The Steps to a Mile

April 4 th 2022

By Yulia S.

Last week, I did something I hadn’t done in 18 years: walk a mile, or 3,600 steps. Yup, I counted every step. They were spread out over ninety minutes through the course of a day, to be clear, but the time on my feet was over twice what I had previously managed with trekking poles and 25% more than I’d ever managed with a rollator. I’ve had aggressive MS for 26 years and needed a wheelchair outdoors for 18 years, so any improvement was from swimming against a strong current. 

I’m still in disbelief, not that I met this milestone, but that I hadn’t been planning it and my body wasn’t suffering the day after from muscle cramps and spasms, signs of compensation and poor form. And the next day, before I’d released any kinks from sleep, I did my timed walking trial at record speed (without my glasses even) and walked before noon as many minutes (40) as I’d managed in a full day just days before. Just now, I walked this much before 9:30 a.m. From twelve hours down to three! Another day last week, I managed 3.600 steps in four fewer hours. And while I can do a mile-per-day under the right circumstances, it stuns me I can now comfortably spend 60 minutes a day on my feet. Just four months ago, prior to my latest bout of covid, I’d struggled to be active for two minutes an hour for eight hours a day. 

Where was I before the MS Gym? Walking about 400 steps a day if I was making an effort to walk. I could manage more with my rollator, but with poor form, causing chicken-wing arms, a snaky torso, peg leg, and sciatica. 

How did I get here? Not by setting goals, timelines or target dates, but by trusting Coach T and Karen and implementing good systems and habits. Making my health and mobility my priority above everything else. Getting up as often as I could to stretch my legs. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet, managing blood sugar levels and increasing salt intake to raise my (very low) blood pressure. Going on my 8th MS medication, which my body responded well to. And actively looking for and celebrating every little improvement, even when I struggled in other areas. 

Sometimes these improvements were quantifiable improvements, but sometimes they were the slightest of adjustments--less of a foot drag, hip swing or chicken wing. Because the truth is, as much as I’d love to maintain what I can do today or do even more, I also know I may never be able to do this much again and it’d be a shame not to have been in awe of this when I was experiencing it. So I am in awe right now and hope to be tomorrow, whatever comes. 

As Trevor says in an assessment video (that I listen to multiple times each day as I walk), “Whether you’re moving forward or repeating doesn’t matter. Celebrate the fact that you’re here, [. . .] you know exactly where your brain’s at, exactly what it needs, [. . .] which means that you’re partnering with your brain, you’re working with your body and that, in turn, is going to help you gain more results.” 

Finally, it’s been crucial to have people in my life who embrace me as I am right now but still challenge me to see what else I can manage, celebrate my mini-milestones with me, and remind me that I am enough, however long I can stay on my feet. Love you. 

(The first video of me in a dress was the first taken of my walking after I joined the MS Gym almost 4 years ago. The second video was my walking trial last week.) 

 Click here to watch the before and after videos

**** Thank you for sharing your story with us Yulia

Coach T 

PS Ready to get serious about MOVEMENT like Yulia? Then Click HERE to Start using Neuro Based Movement to counteract your MS symptoms