*Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. Please speak to a doctor before starting any new exercise routines*
Exercising is hard for us EDS zebras!
Zebras with the EDS cluster have a hard time with exercising and fitness for a multitude of reasons.
- We are tired all the time
- POTS can make us lightheaded or cause us to pass out
- Our joints can subluxate if we push them too far
- High-intensity exercises are also bad for our joints
- Our MCAS can cause skin rashes or hives from tight or chafing clothing, or from sweating alone
- Those of us with osteoporosis have the added Catch 22 of needing weight-bearing exercises (like running), but not ones that would be considered high-intensity (like running)
- When we stop exercising for any longer lengths of time, our muscles atrophy at a faster rate than non-zebras
My chronic fatigue is the biggest deterrent from exercising for me. I’m so tired all the time that I don’t have the energy to exercise, but if I exercised, I would have more energy. It’s a struggle to be active when all I want to do is curl up on the coach and take a nap.
Additionally, my go-to exercises are out. I was a marathon runner in my 20’s. After my first flair, running was just too painful, and I would get stress fractures from my undiagnosed osteoporosis. I used to love yoga, but I’ve passed out several times while doing inverted poses – kind of gives a new meaning to Downward Dog.
But we still need to do it!
While exercise is difficult for us, it is very necessary to prevent future injury and joint damage. By strengthening the muscles around the joints, it takes pressure off of the joint, preventing or delaying the deterioration of the connective tissue. There are really good resources online about the best types of exercises for zebras. Try here and here.
Erin’s 2023 EDS Fitness Journey
Since it is almost 2023 (eek – can you believe it?), I will be starting a new exercise routine. I hope that it will help me build back up my muscle mass, as well as help me lose the 20 pounds I’ve put on in the last two years ?♀️. Over the next year, I will be sharing this journey with you! My goal is to post at the beginning of the week my exercise plan for the week, as well as feedback on how the prior week’s planned workouts went. I’ll be posting the plan at the beginning of each week in case you want to follow along with me! I will be focusing on body weight exercises like Pilates and barre, while trying to get some time in the pool each week. I’d love to have you join me on this journey!
Check out my first post here.
One response to “Fitness for the Cluster – 2023 Program”
[…] New Year to all you zebras out there! As I mentioned in my prior post, I will be starting a new exercise routine this year. I hope that it will help me build back up my […]