Exercise good or bad?

Crohn's Disease Forum

Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:

Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Messages
25
I've read that exercise is good for people with Crohn's in helping reduce stress levels etc. However I've found that when I exercise my symptoms actually get worse the next day. Yesterday I exercised for the first time in a few years, all I did was lift some light weights because I didn't wanna do too much. Today I've felt a bit worse than what I have probably in the last few months or so. I've noticed this pattern before, I seem to suffer if I try to do any form of exercise. Anyone else get this? It kinda makes me feel like giving up exercise completely, doesn't seem worth it if it keeps making me feel worse.
 
hi cmci.not sure about you but i do mountainbiking and love it,sometimes 15miles and sometimes more,depends if im doing trail centres or just canal paths,my ibd nurse said that it released happy endorfins so that sounds good to me,i dont suffer symptoms next day and worse but do take a bit longer to recoup,hope you get to the bottom of your fitness problem

craig
 
I know I have the same issue. whenever I try and do even light excercise, I am in so much pain the next day. I also have fibromyalgia which probably aggravates things as well. My rheumatologist said that people who have inflammatory issues will tend to get worse when they excercise. For healthy people, they excercise and yeah they will be sore the next day but then the more they excercise, the pain goes away. Well a person who is dealing with actual inflammation, well the pain is only going to get worse, not better. It is kind of like having a sore, well if you keep picking it, it is not going to get better...

I do walk a lot as I find that does not bother me too much. I just cannot lift any type of weights or do certain stretches or I will pay for it later :(. It sucks.











hi cmci.not sure about you but i do mountainbiking and love it,sometimes 15miles and sometimes more,depends if im doing trail centres or just canal paths,my ibd nurse said that it released happy endorfins so that sounds good to me,i dont suffer symptoms next day and worse but do take a bit longer to recoup,hope you get to the bottom of your fitness problem

craig
 
I've gone through periods of exercise and no exercise over the years, and have not noticed any worsening of my Crohn's symptoms due to exercise. My preferred exercise is running, and I have had plenty of problems running outdoors and needing a bathroom. I'm currently in a really good exercise phase (been running 5 months, going strong, trying to work up to a marathon in fall/2013), and am using a treadmill in the basement so I don't have to worry about bathrooms.
 
I've read that exercise is good for people with Crohn's in helping reduce stress levels etc. However I've found that when I exercise my symptoms actually get worse the next day. Yesterday I exercised for the first time in a few years, all I did was lift some light weights because I didn't wanna do too much. Today I've felt a bit worse than what I have probably in the last few months or so. I've noticed this pattern before, I seem to suffer if I try to do any form of exercise. Anyone else get this? It kinda makes me feel like giving up exercise completely, doesn't seem worth it if it keeps making me feel worse.

I'm recently diagnosed with Crohns. My exercise had stopped due to the intense symptoms of my Crohns. I liked to run and go to the gym, as well as sometimes mountain walking. I had started to notice things the same as you. When I had a good run, the following day I was feeling excessive lethargy making it almost impossible to have a good days work, so my running ended up tapering out. I've got a lot of experimenting to do yet though, and I'm pretty sure if I can muster up the energy and motivation to get in to the regular routine of exercise I would be lesser effected by it and my body would be more used to it. It's really encouraging to hear others on this thread covering miles on bikes and building up to marathons. Now that I've been diagnosed and started treatment I aim to start with some gentle running and to build on that. I'd be interested to hear how it evolves with yourself. Thanks for the post.
 
I've read that exercise is good for people with Crohn's in helping reduce stress levels etc. However I've found that when I exercise my symptoms actually get worse the next day. Yesterday I exercised for the first time in a few years, all I did was lift some light weights because I didn't wanna do too much. Today I've felt a bit worse than what I have probably in the last few months or so. I've noticed this pattern before, I seem to suffer if I try to do any form of exercise. Anyone else get this? It kinda makes me feel like giving up exercise completely, doesn't seem worth it if it keeps making me feel worse.

before i was diagnosed with crohns i used to do kickboxing and compete in competitions when i put on meds for it i had to give it up because it made me all weak the next day and really tired also when i was doing it while on the meds i got really short of breath
 
before i was diagnosed with crohns i used to do kickboxing

I did that, I always always wondered if the kickboxing and constant hits to my stomach had anything to do with my crohn. I never mentioned it because the likelyhood of finding someone on this forum who did that was pretty minimal I always thought.
 
I did that, I always always wondered if the kickboxing and constant hits to my stomach had anything to do with my crohn. I never mentioned it because the likelyhood of finding someone on this forum who did that was pretty minimal I always thought.

