Working out with IC

[some_guy]

Any guys doing workouts with weights?

Upper body is easy but what do you do for leg workouts?

With everything sensitive and all the pain located in groin area it makes me worried I'll strain or make more sore or worse pop a hernia. I know there is no reason IC would make you more susceptible to hernia but it feels that way. I'm not looking to body build just tone up and make sure some weight I want to gain is muscle but I also would like to make sure it is even between upper and lower body.

Are you doing any other types of workouts that don't hurt with IC?

[sailawaygrl]

I am not a guy but I am just getting back in the gym after a long time away due to IC. I am scared of what I can and cannot do these days. I used to work out with my husband and had a really great challenging routine. Now I am slowly trying to decide what I can and cannot do. I am using the elliptical alot and that is good for your lower body. I haven't had the courage to do any leg presses but when I do I am going to opt for the machine as opposed to squats or lunges. (I may find that I am wrong on that though) Calves shouldn't interfere at all with IC, so no problem there.
I was told by my Dr that upper body weights were riskier than anything (due to the pressure on your abs) I would think if you are doing ok with upper body that your legs shouldn't give you too much problem.
I am just listening to my body and bladder as I go along. The other day I had to leave the gym because my bladder was not in the mood to work out at all.

Good luck to you!

Sandra

[Jereme]

I lift weights, do tae bo, practise power yoga and walk. I tried to vary my exercise routine and even stop at times to see if it affected IC either way. I do not see a connection. At a time i thought perhaps some exercises jarred the bladder but that isn't always the case. For me, I have a baseline of symptoms that pretty much waxes and wanes regardless of my exercise routine. I try my best to accept that and live with it. Therefore, I made the decision that I'd prefer to be in shape so I exercise fully. Certainly I'd prefer not to have symptoms but that doesn't appear to be an option at this time.

[some_guy]

Sandra yeah you make a good point about upper body workout being more risky, I guess it just seems like doing leg work would be more risky because of proximity. After thinking about the legs the past few days I came to conclusion that I am getting some workout just by hiking, pulling a few steep hills and such so I thought maybe just adding some 5lb leg weights on hikes might be a good little thing to try.

Jereme I see what you are saying but I guess I maybe I feel a bit more leery because of past hernias and that testicle pain is/was one of my main symptoms. Lifting anything seemed to transfer strain and extra pain to that area even if done correctly but that may have been more the worry that it was straining than actual straining.

One thing I am pleasantly surprised about is that having lost some weight from belly my abs which were once well defined actually now show with decent definition. The muscles seemed to have held up okay under the layer of fat :) a little work and I will be pretty happy with abs.

Do either of you do anything special for hands/grip?
I have not decided I have the courage yet due to my fear of heights but I am considering some beginner rock climbing and grip would be important.

[Jereme]

I don"t do anything for grip. Good luck with the rock climbing, That sounds fun and even those with IC need to have fun. Ever try yoga. I actually have some tapes and really like a teacher named shiva rea. Her tape yoga shakti is terrific and just the forward bends and twists is worth the cost and contains some great hip opening exercises. If u are up to it I do think it would help you with your pain too. You can read about it and get it on amazon.com.

[some_guy]

I don"t do anything for grip. Good luck with the rock climbing, That sounds fun and even those with IC need to have fun. Ever try yoga. I actually have some tapes and really like a teacher named shiva rea. Her tape yoga shakti is terrific and just the forward bends and twists is worth the cost and contains some great hip opening exercises. If u are up to it I do think it would help you with your pain too. You can read about it and get it on amazon.com.

Hey Jereme,

I got a $5 pair of those spring hand grips today at walmart, they should do the trick to strengthen my grip a bit so I can feel more confident about trying the climbing.

Sure I'll check out the yoga I'm always open to new ideas, I'll look it up and maybe give it a try.

[otter]

Thanks for the good tips, folks. I've got some new ideas to try for exercise now. I've personally found that in general, workouts with weights, lunges/squats, etc. don't seem to do much to make my pain worse. Lots of times, it helped it get better. Just another individual quirk for IC patients, I guess.

-Otter

[some_guy]

I've been using the hand grips for a few days and they are great, my forearms are really strengthening and I did not realize how much squeezing a grip like that also worked the upper arm and even chest and abs a bit if you hold arms in different positions while using them. My abs are so surprisingly coming out from where they were hiding under some belly fat :)

I went ahead and got a set of 5lb leg weights and have been using them on hikes and to go up and down 3 flights of stairs and it feel great. At first it felt like I was a lumbering giant with the weight on legs but after the first day it was easy and I feel light on my feet without them. I also found I could strap them on my wrists and sort of shadow box with the extra 5lbs on each hand, feels like it works out some shoulder and chest a little bit.

So I'm feeling good about starting slow with workouts and adding a few things every few days. It just makes me feel better all the way around and so far no strain in groin area to speak of.

I do want to work abs a little more but will proceed very cautiously.

[some_guy]

I'm still working out most every day and adding more and more variations and routines. I'm not going for the body builder look at all just toning up and adding back some needed body weight but in muscle form. My arms, forearms and hand/grip are all nice and strong now, my chest and lower abs are becoming nicely defined and the old beer belly is nearly gone. I feel stronger, healthier, bigger and younger than I have in years and I feel like just being generally more healthy is helping with the IC as well.

So I know it's sometimes hard to exercise with IC but I really think that it can help. Anything that helps general health is bound to help IC even if only a little bit.

[bob04951]

Woo Hoo some guy

Congrats and let's hope it sticks for a long, long time. We as well are really seeing relief with the hydroxyzine. Almost a miracle!

Bob does find the marshmallow tea soothing, so we'll stick with it for now.

Thanks again, and hope you have a pain free holiday as well.

Take care, Jill, wife of Bob :woohoo: