I have RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) in my left arm, shoulder and hand; using cardio machines and free weights always gives me neck and head pain that is almost unbearable. Even spinning causes me problems if I put too much weight on my left shoulder or if I do presses while on the bike. If I continue anyway, do you think eventually I can accomplish full range of motion and succeed in building up my left side?

--jyates9587

Before your question I had never heard of RSD. An MD friend of mine gave me some reading material on the subject and here it is in a nutshell: RSD is a condition which causes the sufferer to experience severe pain, tenderness and hypersensitivity to touch -- even to something as benign as clothing rubbing against the skin -- in the affected area. Unfortunately, not much is known about the causes of RSD, but it often occurs after a person has experienced trauma -- something as minor as bumping into the corner of a table, or something major like a car crash. Kenny Leacock, a Registered Physical Therapist and good friend of mine, shared some insights on his RSD patients with me.

Kenny has had success with patients who have continued their therapy and exercised consistently. He tries to get people to work through the pain, which doesn't mean working until the pain becomes unbearable. It means performing exercises at resistance or intensity levels that allow you to do the work with a degree of discomfort that's tolerable. Over time you may be able to regain full range of motion and strength on your left side.

Here are some strategies you might try:

• Increased inflammation is one feature of RDS, so whole body exercises that recruit more muscle groups will reduce the total volume of blood being carried to your left arm. Swimming is one activity that uses the whole body at once. In the gym, a cross-country ski machine, Versa-Climber or rowing machine are apparatus that also give you a whole body workout.
  
  
• An upper body ergometer (UBE) will be helpful, if your gym has one. You sit at the UBE and spin the cranks forward or backwards with your arms, giving your upper body an aerobic workout. The cranking motion helps pump the blood in and out of your arms, the same way the pedaling action of cycling helps blood move back toward the heart, thereby reducing the amount of blood pooling in the working muscles.
  
  
• Light compression is another method of preventing blood from pooling in your arm. You can use an elastic or neoprene sleeve, if it's not too tight. Avoid wrapping with an ACE bandage, because they make it difficult to achieve uniform compression. You can even use a long sleeved cycling or multi-sports type of top, if it has some Lycra content, for compression.

It must be extremely frustrating to experience the pain you do while working out, but it does seem reasonable to gradually increase your strength and range of motion over time. Best of luck.

Talk to other women about RSD on the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy & CRPS message board.

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