I had a very sever case of CIDP back in 2002, but was able to begin walking again in 2004 thanks to my AFOs. I have the standard plastic ones & go to water aerobics twice a week year round here in MN, swim in the lakes all summer long, & we winter down in Florida. I wear my AFOs with a pair of water shoes over them, there is no padding, but the straps do get wet. It is a pain to wipe them dry when I get out of the water & I sometimes get funny looks, but this is the only sport I have left. BTW I will be going down to FL the end of this month for a few weeks, where are you going in FL?

I just returned from 4 wks in Cancun.
ex, where I went swimming in pool and did aquaerobis every day for an hour. The water was warm and the depth5 ft. A friend gave me a splash ball which I used in the pool to help strength my hands, wrist and arms. We were joined by other friends, passing the splash ball around. It was therapeutic for my and fun for all. Tomorrow I go to health and fitness club to swim and do aquaerobics, 3xwk. The indoor pool is about 83, not as warm as the outdoor pool in Mex, and is graded to 5 ft. I can now cut steak without help, type better, and am beginning to walk (like a toddler)without assistance. Axon GBS hit me 17 mos ago at the age of 79, I couldn’t move legs, hands, fingers, arms. Was in hospital 84 days, ot/pt, continued outpatient another 10 months, followed by swimming and aquaerobics. Like everyone else, I’m working at it and praying for the best recovery possible.

Peg

Hey folks,

Thought I would share this for what it is worth. As you can guess, I have done a lot of swimming over the years … anywhere from 3 to 6 hours of swimming per day, every day, for over 10 years straight.

After GBS, I went swimming as part of a lesson (I was the teacher) to help a triathlete on his form. While the swimming felt fine, I did notice something of which to take care. Since muscle activation is likely depressed in your legs, be careful of developing very strong muscle cramping while swimming. Just a little bit of activity can now trigger muscle cramping. Further, lack of muscle control can make it very difficult to rid yourself (or partially offset) the effects of cramping.

So, in summary, my advice is to be sure to go swimming with a friend who can help you if you get into trouble … even if you are/were a nationally ranked competitive swimmer! Better safe than sorry.

Happy paddling.

Have been in the pool now for over a year and once it was felt that my core was strong enough started swimming (with a float) doing the breast stroke –and I might add with afos’ and sneakers on. The extra weight just made me work harder to do any kind of kicking-as the therapist mentioned “anyone can swim without these on the trick is for you to do them with the braces on!” Now have been able to do the backstroke but with no afos-braces — What Racer has mentioned re the jets is so true — they can really play a big part in keeping you aware as to the power of movng water — would love to take a walk into the ocean but not yet! Swimming has been a challenge and a very strong booster in my general feeling of “getting better slowly” -the removal of gravity allowing me to work on so many other things -sit-stand-balance, the sequencing of activities (legs/arms/breathng) in swimming has been and continues to be a big plus!

Head for the pool but make sure there will be someone with you

Robert L

Yesterday I went swimming for the first time since I got GBS. It was in salt water in a protected cove and the water was very warm. I was always a good swimmer but I was disappointed that I could not swim with anywhere near my normal force. I couldn’t do a strong sissors kick nor use my legs for most of my forward thrust as I normally would. I had to rely mostly on my arms. I couldn’t swim down and keep myself on the bottom either. I could swim however and my control over my breathing was normal. Since I could swim for several kilometers before and now I can only swim for 10 or 15 minutes without resting I am a bit unhappy. I am not close enough to water to go swimming very often but I think it would help me if I could. I think swimming is therapeutic. The water supports your weight which is a big advantage.