Growing up as a kid and teenager I was very active and enjoyed playing tennis and riding a bike. With the muscle weakness caused by Pompe disease, I had to find something that I could still do, as well as enjoy.
Exercise has many benefits. It can ease muscle pain, lessen stiffness, and increase flexibility and mobility. It can also help stay active longer, have more energy, and improve physical and mental health.
However, exercise should be tailor made and take into consideration our specific needs, abilities, and disabilities, i.e., individualized adapted physical activity and the appropriate exercise for us, that we can also enjoy. That is why I tried and started practicing Nordic Walking!
Nordic walking is a low-impact, low-risk, full-body exercise. It is a specific fitness technique and not simply walking with poles like trekking or hiking. Nordic Walking poles (which are different to hiking poles) are planted behind in order to propel you along using the upper body (back, arms and core) as well as the legs. Nordic Walking uses the power from the entire upper body to turn regular walking into a "4-wheel drive" activity engaging over 90% of the body's skeletal muscles. Because the poles used for Nordic Walking pick up some of the weight of each step, they take some pressure off our legs. It can be done at a gentle pace, so as to provide a good exercise with minimum strain. Additionally, it helps have a safer stroll and walking with poles to balance can decrease the risk of a fall.
Here are some links and a video that I hope you can find useful, enjoy!
- The benefits of Nordic Walking: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1122061511296293
- https://www.worldpompe.org/index.php/publications/category/9-english?download=11:06-exercise-and-physical-therapy
- http://www.nordicwalking.it/
Together We Are Strong!
