How to Exercise Even When You’re Sick

If you don’t keep moving even when you’re sick, you lose strength and condition and may gain weight. Arthritis, fibromyalgia, heart conditions, high blood pressure and obesity are just a few of the health problems that benefit from light exercise and movement.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Motivation to improve your condition. This could be as easy as wanting to feel and look better to as important as wanting to stave off effects of a serious health condition that limits your ability to
• A routine that is pleasant and easy to do so you will keep doing it every day, no matter how you feel that day.

1. This is NOT a “no pain, no gain” set of aerobic exercises. If you’re young and healthy, you may not need these. But even young healthy people sometimes wake up stiff and sore after doing too much hard exercise the day before. Whatever the reason for it, if you need help getting started in the morning, or if you need no impact, not on your feet, movement – read on!
2. The basic principle is to move as much as you can without pain, and to build strength and range of movement slowly so you can make progress without setbacks.
3. My routine starts before I get out of bed in the morning. Lying on one side I alternate raising my leg and arm – with covers over them it’s a strengthening exercise. If I kick the covers off, I can push my range of motion a little. I turn on my back and do some head and shoulder raises, tightening my stomach muscles – I don’t push this enough to hurt my back, the important part is making the tummy muscles work. I alternate raising my legs and arms, one at a time. Then I slide my heels toward my hips, bending my knees, again tightening the abs. (strengthening the abdominal muscles helps with back pain especially) Turn on the other side and do the same as the first side. By that time, my blood is flowing, my joints are loosened up, and I’m awake, smiling and ready to get up. The whole routine takes me no more than 15 minutes – and my doctor told me to exercise 15 minutes a day. Hey, I’ve done my duty and it didn’t even hurt! The good thing is, after starting the day this way, I feel more like moving freely the rest of the day.
4. I have heart problems, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and “battle scars” (from injuries over the years and other health problems). This is the best way I’ve found to help myself to a better life. More intense programs either hurt me so much I quit, or did damage that set me back.

Tips & Warnings

• Adjust the routine to fit your needs. You may do more or less – it’s YOUR health and well-being that’s at stake.
• Do each move until you feel your muscles “burn” then go on to something else – don’t continue past that “good feeling” that tells your muscles to get busy and renew themselves. This may be 2 repetitions or 15 – you’re not in competition with anyone else.
• Move whatever you can, at your own pace. Don’t be misled or discouraged by exercise routines you see in magazines where athletic slim women move effortlessly through contortionist movements.
• Rest whenever you need to (for instance, every 5 reps, then do 5 more, etc.) – just don’t go back to sleep!
• Don’t hurt yourself! The goal is to improve your condition, not make it worse. Think of it as physical therapy, not exercise with an exclamation point!