EXERCISE - Question about Walking

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

I'm not sure what forum to use for this question. I had been sitting and moping around the house - no longer doing any excercise. After reading David P's story, I felt motivated to try and return to exercise.

I feel that since I may be facing lung surgery, I should get into better shape. Because it's 90+ degrees out and very humid, I opted to walk in the mall.

I started Monday with 1 round - 8/10 mile and increased it by the same each day. Today I did 5 rounds (4 miles) and most of the time I felt this weird sensation in my upper left thigh - as though the muscle deep inside was shaking or trembling. Talk about disconcerting!

I vaguely recall - back when I was a fitness buff - way way way back - that this happened once or twice after running 15 miles or more. But walking a couple miles in air conditioning???!!!

Anybody have any ideas. Thanks.

Cat

[paddy]

Hello Cat,

Congrats on getting back to the walking.

My husband has started to walk again too. At first he used to get quite a few weird aches and pains in his legs but he says it is getting better all the time. He says it really makes a difference with his "fatigue level". I am not in the medical field but I should imagine that your muscles are very weak and are showing some strain. Perhaps it would be better to build up to it very, very slowly than do too much at once.

Best of luck,

Paddy

[dadstimeon]

Hi Cat,

Sounds like you might have tried to walk to much to soon. Building up to 4 miles in one week is a lot if you have been out of circulation for a while. Also for some reason when I walk in a (during bad weather) Mall I can really feel it in my legs and I walk an hour a day. Don't know what it is about those Mall floors. Might want to try a dirt track (or somewhere with softer footing) to see if your leg feels any better. Also might want to try walking in the early morning or early evening. I go where there are lots of shade when it is really (cemetery/park etc) hot. Of course there is always the stationary bike/treadmill route but I think it helps being out doors and is much more beneficial. Just take it slow and do what you can that is the most important thing. To keep moving. Hope this helps.

Rich

[Guest makwa_04]

This is my problem also. As all my life I have worked mostly in the ourdoors profession. 25 mile hikes on weekends and canoe portages were the normal.

Even during the week daily jaunts of 6-10 miles cross country were the normal.

NOW

Lucky if can go 200 yards. Like you i feel deep sort of acheing feeongs within

the muscles. Like the muscle is over taxed.

I tryied a sports drink to see, if that would help and it did not.

On a long forced activity here we had to attnd to {Lewis and Clark Days}

We had to wlk over over the reconstructed settlement. And again it was like I wore off all the staying power.

When i got home and sat, litle muscle spasms could be seen under some of the skin areas. they went away after a hood long hot soaking shower.

leg gramps are also a roblem now for me, if i try to do to much.

Or I get severe lowe back pain/problems.

Like you I would like to know whats going on. So right now im trying to stay with canoeing.. but thats ot the same point of tiring out.

there si always tv to watch i guess

Makwa

[chloesmom]

I suspect it may be a little bit of both--building up too much too soon and those mall floors are tough on your legs and feet sometimes. Be careful, you don't want to get hurt and not be able to do any walking. Maybe back off a little bit and build up a little more gradually. Hope this helps.

[Nushka]

Great that you are walking again but geesh, working up to 4 miles in one week is a lot of walking. Take is easier and I bet things will settle down in your muscles. I admire your attitude though....I need to walk much more than I do right now. We live in a little town and there are no malls, but I can ride a stationary bike and just make excuses. Keep it up....hope you feel better soon.

Nina

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

I think you're all probably right. I've gone too fast. It's just hard because I used to walk in the sand (which is a real workout!) from 7 to 9 miles a day. I worked 4/10 so on my 3 days off, I'd do an hour of hard weight lifting plus yoga plus walking or running. I just can't contain my desire to get back where I started but my body seems to be having a laugh on me.

I love walking beside the ocean but these days, even at 6 in the morning, the humidity is already 90 and the temp already 80 and it only gets worse until October. I don't like walking in the mall as it's b-o-r-i-n-g but I'm not up to the intense humidity. The wig definitely makes (feeling the heat) worse and I'm ready to ditch it and say, "Yep, my hair is really short. So what!"

Cat

[-Cheryl-]

Cat,

I am an avid walker. My alt. doc and onc recommend it. I notice that I was having what felt like electrical currents running down through my legs whenever I put my head down after a long walk. Heather (Heabie) posted a about Lhemites (sp) syndrome, which was caused by radiation to the spine. Perhaps the radiation has caused some damage to your nerves.

Cheryl

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Cheryl, I bet you're right! That ties in with the fact that I've been experiencing upper middle back discomfort since the radiation - something I never had before. It feels like arthritis or something.

Thanks. I feel better when I have an explanation for the unfamiliar.

Cat

[Hebbie]

I was thinking the same thing about the radiation -- but couldn't figure out when you had it from your post -- December? My oncologist told me that if you were going to get this "sydrome", it usually kicks in a few months after you finish radiation and last for about 6 months. I finished radiation in early June (last year), developed this weirdo "electric current" feeling in my legs when walking some time in the fall and....I still have it. So much for lasting only 6 months...

If you did have radiation in December, it would fit into the time frame. I would ask your radiation onc. about it -- I only notice it when I take long walks and it only seems to happen when I tilt my head down. It feels like my legs are not attached to my body!

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Electric current? Maybe. My radiation began late December and ended mid March. It feels like the muscles deep inside my legs are shaking or moving or trembling. It is hard to describe. It's weird.

I know it's been months since I've been active but all my life I've walked, biked or jogged miles and miles every week. Heck, I used to bike to work (10 miles round trip). I would walk up to 15 miles at a fast clip. So when I start to feel this weird feeling in my legs, I was astonished, thinking I had lost all muscle tone. I don't think that after years of exercise, that's possible even when it's been months since I last exercised. So maybe it is radiation induced.

Cat