Treadmill causing flares?

[girl]

I am an exercize - phobic person. I despise most forms of exercise and have only consistently stuck with using my treadmill. After a couple of years of severe illness, (not only IC), I am ready to try to get started again; however, the treadmill is painful, feels as if I am jogging and bruising my bladder. My perpetual never ending flare is worsening from it; anyone have any suggestions?

[kadi]

I can't use a treadmill, does the same thing to me. I use an elliptical trainer without problems or a rowing machine.

Simple as this is, make sure your shoes have plenty of support & padding. I found that putting some insoles in my sneakers for extra padding does help with walking downhill (also jarring to my bladder). Maybe also try out different settings (speed, incline) to see if there's one that is more comfortable for you.

[Bethrlk]

Hi Kadi and G,

I use my treadmill on 0% grade and a speed of 2.6 when I am flaring - so there's less jostling, less time spent "feeling" my bladder.....swimming and yoga are great to try, too. Strength training with small dumbbells is another great way to stay active by increasing the heart rate and building muscle!

Enjoy the long weekend!

Beth:smile tee

[girl]

Thanks to both of you! At least I know I'm not the only one that has this problem.
I have tried the lower settings, about 2.5 is all I can do without worsening. I just felt like that wasn't enough. Maybe I'll look into the yoga idea.......(is there a gagging icon?? I really, really hate other forms of exercize, lol).
I will also try the padding, thanks so much!

[Trishann]

Girl, I am proud of you because you are trying. I know we have our limitations and sometimes we have to find out exactly how far to go, but doing what we can do is what is important. Sometimes I can do the treadmill, swimming, walking but there are days I can't. I definitely appreciate the times I am able to do it.

Take care, Trishann

[Bethrlk]

Absolutely!!

Whenever we feel good (or at least a little better...) we should try doing fun things that we can't do when we are flaring.....I LOVE exercising when it is feasible.....besides exercising, keeping a good mind set is imperitive to help us when we are flaring.....

Does internet shopping count as exercise??:lmao:

Hugs to all,
Beth

[sunshine_77us]

My brother just gave me a Air Dyne exercise bike. I'm hoping this won't bother my bladder.

[Bethrlk]

Hi Sun,

I have found that biking irritates my bladder and increases symptoms. See how it works for you - be aware of the pressure that bike seats may place on your pelvic area.

Good luck!

Regards,
Beth:smile tee

[girl]

Beth, I vote that shopping counts!! Hee, Hee, I have a VERY toned index finger!:smile tee
Sunshine, the biking was horrible for me; it puts a lot of pressure in very bad places. Maybe it will work for you - keeping my fingers crossed!

[sunshine_77us]

The bike will probably bother me. I know the treadmill did. The bike needs a part so I don't know if I will fix it or not. I do walk during my breaks at work so I get about 2 miles in but I need to do more or eat a lot less. I would love to lose about 30 pounds.!

[Bethrlk]

Wouldn't we all???:lmao:

I'd settle for 10 - but 30 would be AWESOME!!!!

[born2swim]

girl... my problem started on the treadmill actually. I was running and felt this pain on my left side (in front, not my hip). I stopped running and it went away. I tried to rest for 2 weeks, but running again made it worse. I gave it a few more days and when the pain came back, I said "screw it" and I ran through the pain. After a few days of that I started to have urgency feelings. I stopped to get off the treadmill and those feelings stopped. I started running again and the feeling came back. After a month of just walking on the treadmill, the urgency feeling came with just walking. Now, it is 24/7, but it all started with the treadmill. That impact it has on the body is hard to deal with I guess, but yes, the treadmill, sadly, makes me feel worse. Walking around the grocery store makes me feel worse :(

[ICNDonna]

I can do a treadmill if I take it easy and work up to increasing my time walking. I don't even try the higher speeds.

Donna

[kari1980]

The elliptical seems to be much easier on my bladder also.

Kari

[Momelf]

I've been listening to the book "Younger Next Year for Women" and it explains that a slower pace (like 2.5 mph) is excellent for a longer time, like 30-40 minutes. I don't think you have to push the speed at all and you might have to build up to that length of time. I did.

