Ah exercise - I find exercise so funny I honestly struggle to be motivated to do it however after it's done I feel amazing physically and mentally proud of my accomplishment.
I really do enjoy exercise, I like pushing myself (that is once I've got off my arse) and I enjoy how it makes me feel - that is after it's done. However there are limits in regards to my condition that being Immune Thrombocytopenic (ITP) and participating in exercise.
You may be mind blown right now on how exercise can be an issue for someone like me, maybe you are even thinking I'm trying to make excuses not to exercise however hold up on your judgement and let me educate you a little.
So just in case you are not aware exercise involves tearing apart and regenerating muscle tissue. When the muscle tears this can cause injuries to tissues and small blood vessels. Platelets are then sent to those area's to clot the blood and commence the healing process. However if platelet levels are low the bleeding that can occur from exercise may not stop effectively.
Basically depending on how low my levels are and what type of exercise I choose to participate in could potentially put myself in a situation where I may cause myself some harm.
Does this mean I should not exercise at all? Ummm as much as I could possibly justify a no exercise rule the fact is exercise is very important in regards to one's overall health and well being. Whilst exercise may not seem important now whilst I am young, my body will certainly thank me for it later. And trust me later is when I am really going to need all the help I can get.
So what is the game plan when it comes to exercise? Well here are the below recommendations;
When platelets are less than 15,000 - no exercise
When platelets are 15,000 - 20,000 - gentle exercising without resistant training
When platelets are 20,000 - 40,000 - light resistant training can be incorporated
When platelets are 40,000 - 60,000 - activities such as golfing or stationary cycling
When platelets are above 60,000 - can participate in more vigorous resistant training like zumba and jogging
Personally my levels sit around the 20,000 - 40,000 mark and I generally exercise twice a week. One day I participate in karate which could be considered similar to aerobic exercise as it consists of cardio and strength training (to know more about how I participate in karate a contact sport with ITP click here). The other day of the week I jog for approx 6 kilometers (4 miles).
Generally I do find that I require a little extra recovery time in between exercise and that cautions must be taken prior to participating in exercise (eg. I focus on how I feel before exercise. If I feel run down then it's a sign my levels my be a little low and I should not exercise). However overall I am still capable and willing to participate.
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