Physical Therapy, Exercise and Neuropathy

Article reviewed by Dr. Waden E. Emery III, MD, FAAN, Board Certified Neurologist, Lighthouse Point, Florida and endorsed by Karen Sheppard, Physical Therapist of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Q: “Should someone with neuropathy do daily exercises so they don’t lose muscle strength?

A: It is important to work closely with your treating physician ensuring that it is okay to enter into an exercise or physical therapy program. That being said, the proper exercise and supervised physical therapy can be very important components in any complete treatment approach to many peripheral neuropathies. The best exercises are low impact, which are the right kind for anyone with neuropathy. The wrong kind or too much exercise will increase symptoms because damaged nerves will attempt to work in overload.

Many neuropathy patients will tell you that swimming is one of the best exercises for the neuropathy patient. Mims Cushing in her 2009 book, You Can Cope With Peripheral Neuropathy: 365 Tips for Better Living (www.amazon.com ) has great suggestions on this subject from patients who have been there.

Q: “Will physical therapy cure neuropathy?”

A: Some neuropathy patients go to physical therapy (PT) with unrealistic goals, thinking that PT is a cure for neuropathy. PT does NOT cure neuropathy. One exception is entrapment neuropathies. A skilled physical therapist and other medical specialists can be very helpful in relieving the pressure on the nerve(s).

Important goals for physical therapy or exercise are to maintain muscle strength, improve gait, balance, coordination and flexibility. Also to improve balance issues and the ability to walk (using both the eyes for visual information and feet), increase one’s being able to hold things and more.

Muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, loss of coordination, dizziness, loss of feeling in the feet and hands, all demand the attention of an expert physical therapist knowledgeable about the effects of various types of neuropathy on muscle and nerves.

Q: “What have you learned about exercise, physical therapy and the symptoms of neuropathy?”

A: DO NOT work through the pain if you have neuropathy. Gym coaches may have taught you “no pain, no gain” — DO NOT even go there! With neuropathy the quantity and focus of exercise or physical therapy is determined by your diagnosed condition, symptoms, and pain. Exercise and physical therapy must take into account the extent of inflammation of the nerves, amount of damage to the nerves, the degree of blockage to them, and how much they have been injured.

Q: “Can you do harm with the wrong type or quantity of exercise?”

A: Yes. With exercise for the neuropathies, a little is a lot and quality, focus, and regularity are all important. Those things are more important than how much exercise you do. With neuropathy you must dismiss much of what you have been taught about exercise. As mentioned above, you must NOT work through the pain or you may increase your symptoms. Over use of inflamed or injured nerves will cause them to stop working temporarily and you may feel a cement-like numbness in your feet and legs, or other strange and painful symptoms in your body.

A good physical therapist with knowledge of the neuropathies will understand you. If a physical therapist is unavailable,purchase a copy of the DVD  by Dr. Hansen On Exercise for the Neuropathies.

Learning your limits, knowing how to pace yourself, adjusting daily activities and exercising correctly, are important insights for physical therapy or any exercise program for a person with neuropathy.

NOTE: Copyright 2010-15 Network For Neuropathy Support, Inc. dba Neuropathy Support Network.. This article may be reprinted or published for educational purposes as long as the printing or publishing is not for profit and acknowledgement is granted the author. Contact him at E-mail: gene@neuropathysupportnetwork.org

PATIENT TO PATIENT – Disclaimer: Patient to Patient articles are intended to be educational, not diagnostic or prescriptive and the patient is encouraged to seek help from their own private physician.

.