Exercising is good for the general health of our bodies.

It improves the quality of sleep, helps control blood sugar, burns excess fat, reduces the risk of heart diseases, improves mental health and mood, etc.

But it can also be a stress-inducing factor if we force ourselves beyond our limits.

In addition, if you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic condition the results of exercising might not be the ones you anticipated.

Furthermore, returning back to exercising after any kind of illness can be tricky. 

So let’s consider several things before jumping into counting reps. 

Exercising with a chronic condition

There’s no simple answer to whether exercise will help or hurt you if you’re diagnosed with a chronic illness. 

The answer may, actually, be both depending on your approach to exercise. 

If you have FMS (Fibromyalgia syndrome) or ME/CFS (Multiple sclerosis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) exercise must be moderate and within your limits. 

Research has found that Patients with CFS may generally benefit and feel less fatigued following exercise therapy, and no evidence suggests that exercise therapy may worsen outcomes.^[1]

Studies have, in fact, found that exercise can improve symptoms of those with CFS.

However, a specific approach must be taken when increasing the intensity of exercise a person with CFS undertakes. 

Here is how to slowly implement exercising into your lifestyle: 

• Find your fitness level.
• Be realistic about your exercise tolerance – Trust your body when it gives you signals that it’s time to stop.
• Monitor how you’re feeling afterward – You can keep a diary on how you’re feeling and what effects exercising had on your body.

Increase the length and intensity of your exercise extremely slowly.

Once you reach a certain level you’ve set for yourself, add new challenges but stay cautious and make sure you’re not overstimulating your body.

Recommended exercises

As a former athlete, my body was used to relatively intense workouts.

But when I was diagnosed with multiple chronic illnesses I had to take everything slowly. 

I had to change my own view on exercising and teach myself a different approach.

After many trials and errors, I understood what my body can take and what it can’t. 

Some of the exercises I was performing, in the beginning, were light stretches, walking, pilates, or light resistance training.

I recommend you start with these if they’re within your limits.

Stick to the exercises/poses where you’re lying on the floor, seated, or in a very stable position, so you can prevent dizziness.

Don’t overtrain yourself, start with short sessions, and build from there. 

Exercise shouldn’t be overstimulating or lead to exhaustion.

After getting to know the effect these exercises have on your body, you can easily add more intensity.

Exercises recommended for FMS are gentle, so subtle forms of exercise may be a good place to start for people with ME/CFS as well.

Remember, the key is to start slowly, watch your symptoms carefully, and find the level of exertion that’s right for you.

Exercising after illness

After overcoming the worst phases of my illnesses I was mentally ready to return to my former athlete-friendly workout.

But there was another challenge ahead of me – my body didn’t follow my mind.

I had to rebuild my strength back and address cumulative nervous system deficits to gradually increase my performance.

In this process, I’ve learned a lot about how to gradually build back strength even under very challenging circumstances.

Listen to your body, rest, and ease your way back. 

Don’t jump back in with the same intensity of a workout you did before.

Your body is not ready for it.

Start gentle and with low impact.

The key is to train diligently, but not so aggressively that you risk injury.

Start with just bodyweight. Bodyweight exercises are totally sufficient for most people. 

You could build incredible strength and general fitness simply using bodyweight exercises plus some weighted resistance for the lower body. 

Don’t forget to rest. Allow at least 48 hours of recovery between workouts that target the same muscle groups. 

Your diet is as important. 

Choose nutrient-rich foods that will help speed up your recovery and prevent complications. 

Good nutrition can help maintain normal immune function by providing needed macro and micronutrients. 

Conclusion

Whether you have an acute chronic illness or you’re looking into going back to exercising after combating one, you should start slowly.

Let your body guide you. It knows best what you’re capable of at a certain moment.

By slow implementation your body will get used to certain motions, the risk of injury will be much lower, and your mind will be focused on performing the exact movement.

If you have any muscle memory it will help you bounce back from a long period of inactivity and in a short time, you’ll be able to do the exercises you used to.

If you’re considering exercising, I encourage you to consult your healthcare provider to understand if you have any specific exercise limitations before starting any routine.