Did you know that every third Monday of the month we hold a virtual support group? The MGA rolled out this program as a result of the pandemic. The response was so positive we felt it was important to continue offering these meetings this year!
This past week at our Virtual Monday Meet-Up we were fortunate enough to have guest speakers Michael Calcagni, PT, DPT and Brandon Lum, PT, DPT, OCS of Clinical Assessment Solutions discuss a very popular topic: exercise and MG. The co-founders are both passionate about working with the neuromuscular disease population and it shows. The duo consults on MG clinical trials to ensure best practices and data-driven results. Here are a few takeaways from the presentation:
Exercise Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle
In short, there is sufficient data to support that exercise can be positive for MG patients. Now, I know many of you are probably thinking, absolutely not! Of course, that statement is a general statement, and the circumstance of your MG experience must be taken into consideration when determining an exercise regimen. Say you are in a myasthenic crisis or are incredibly weak; obviously running a mile is not appropriate or even possible. The key here is that you must listen to your body, and make decisions accordingly. Both Michael and Brandon stressed how important this is and I think that is something we can all definitely agree on.
You Don't Have to be Extreme, Just Consistent
The two also emphasized the significance of staying consistent. Why? Because when we condition our bodies to an exercise routine, there is potential to see a decrease in MG symptoms such as fatigue. When this occurs, our motivation to continue participating in exercise increases, creating a steady, positive cycle.
Overall, both Michael and Brandon left me feeling motivated and ready to jumpstart the new year. I bought an exercise bike for my birthday in hopes to just move my body each day, even if it’s only ten minutes. I’ve also found that walking around the block in the fresh air brings me joy. One other thing that I’ve really tried to implement in my life is deep breathing exercises. And yes, deep breathing is an exercise! The key for me is finding exercise that doesn’t feel like exercise, otherwise, the motivation dwindles. Do you have an exercise routine that you would like to share with us? Email us and we can compile a list of ideas that highlight different exercise options to promote a healthy life with MG.
Special thanks to Brandon Lum and Michael Calcagni for offering this presentation to our MG community!
The following blog post was written by Meridith O'Connor, St. Louis Program Coordinator for the Myasthenia Gravis Association.