Just kidding! It didn't quite happen exactly like that but I did find myself in Albany, WA in March 2018 ready to embark on an incredible journey (I will write a separate blog post/posts about my Bibbulmun Track hike).
I started my hike with a few little MS related issues that were still hanging around from my last relapse. I couldn't lead up stairs with my left leg and I was still having balance issues which made 'stepping down' difficult, slow, and incredibly mentally draining. However a really interesting thing happened. By the time I came home, all of these issues had ironed themselves out. I guess in a way, my hike had functioned as 4-8 hrs a day of intense physical therapy. Repeatedly stepping up, down, and walking along uneven trails had forced me to do all of the things I found the most difficult. Whether I 'healed' old damage or built new neural pathways I will never know, but by the time I came home my balance was back to normal, I could walk up and down stairs, and I was much quicker and more sure footed on descents. By the time I flew back into Tasmania in May, I felt better than I had for years. I felt 'normal' and as though I had just dreamed my MS.
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| The starting point of my Bibbulmun Track Hike! |
This led me to start doing some research into MS and exercise. You see, in the past individuals with MS were advised to exercise carefully as getting overheated while exercising could often exacerbate symptoms...and there was the ever present fatigue to contend with. However these days I think that this view is starting to change and it has a lot to do with a little thing called 'Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor' (BDNF). BDNF is a protein that acts on certain neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system. It is thought to support the survival of existing neurons and encourage the growth of new neurons and synapses. Moderate to high intensity exercise (yes, you have to raise your heart rate) has been shown to markedly increase BDNF synthesis in the human brain - resulting in a threefold increase in levels of BDNF in the blood plasma and brain. So not only was hiking up and down all those hills providing me with hours of physical therapy, but it was also encouraging my brain to heal itself and protect itself against further damage.
Unfortunately, once I got home and returned to normal every day life, I found that I started to feel 'unwell' again and little niggly MS problems once again appeared. I decided to go and see a specialist neurophysiotherapist about my concerns and armed myself with a list of questions I needed answers to.
The take home message from this appointment was that the most important thing that we can do as individuals with MS, is to keep on moving..... and move as much as possible.
As a wife and a mother of three I find it incredibly hard to prioritise my needs first, but this is exactly what I need to do to stay as well as possible. Obviously, there was only one solution....to keep on hiking! I have tried to prioritise walking with my pack on at least 3-4 times a week. I try to include hills and stairs in order to get my heart rate up for some BDNF production. I have also been weight training at the gym because as well as all the other benefits of weight training, it certainly helps with carrying a heavy pack. With the support of my husband, I have a lot of multi day hikes planned solo, with my family, and with friends to keep me motivated. I look forward to sharing these adventures on this blog!
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