You can exercise without pain (or if you're in constant pain, without exceeding your normal levels of pain), and that's were you need to begin. Exercise is just movement, so find the level of movement that doesn't cause pain (or any extra pain), and work at exceeding that, bit by bit (but continue to move within your comfort zone). Stop when you start to begin to feel uncomfortable - don't wait until it becomes excrutiating. At that point, you're doing injury which will make exercise or even normal movement impossible for the next days (or weeks if you do enough injury).
When I started 88 lbs ago, I had such severe pain and balance problems that I couldn't even stand long enough to take a shower. I had to use a shower chair. I needed to have my husband help me dress (and even help me with getting my shoes on, not just tying them) I couldn't walk or stand for more than a few minutes (like 5).
My first "exercise" was doing the dishes during commercials (and the first time, I didn't even make it through an entire commercial - not and entire commercial break, I'm literally meaning one short commercial).
Exercise doesn't have to hurt - in fact it shouldn't. If you exercise until you're in pain, you're not going to want to move at all for the next few days, and it's only going to convince you that you can't exercise at all.
When I finally was able to use a treadmill, I made it two minutes, before I started feeling pain - so I stopped at two minutes. I've learned that I can exercise through mild discomfort, but when it becomes actual pain, I know I have to stop or I'm going to end up the next few days unfit even for normal activities.
Do what you can do comfortably and try to increase that every day. If that's one minute, then do one minute.
Every bit of movement, adds up. Standing at the sink during the commercials, eventually gave me the strength to do more.
You're not needing "calorie burn" exercise, nearly as much as you need strength-building exercises (and you may have to begin with no more than a couple minutes several times a day). Talk to your doctor for suggestions. My doctor recommended a back-strengthening book. I ended up buying the book (but then sold it when I didn't need it anymore) For the life of me, I can't remember the titile.
Maybe fifteen years ago, after I herniated a disk, my doctor at the time recommended water exercise. At the time, the YMCA to which I belonged kept their water quite warm (even warmer than the warm water therapy pool I now go to). Ideally water in the mid 80's is ideal, because there's no adjustment period. With my fibromyalgia and arthritis, I can't get into in cold water at all. It's too painful.
Initially I could only tread water gently (barely moving enough to stay upright). The relief from gravity was awesome. At first I didn't realize it was exercise at all. I just was happy for the relaxation and pain relief (jut being in the water relieved my pain more than did the vicodin I was prescribed).
As I was able to, I moved more in the water. At first gently kicking my legs and moving my arms more - but I always stopped when it hurt. Eventually I was able to swim laps, but that was weeks later.
Where I live now, there's a warm water therapy pool. You need a doctor's referral, but it is amazing for pain-free exercise. Certified classes for arthritis I believe have to keep the water in the mid 80's, so even some YMCA's have water in the right temperature. "Warm water" is a bit of a misnomer, because the water isn't "bath water" warm, it's more "room temperature," just warm enough that you don't feel a muscle-tensing chill getting into or out of the water.
I can't recommend it highly enough. Some insurances even cover it as physical therapy or arthritis treatment.
Last edited by kaplods; 03-21-2011 at 05:53 PM.
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exercise is literally going to kill me
. I guess this is just a piss fest I just was really hoping that walking on the treadmill would be ok, but I guess before I count my chickens Ill wait to see what the doctor says. 
