Reply To: what else is there-other than physio

What helped me for the past 5 1/2 years of this condition is proper diet and regular full-range-of-motion living.
I crave protein constantly: lean ground beef, milk, whole grains and cereals, nuts, and after I eat protein I am stronger for the next few days. I take a multivitamin/multimineral pill daily, and without them, I am much weaker. In spite of the terrible pain, I find it necessary to use as many of my muscles as I have left. Last year, I found I was losing much of the use of my right hand, and waiting for it to get better didn’t help it, so I am consciously doing things I used to do with it…sewing, writing, playing musical instruments, gripping things with my right hand, and forcing it to move. It hurts terribly, but if I flex the fingers, and wait a few seconds, I can flex them a bit more, and then wait, then flex again, and after a minute or so, I can actually make a loose fist.

So, I’d recommend you do the things you used to do…in moderation; use all the muscles in your body…with patience and endurance. And accept the pain, but don’t overdo anything, because that will only cause a setback. When I accepted the pain, everything became more endurable, and now I know I can still do many of the things I used to do, but it will cost me time and pain. Be thankful you are an adult, because you will be able to deal with pain much more easily than a baby or a child with this condition…their instinct is to move freely, but pain will prevent them from trying…but you can out-think this condition; it’s a rough road, but you can live, and enjoy living…anyway.