Hang in there. According to this book, it's "exercise or rot!" ....and I believe it (since I can feel the "rot", i.e, pain, in my hips for not exercising for 6 months).
Now I'm back at it 6 days a week.

Best wishes to all,
Darlene

[girl]

Thanks all for all of your replies! You have given me the courage to get exercizing again, and the guts to tell myself I don't HAVE to work out like I used to. I have been staying at the lower speeds and just working up, as several of you have said. Hopefully I will be up to 40 minutes soon. Right now I can do about 25 to 30 most days.
Alyssa, I agree, walking around the grocery store is pretty bad. Looking at all of the wonderful food you used to be able to eat........
Thanks again, all of you -it is so great to have a community like this to come to with these questions. You all rock!!

[Momelf]

Gosh, I need some encouragement today myself. I must have worked out too hard on Thursday because on Friday I could barely function. Left work early, went home and slept for THREE hours. The only reason I can imagine is that I worked this 60 year old body too hard the day before.

But what's really getting to me is that my hips are still hurting. Lack of exercise caused it, but every time I get up from sitting, I hurt. When I sleep at night, I can't even lie directly on my side 'cause my hips hurt. Must have an old person disease -- like bursitis.

Thanks for listening to my complaining. I just need to let off a little steam...and give myself a good cry.

My 84-yr old mother who lives with me fell yesterday while we were shopping, broke open her head (not serious), and broke a bone in her hand. Guess I'm letting off a little steam from feeling guilty about that too.

Warmly,
Darlene

[girl]

Darlene,

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she will be okay?

I know what you mean about the hips. I am only 40, but I have osteoporosis from steroid use, and my left hip hurts all the time!! Maybe you should ease up a bit on the workouts until it feels a bit better?

I think you are to be commended for working out at all; it is so difficult when you are older, even without IC. Add in this disease and, well, I think you are doing terrific just to be out there trying.

(((hugs)))

girl

[Momelf]

Girl, thanks for your kind words....I found out why I was feeling so inflammed -- red meat. It just seems so obvious to me now. That's the only thing that would make yesterday different. (And of course, I've been reading The China Study). Funny how we just don't want to see the signs of how our foods impact our bodies. Well, not funny, but human, I guess.

Hope you continue to do well with your exercise. I wasn't able to do my weight training yesterday, but I'm going today...but will be a little easier, do more reps with lower weights.

Have a wonderfuly day. BTW -- Mom's doing fine. Seeing a hand specialist today, getting a cast. She's such a trooper....she made cherry jam the day after her fall, with her arm in a sling. Only problem she had was getting the pits out of the cherries with one hand! LOL.

Darlene

[UCSB]

Hi Girl ...

I have a treadmill, elliptical and bike. One thing that could be a big help on the treadmill is a good stretching program before you try to use it each time. I'm not talking about a few minutes, but something that you can do while watching TV for a while before you start your workout. IC can tense up muscles in your pelvic area and they may not be ready to exercise. This is a good thing to do even if you are not exercising.

Also, walking should be all you need to do to get in good shape. 2.6 mph is a start. One thing to look out for is the lactic acid your body produces when you exercise. This is excreted through your bladder and will burn and feel like a flare-up ... but, it is not. It is pretty easy to spot because it will show up right after your workout right on schedule. Drinking water before and after your workout may also help. As your conditioning improves this problem will disappear.

Ellipticals are nice and they are my favorite form of exercise. I have SportsArt ellipticals in my home gym and they are a superb product.

Good luck.

[Trishann]

I have always wonder why you burn after exercising. That pretty well clarify the reason why.

Take care, Trishann

[girl]

Bill,

Thanks for that information. I too have always wondered about the burn directly following excercise, but did not know the reason. That, however, is not my problem with the treadmill. The treadmill jars me somehow.......it makes it feel as though my bladder is bruised, and this will persist for a couple of days.
Slow and steady is the only way I can do it, and I am not losing weight at 2.5 miles an hour....but, I console myself that i am in better shape than if I were doing nothing!

