Chronically Fit: Deconditioning and Lower Body Stretches

     For many patients with chronic illness, their doctors tell them that exercise will greatly improve their quality of life and this is true. With some exceptions, a lot of us were quite active before falling ill which caused us to stop sports, exercise, and even our daily activities. When we stop moving our body starts to go through deconditioning which can cause some nasty side effects. Muscle tone and bone density are lost, gastric motility is altered, sore muscles and aching joints appear, symptoms and pain get worse instead of getting better. It also causes problems with the cardiovascular system, laying in bed for just a few days causes blood to pool in the legs which can cause dizziness and fainting upon standing. Along with blood pooling, it causes the heart to beat faster causing less blood volume and oxygen in the body making you more fatigued.  Deconditioning is actually its own medical condition and when you have even one chronic illness you don't need anything else causing problems. Luckily there is a super easy cure for deconditioning that anyone can do, EXERCISE! Yep, that's all it takes. It's not and easy road easy, and it won't happen overnight, but I'm here to help you get started.


      The one exercise anyone can do is to stretch. which is an important part of any exercise routine. It helps get your muscles ready and warmed up to begin your work out. For people with chronic illness, many times deconditioning has happened due to symptoms and pain causing us to stop exercising. This can mean you may have limited movement in your joints and your flexibility is now what it used to be. Tight, aching muscles cause pain and that's exactly what we don't want. To do the following stretches you need nothing but a bed, chair, and motivation!

Modified Thomas Stretch

GOALS:  REPS: 3 | SETS: 1 | HOLD: 30 sec | WEEKLY: 5x | DAILY: 2x

Instructions

• Begin lying on your back at the edge of a table or bed with your knees bent and feet resting flat on the bed.

• Lower your outside leg off of the table until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip and hold.

• Try to keep your back flat on the bed during the exercise.

Tip

• Use towel around ankle if desired

Seated Hamstring Stretch

GOALS:  REPS: 3 | SETS: 1 | HOLD: 30 sec | WEEKLY: 5x | DAILY: 2x

Instructions

• Begin sitting upright in a chair with one leg straight in front of your body with your heels resting on the ground.

• Bend your trunk forward, hinging at your hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your leg and hold.