Dear Alvis: I am replying to your communique of 4 Feb about your attempts to
find interest from funding sources to use the potential of our network for
research. I was quite surprised that you found little knowledge about the
potential for such and little or no interest. This is clearly an idea whose
time is yet to come; right now you are ahead of the pack. I wonder about the
national science foundation in DC. Your congressman could give you the contact
there if you don't have one. The person that I used to know there has long
since retired.
Dear Networkers; This is an exercise question. I have been using a trainer
and doing Nautilus machines once a week since last July. Is anyone working
on strength training like this? I would like to have some interchanges.
What has happened is this? This is my first year since diagnosis, and
with my medication of 25/100 Sinemet (3x) and 5 mg. Eldepryl (2x), I have
been relatively free of stiffness and muscle problems. One of my graduate
students is a master Nautilus trainer, and when he found out that I had PD,
offered to get me going on a strength training regimen, in preparation for the
deterioration yet to come.
Today we were talking about the presence of pain in both of my shoulder
muscles at the point of insertion on the upper arm. This is quite apparent
when I try to get a full range of motion on the machines. I can do a restrict
ed range at my old weight, but to do full range, I have to lighten the weights
quite substantially. The pain is sharp and acute when I bear the weight and/or
try to move the machine. I have had this pain since January, and thought that
it might have been a strained muscle. But I have rested it, and it has not
gone away. I took it up with my Feldenkreis physical therapist last week
and she thought maybe that I was not using the full range of the upper body
muscle groups and was instead using my arms only for upper body activity. She
gave me some exercises that helped. But today, it seemed clearer to me that
I probably have entered a new phase of muscle stiffness, one that is showing
up at this time just in those muscle groups.
My trainer asked me to ask if anyone is using a trainer for this kind
of work and whether he could be in touch with that person. My sense of what
I should do is to go ahead and work "into the pain." That is, not to be
put off by it, but to go ahead with as much weight as I can bear and exercise
with it. Any suggestions here? Am I going to tear the muscles if I do this?
Thanks.
Bob Newbrough ([log in to unmask])