[GoldSeals]

Interesting,Thanks Bill.
I used to go Ice Skating twice a week.My ic got so bad I had to give it up.Not to mention the rink closed down a couple of blocks from here.The closes rink now is a about a 45 to 50 minute drive from here.Its out of the question for me.I used to ride a bike,but I have to go every 5 minutes riding the bike.By riding at night I could easily hide myself to go off the side of the road.It got to the point that it wasnt worth the stress to ride and having to explain myself to everyone.The road construction here effectively ended my bike riding career.Im looking into getting a treadmill to help me with excercising.But I will have to find someone to go pick it up for me.
Its to difficult to travel for me.

[UCSB]

Hi Trishann …

The burning will go away and disappear as your conditioning improves. We are all different, but I would say it should be completely gone in less than two months (maybe sooner). Also, you may recover faster from its effects as your conditioning improves.

[UCSB]

Hi Girl …

I have been thinking about your problem on the treadmill. Can you walk on the street and around town without getting the bruised feeling? If so, then I would rethink the basics of the treadmill.

In my opinion one of the biggest factors on the treadmill are your shoes. A little background … I have a True 540Z HRCO treadmill. It is the Lexus of treadmills ($4,000). It has an orthopedic belt … this is just a way of saying that it has a grippy, cushioned belt. It also has an adjustment for bounce or reflex in the base platform. This is another cushioning or impact absorbing feature. I use Nike shox walking shoes (about $120) on it. These are nicely cushioned. I also have some nice AirMax running shoes that are cushioned and work well. Anyway, I have tried many pairs of shoes on my equipment and the right pair of shoes can really make a big (unbelievable) difference in terms of comfort and perceived easiness/effort. What I am trying to say, is look first at your shoes and then next at your treadmill. Check for features on the treadmill for controlling impact.

Another area to possibly avoid is sometimes people make up for slower speed by a higher incline on the ramp. I wouldn’t start with this. Some machines can also go to a negative incline … essentially slight downhill. I would also avoid this because of possibility of impact.

Finally, you should look at your posture. Are you walking freely on the machine or are you holding on to handles. If you are holding on to handles this will cause torque in your core and may be setting you up for the problem. I recommend not holding on to anything and using your arms normally.

If you are going slower than you want on the machine and want to get a much larger aerobic impact from your workout, consider light handweights (little dumbbells). Maybe start with two pound models. This will really kickup your heart rate. Start slow and condition a little at a time, you don’t need any more lactic acid from your shoulders or arms.

Good luck.

[UCSB]

Hi GoldSeals …

If you like to bike, you might want to consider something like the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. I have my mountain bike in one in my gym. They are between $250 and $300 and really, really nice.

Here is a link: http://www.kurtkinetic.com/

Get a nice low pressure seat. Put a Spinervals spinning DVD on your TV (one comes with the Road Machine) and you are setup for a nice workout. My mountain bike (Specialized) has a full suspension so it adds extra adjustable cushioning as you are moving through your workout.

[UCSB]

Hi Girl ...

I was going to add another idea to my last post, but the system would not let me ... so here it is.

If you suspect impact is part of the problem, another strategy is the base under your machine. I have a .75" three layer, impact absorbing mat under my machine. Slightly expensive at $200. But, throughout the rest of my gym I have a cushioned rubber floor. I picked it up pretty cheap at Costco. Just 2'x2' rubber/foam mats that you can interconnect to build an entire floor. In your case, maybe a couple layers (about $20) under your machine might help if you feel the overall setup is just a little to hard.

[girl]

Bill,

Thanks so much for all your information! You are a gold mine for exercise questions; thank you again.
I do think it is the "hardness" of the treadmill for lack of a better word. I can walk around town (usually) without the bruised feeling, unless I try to walk very fast; then I can get it then too.
I did try insoles in my shoes. They are, however, ten year old Nike's; perhaps it is time to invest in better shoes.
And a mat? I had never thought of that; I know I can do my friends very expensive treadmill fine -mine was a cheapo model I got on sale, but I was in remission at the time and so I didn't care. The fact that hers is cushioned for running and that I can use hers with no ill effect leads me to think that it is in fact my treadmill. Since I can't afford a nice one, perhaps I should look into an elleptical or just keep going as I have been, slowly?
Thanks for all of the info; I may just go look today for a mat!

