Thinking about getting the BodyGym to help build strength

cowgal

I have lymphedema on my non dominant arm that extends into my back and on my same side of the torso. A couple of years ago, I had a partial tear of my rotator cuff. It still bothers me a little but it got pretty bad this past weekend when I needed to keep both of my arms extended straight out while holding an object extended fully from my body in tandem with someone else. The strain it put on my shoulder was bad enough that I was unable to raise my arm in certain positions and had to bend at my waist for a couple of days to wash my hair. It is doing better now but made me realize that I need to do something to strengthen my shoulders, which obviously can be an issue on how to do with lymphedema. I have seen the infomercial for BodyGym and wondered if anyone was using it and if it might be a good solution to help me build up some strength for that shoulder as well as other supporting muscles. If you are not familiar with it, it is basically using a resistance band to do a wide range of exercises and also resistance can easily be adjusted. Any thoughts on if this would be a good idea?

hugz4u

good question. I was told that resistance band training is not good for us because one day you can resist extra and next day not. So le people can't measure our success or problems if one arises. It's not gradual enough. With starting out with one pound weights that PAL program recommends for le weight lifting program you know exactly what you are lifting. I have been doing this close to two years, two-three times a week and am now up to 7.5 on Triceps and 8.5 on biceps for example.

This has given me zero le flare ups. I did get a injury January and so PAL program says to back off weights and build up again. This is the correct way for avoiding problems. Also if you quit lifting for a couple weeks you must back off and gradually build up. This gives me motivation to not quit even on vacation as I am now and packed my weights!

With adding gradual weights one pound at a time , I haven't seen 4,6,8 pound weights so i just hold two weights in one hand. Example 3lb and a one pound makes four pounds. My gym girl says great your adding a different dimension having to hold two weights. Bonus.

Buying small weights is cheap way to go. Maybe 50 bucks for a set up to ten pounds and it doesn't weaken out like resistance bands do eventually. You have to buy the one pound separately. There hard to find but you can. Just add a 10 dollar gym mat and your set!

I go to a specialized gym for unwell older people and there are no weight machines at all. Free weights, bands, balls, body ball, weighted balls versa bars and cardio machines. That's it. You should see some of the older folks progressing on this kind of equipment. Well some did a full marathon in Hawaii last year. Some were heart, Diabetic, extremely overweight and cancer patients like us. And they killed that marathon!

Start small and you will get there! Join our exercise thread in our le post. No competition there. Just encouragement. Welcome to a better life with le

cowgal

hugz4u, thanks for the information. I'm not new to le. I've been dealing with this for 7 years. I try to baby my arm when I can. The last le therapist I went to had me use resistance bands when she was working to reduce the size of my arm a year ago. I had thought resistance bands were a no - no and surprised that is what she used. Your information makes more sense.

hugz4u

eeks. That therapist is wrong

cowgal

She kept me completely wrapped heavily for about a month and had me do exercises with resistance bands and the le did go down. I asked her if the bands were okay and she said yes but I have definitely heard conflicting advice on this and have been cautious about using them.

Hopeful82014

FWIW - my PT is a very experienced LE educator, as well as PT specializing in LE and post-treatment issues. She encouraged the use of resistance bands and provided specific exercises. However, I had been using weights for many years and that may have factored into her advice.

cowgal

Hopeful82014 - My LE therapist is also a PT. Maybe the lifting weights already was the issue. When I say that I "baby my arm", I do not lift what I did prior to developing it. I no longer lift bales of hay or 50 pound bags of feed but perhaps I lift more than the average LE patient in my day to day activities and I admit that I do aggravate it from time to time but most of the time I keep my le consistent with the use of a sleeve, glove, MLD and a night garment.

Hopeful82014

cowgal, that might indeed be the difference in recommendations. It sounds as though your situation is different from mine in that I'm just trying to avoid LE and you're already dealing with it.

From the sound of it, I suspect you lift a LOT more than the average woman, with or without LE, even if you've given up lifting bales!

Good luck with it.