Water Exercise for Neuropathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2001
Water Exercise for Neuropathy
9
Sat, 08-23-2008 - 9:38pm

Hi Everyone,


Has anyone with diabetic peripheral neuropathy tried warm pool exercise, such as limb movement, walking and swimming in a eighty degree Fahrenheit heated pool.  We have such pools at our local YMCA's and before I got neuropathy a year an a half ago I worked up to being able to swim a mile and routinely swam a half-mile three times weekly.  But now I lack motivation and energy to do that.  I've been toying with the idea of walking a lap and swimming a lap, alternatively for as many as I can and working to increase them every week or so.  Mary-Frances does this sound like a viable plan?


I'm near seventy-six now and I am just seeking ways to avoid winding up in a wheel chair.  My legs are comfortable at rest but a mile is about all I can negotiate walking comfortably.  This stuff hit me like a ton of bricks because my blood glucose hasn't been out of control.  But I understand we can still get neuropathy simply because we have lived so long with diabetes.  Anyway, I want to do the best I can.  Carol and me just celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary.  We spent a week in beautiful Camden, Maine on the sea coast.  I drove about a 1,000 miles round-trip from my home in New Jersey. So I have much to be grateful for.


         Best wishes,


         Paul

Castaway


A Friend in Recovery


Paul

Avatar for cl_coldfingers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sat, 08-23-2008 - 10:14pm

Hi Paul!


Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Mon, 08-25-2008 - 1:44am

Paul,


I first off want to congratulate your and Carol on celebrating your 50th wedding anniversary. That is quite a milestone.


Water walking is a wonderful exercise for you and I hope you will try it. Take it easy and build up your endurance. I suspect that more than your legs will feel better with the exercise. Try it at

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2001
Mon, 08-25-2008 - 8:31am

Hi Mary-Frances,


Thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to reply and for your encouragement.

Castaway


A Friend in Recovery


Paul

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2008
Tue, 09-02-2008 - 8:02am

Happy Anniversary. Water exercise is the best. A word of caution though...be careful that you don't rub the soles of your feet on the pool bottom. Water shoes might be a viable option. BE sure to dry your feet carefully as well. Have fun.


Michele

Avatar for cl_coldfingers
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 09-02-2008 - 8:16am
Water shoes is a good idea!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-17-2001
Tue, 09-02-2008 - 11:28am

Hi Ladies,


Thank you very much.

Castaway


A Friend in Recovery


Paul

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-02-2008
Tue, 09-02-2008 - 2:20pm

Water Exercise - I have peripheral poly neuropathy - but caused by neck degeneration pushing on spinal cord for most of my 60 years.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-2008
Thu, 09-04-2008 - 12:38am

I join the YWCA about 6 months. It has been great to be able to "Play" in the water. I do the water aerobics for an hour and then swim about 12 laps with the kick board 4 times a week now. I still have my days that I hurt but they are few and far between. It has also lowered my ac1 tests scores as well. I have been diagnosed with type 2 for about 3 years.

Avatar for cl_maryfrances40
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Thu, 09-04-2008 - 1:01pm

Hi Wayna,


Welcome to the board. I hope you can pull up a chair and join our conversation. Exercise is wonderful and it good that you have found a way that is satisfying for you to do it. I wish there was a pool in my town because water exercises would be more comfortable for me also. Congratulations on lowering your A1C.