[born2swim]

Bill,

My problem is not soreness... if I run, yes, but walking is torture still. My problem is that the urge to urinate increases exponentially as I do more cardio. It is frustrating and generally keeps me from walking far.

[UCSB]

Hi Girl ... 10 year old Nikes are to old. You can get probably 80% to 90% of the cushioning in a expensive treadmill on your machine by carefully selecting your shoes. Look for both heal and forefront cushioning (air system) in your new Nikes.

Sometimes it is hard to find the really nice shoes at your local store. I usually order either directly from Nike (they have an online store) or from www.eastbay.com . Eastbay sometimes has some great closeouts deals.

[UCSB]

Hi Alyssa,

I see that you are newly diagnosed. This disease can really destroy your system and ability to do your prior activities when it initially hits you. With time people develop more sophisticated coping and management approaches. It is a balancing act, but usually people can start to rebuild areas of their life with time. In this early IC mode, exercise needs to be put into your overall set of priorities and may be to risky if it endangers other aspects of your life (like your career, for example).

Your exercise problem is a tough one. If urgency/frequency increase with exercise, that is going to stop you. I don't know what the answer is ... but, I do have a few observations based on my own experiences when I returned to exercising.

When I first returned to aerobic exercising, I would work out on my equipment and make frequent trips to the bathroom. I can remember going to the bathroom, getting on the machine, exercising for a minute and returning to the bathroom. But, with time my body and mind adjusted. Now I don't even think about it. Some days I can do a full segment of my workout without a break (maybe 40 minutes) ... other days I will need to take a break(s). The one thing that I know will not work is trying to keep working out when you need to go the bathroom. It is a tough call ... at that point in my life, I guess I just decided if this disease was going to take me down, then I was going to go down fighting it. I had already given up golf, tennis, skiing, boating, mountain biking and about another 100 interests.

A good first step might be to talk to your doctor about getting some physical therapy. A physical therapist can teach you a pelvic oriented stretching program that you will be able to do. This will help with your fitness level and give you the best tool for reversing the muscle pain and tension around your bladder. A good fitness program really has three balanced components: flexibility, strength, and aerobic training. Starting back in from the flexibility angle will benefit your IC symptoms and give you a meaningful path back to fitness. Perhaps after making sound progress in the flexibility area you will be in better shape to fold in some strength or aerobic conditioning next. Anyway, that is the approach that I took. I found a physical therapist that specialized in pelvic pain. Spent six months or more tuning up my flexibility and core strength and then begin to layer in other activities. I started with the treadmill and quick weights program. Later adding an elliptical and bike. It is a journey that can take some time.

Since your logon is born2swim, I will assume you are a swimmer. Swimming would be a great aerobic exercise to start with when you try to fold in aerobic exercises again. I have used swimming on and off since my IC started and have always found it to be one of the nicest activities.

Good luck.

PS -- in your signature, it says pain with running. Running is probably a really fast way to aggravate your IC symptoms.

[GoldSeals]

Hi GoldSeals …

If you like to bike, you might want to consider something like the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. I have my mountain bike in one in my gym. They are between $250 and $300 and really, really nice.

Here is a link: http://www.kurtkinetic.com/

Get a nice low pressure seat. Put a Spinervals spinning DVD on your TV (one comes with the Road Machine) and you are setup for a nice workout. My mountain bike (Specialized) has a full suspension so it adds extra adjustable cushioning as you are moving through your workout.

Thanks for the info Bill

[GoldSeals]

Bill,

My problem is not soreness... if I run, yes, but walking is torture still. My problem is that the urge to urinate increases exponentially as I do more cardio. It is frustrating and generally keeps me from walking far.

Born2swim,This is exactlly my problem.The more I walk,the more I go.It keeps me also from walking to far.I used to skate about 3 or 4 times around the rink and it was hit the bathroom again.Now if I was still skating I would probably get around twice before I had to go.Im still fighting.I dont want to lose the battle.Many people do and end up taking their lives.
GoldSeals