Quite possibly Kiny my stomach killed the next day and was in so much pain i had to give it up shame really because i enjoyed it
 
I personally think it is very important to keep the exercise going. It will help you recover much quicker through improved blood circulation, better muscle tone, healthier bones, and it will encourage regular movements. That being said, I think it might be wise to check with your doctor to make sure all your nutrient levels and electrolytes are in balance first. When my crohn's was active in my mid-20's, it would literally take me a week to recover from a 50 minute hockey game. It did however keep my spirits up. Later, I recovered to allow me to do in excess of 30 hours of skating a week. I think you need to make sure that your hemoglobin and iron levels will allow you to exercise properly. I still try to exercise regularly, but this time it is work that is getting in my way. I find that exercise causes looser movements. Long and short, I think you should still try, but have a good check with your doctor first.
 
I was a kick boxer also. I still hit the heavy bag for exercise - I'm past the point in my life where I want something to hit back. In general, exercise causes acute inflammation - increased CRP and TNF alpha numbers in the short term for heavy exercise. Overall, the chronic markers go down with exercise, so you may want yo do whatever you a can tolerate a few times a week.
 
I also have noticed that if I do too much then the next day I am sore, achy and just don't feel good. I worked out in the yard after a 5 mile hike over the weekend and I could barely move the next day and felt sick. If I just do small workouts, then it is not too bad. I think it is important to keep moving and do some exercise though. The benefits of exercise are a good thing. I walk 2 miles everyday, just so I get some exercise in, even if I don't do anything else. Just start small and work your way up.
 
Exercise has never been a problem because I know when to use it. My opinion is when you are feeling bad enough then you should not exercise. Don't force yourself, and don't feel bad for not being able to do it... Rather focus on what it's gonna take to get you feeling better. Once better you should be able to work your way up to as far as you want to go.
 
Last edited:
I personally think it is very important to keep the exercise going. It will help you recover much quicker through improved blood circulation, better muscle tone, healthier bones, and it will encourage regular movements. That being said, I think it might be wise to check with your doctor to make sure all your nutrient levels and electrolytes are in balance first. When my crohn's was active in my mid-20's, it would literally take me a week to recover from a 50 minute hockey game. It did however keep my spirits up. Later, I recovered to allow me to do in excess of 30 hours of skating a week. I think you need to make sure that your hemoglobin and iron levels will allow you to exercise properly. I still try to exercise regularly, but this time it is work that is getting in my way. I find that exercise causes looser movements. Long and short, I think you should still try, but have a good check with your doctor first.

I think you've hit the nail on the head here. The lethargic effects I suffer from after exercise are no doubt related to my low hemoglobin, iron and B12 levels. I have yet to be able to get these to an adequate level as I am unable to take my iron supplements as they disagree with me digestively. Are oral supplements the only method of iron replacement does anyone know? I do have B12 injection every 3 months and that definitely boosts energy levels.
 
When i excercie even ride a horse for half hour it takes me a week to get over it, feel week, in pain and dizzy, guess it m ust effect you then by all the people sayin git does, i just thought it was coz i was unfit.
 
I lifted six bags of wood pellets yesterday at Home Depot onto cart, and then into car...my arms are very weak today! I have been so weak since this whole thing started, but I actually felt more energy yesterday so I did it...but back to exhaustion today. :(
 
Well this thread has given me the final umph that I needed... so I've been for my first 45minute run in about 8 weeks! Feels good to have done it at the moment. I've timed it well as I've got the weekend off, so plenty of time and space to re-couperate. Will keep you posted as to how it goes, hopefully it's just a start of things to come:)
 
it good that you have a couple of days to rest, i love doing excercise but just not worth how i feel the next 7 days x
 
Prior to the onset of my tummy problems, I was super fit. I could cycle 20 miles and not think about it. Now I can't cycle half a mile without crippling abdo pain. Bizarre. It's one thing I really miss...

Does anyone find even lifting something heavy can kick off cramps? I've noticed if I'm doing anything physical it can give me tummy pain. I was just lifting heavy loads of washing and I could feel the strain in my belly, it was horrible.
 
Last edited:
Cozmo - there were two approaches to iron that are a little easier to take. There is an iron supplement derived from ox-blood - fairly expensive, but easier to absorb and not as rough as elemental or mineral iron. I might be wrong, but I believe it was called proferrin. Also, there is IV iron infusion as a possibility. It never gave me any problems at all, and was about the only way I could get it in despite a diet very rich in red meat. It's worth getting the blood work done, and then proceed with the exercise once you are ready.
 
Thanks Shamrock. I'll enquire about alternative methods of iron, maybe the IV route, as its the absorbtion I have problems with. It would be good to know I have it sorted.

I'm not feeling too bad after my run yesterday. My upper body and shoulders feel a bit shaken about, but nothing too unbearable.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top