My husband is a workhorse when it comes to exercise which can be worrisome because he will push through with moves when maybe he shouldn’t. He is also ingenious at finding workarounds so he can continue to get his necessary workouts done in a safer way. He totally gets the value of movement and is motivated to take part in classes and realizes that, as his symptoms fluctuate, his abilities change. He accepts this reality and, when necessary, adapts the environment and the training to meet him where he is physically on any given day.

It’s still a two edged sword. Exercise is an essential component of his treatment plan and it also creates his greatest risk of injury. Over 50% of his falls happened when exercising and, more specifically, when he does a procedure called sit to stands. His exercise coach and his physical therapist both tell him that he needs to do this particular move up to 30 times a day, unfortunately that’s more than he can manage. He has learned to accept that he can safely do 10 during an exercise session and works to add more later in the day.  

On the recommendation of a local occupational therapist, we moved all of the furniture out of a spare bedroom and created a workout space for my husband. He has a small desk where he can put his computer for zoom classes and we have folding chairs for seated portions of the programs. All of his equipment is stored in a rolling cart that can move about the room or hide away in safe spots in corners. He still falls occasionally but there are fewer obstacles and less things to hit on the way down. Movement matters but safety matters even more, thankfully he understands and respects the need for both.