Welcoming back my daily exercise routine, thanks to a new table
A recent purchase has led me to stretch again, which is good for us with FA
Activity is a basic physiological need of all living things. For humans, it goes right alongside food, water, and air. And for people like me, who are living with Friedrich’s ataxia (FA), that activity must take the form of intentional exercise. Time out of the day must be devoted to physical fitness.
Now, I enjoy engaging with and writing about a number of topics, and it’s my hope that my thoughts and reflections have come across clear and precise to you readers. I’d also like it if my writing provoked thought. Today, however, I want to introduce you to something that could make a tremendous difference in your daily, intentional exercise routine, as it has for mine.
After a week of getting acquainted, I’m obliged to say that OakWorks Medical Products’ Storable Mat Table is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made.
My exercise journey and its rejuvenation
Over the years, it’s become a chore for me to get on the floor to do my stretching routine and then to get back up. But from about 21 years of age, I’d rise from sleep every morning and get on the floor with a yoga mat as a good way to start my day, putting into practice what I’d learned from a college class. In the following years, I had to modify my routine based on my physical limitations and time constraints, but I always managed to stretch. It was important.
FA is a degenerative neuromuscular disease, so it’s become more and more pervasive in my life as time passes. That, along with the human inclination to put things off and take shortcuts, had led to me not stretching since I moved from San Antonio to Lynchburg, Virginia, last December.
But now, what was once a chore has become just another task.
It took me about one day after transferring onto the semihard, 40-by-78-inch foldable table, which holds up to 550 pounds, to realize the profound benefits of stretching and moving my body under the weight of gravity. I was a fool for getting away from it for so long.
I’m not a physiologist and can speak with no authority on this matter, except for what I’ve learned in my experience. Weight training and aerobic exercise are good, but when living with FA, there’s no substitute for stretching and movement.
OakWorks’ Storable Mat Table provides me with an easy, stress-free way to do something critical for my well-being.
Note: Friedreich’s Ataxia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Friedreich’s Ataxia News or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Friedreich’s ataxia.
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