I’ve been recovering from acute symptoms of multiple sclerosis these past 2.5 week, still trying to get to a better level of balance from the constant vertigo. It’s been getting better slowly; able to walk longer distances and squat with a barbell a few times today, but I can’t quite push myself very hard without just feeling weird. Mentally draining is probably the best way to explain it. I’ve been gone from training and really any sort of strenuous activity since then, trying to stay balanced while grocery shopping is still harder than what it used to be. Laying down flat is also still a problem, so the idea of flat benching is, well, kind of scary at the moment. My current plan is just to do Strength 1, as I was also going for that before the onset, but repeating week 1 at an RPE higher for all the movements and incline benching instead of flat benching until I feel more confident. Is this sort of a sound strategy? Are there any good compliments for regular benching I could incorporate? Any other or additional recommendations for training with this?
Were you running strength 1 before the exacerbation of MS symptoms? Have you had an exacerbation before? If so, how did you return to training then? How long has it been since you had a training session, 2.5 weeks?
Are you currently having vertigo symptoms? Are you able to walk without an assistive device?
I was in the middle of General Strength & Conditioning, like right in the middle of week 6, the “pivotal” week. The plan was to go to Str 1 afterwards regardless, as it lines up with my goals more, so I’m not upset about dropping GS&C. MS is a completely new development for me, just kind of woke up one day experiencing the vertigo unable to walk. A lot of progress was made in the hospital, but since the hospital, progress has slowed significantly. Think like an inverse logarithm with x-axis being “normal” or something. And yes, about 2.5 weeks currently, the 26th of Jan.
Yes, I still have some vertigo, but it has become manageable. I would say I can walk indefinitely without assistance. The only balance test I really struggled with was the heel-to-toe walk. Able to do it, but took a lot. Better than not able to move in bed without lose of balance, which was weird. I had tried squatting with a barbell yesterday (with some BW squats before hand) as I work at gym, and was able to do so, but at a generally slower pace than what I used to be able to do. Just had to keep focus.
From what I was told, it should generally just get better, but that it could take weeks or months. Its been a few weeks, and I’m wanting to get back into training to help out with recovery, but also take a cautious foot forward.
It’s hard to give specific recommendations without a full consultation and assessment. My biggest concern for you is safety under the bar if you are having episodes of vertigo or balance impairments. I would definitely recommend using safeties and pins. RPE is also very important in this context. Fatigue is a very commonly reported symptom following MS exacerbation and it will likely take some time to get back to training “normal.” Be patient with yourself and maybe add some RPE caps in your training. If you continue to have vertigo symptoms, I’d recommend talking with your neurologist; you may also benefit from a consultation with a vestibular physical therapist.