a common problem among people with multiple sclerosis, often aggravating common symptoms.
Here are helpful tips on ways to keep your body cool and remain active this summer!
Continue readingBeing active is hard. The thought of starting a fitness journey can be nerve-wracking, stressful, and tiring, amongst so many other things. As an individual with an auto immune disorder, staying consistent with a health and fitness regime can feel mentally and physically draining. Having the strength to start a workout and continue when your body constantly feels fatigued and weak is an obstacle like no other. But it is not impossible. As a matter of fact, the more I remain active, the stronger and more capable I feel of pushing my strength to its limits.
The thought of starting a fitness journey, especially in the heat of the summer months, may be daunting. Luckily, there are so many ways to be active while beating the heat – you just have to think creatively!
Here are some fun ideas that may assist you in remaining active this summer:
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In the past couple of weeks, we have been looking at strategies for finding the best wellness plan for each person, whether it is watching for signs of depression, or making time for physical wellness in the weekly routine.
When it comes to finding a physical wellness routine, it can be difficult to find just the right exercises for individuals with multiple sclerosis who experience heat sensitivity, balance issues, mobility concerns, and other symptoms.
One easy way to combat these concerns, while still getting in a little physical activity is to look into the benefits of aquatic exercise. Research that has been conducted suggests that aquatic exercise is effective for improving mobility function, cardiovascular endurance, fatigue level, muscle strength and flexibility/range of motion in individuals with MS.
The best part about aquatic exercise is that it is easily adaptable to each swimmer’s experience level and physical ability. Swimmers who are more comfortable in the water can aim for a higher-level aerobic workout, or they can opt for a slower workout by moving around a pool, with the water providing slight resistance.
If you are looking to incorporate aquatic exercise into your physical wellness routine, keep these tips in mind:
Learn more about the benefits of aquatic exercise for individuals with MS by visiting MSAA’s Online Aquatic Center.
Now that summer is in full swing, are you looking for alternative ways to stay cool while getting in some exercise? Head to the pool! Swimming and other water-based exercise can help with many symptoms of MS, including loss of mobility, balance and coordination, as well as fatigue. And the cool temperature of water can help prevent overheating, which can worsen MS symptoms.
Even if you’re not confident in your swimming abilities or you just don’t like dunking your head underwater, there are plenty of other ways to exercise in the pool. Many fitness centers and area municipal pools offer aquatic classes including water aerobics, walking, and aquatic treadmill.
Swimming is an aerobic activity, so it’s good for your heart and your muscles. Here are more reasons why you should consider giving swimming a try:
Find more tips, resources, and inspiration to get started on MSAA’s Swim for MS Online Aquatic Center at aquatics.mymsaa.org and check out our Aquatic Exercise and MS – Tip Sheet.