Diseases & Injuries, Home use, Multiple Sclerosis MS

Daily exercise at home keeps Anders fit despite Sclerosis

Daily exercise at home keeps Anders fit

Anders Bonde Jensen exercises with Combi Bike Plus mobility exerciser despite not being able to walk due to sclerosis. He uses it sitting in his wheelchair, and the daily exercise improves his arm strength and blood circulation in his legs.

Anders Bonde Jensen, a 50-year-old former farmer, was diagnosed with  “primary progressive multiple sclerosis” in 2005.

The brain’s ability to communicate with muscles and nerves is affected by sclerosis. Sensory disorders, paresis, or cognitive symptoms including trouble speaking and concentrating are possible signs. Anders Bonde Jensen is paralysed from the waist down, due to his disease. He permanently uses an electric wheelchair and he can use his arms, but he struggles to remember the words when he speaks.

Exercises every morning

Anders Bonde Jensen trained on a conventional exercise bike when he was still able to move his legs early in the course of his illness. He needed a new solution once he was unable to mount the conventional exerciser. He tried the mobility exerciser, Combi Bike Plus, in 2019 during a stay at Sclerosehospitalet Ry – one of two hospitals managed by the Danish Sclerosis Association.

– The Combi Bike Plus was the right choice for him, because it let him exercise his arms as well. That’s why he invested in one, says Lillian Torngaard, Anders Bonde Jensen’s daytime and nighttime assistant.

– I exercise with Combi Bike Plus each morning for 20 to 40 minutes, riding 3 to 4 kilometres, he says.

Combi Bike Plus makes it simple for the user to move hands and feet in synchronised, 360-degree circles. In contrast to traditional exercisers and exercisers with motors, the BEAT-Technology maintains an even thread in the pedals.The mobility exerciser can be used by people who are severely paralysed, and on the display, you can see the distance travelled, the passing time, and the speed. Additionally, the resistance has nine levels and is easily adjustable by the user and the therapist.

Keeps muscle strength

– Exercising with Combi Bike Plus allows Anders to increase his arm muscles despite sclerosis. At the same time, the velcro strap maintains the feet firmly on the pedals, allowing him to increase blood circulation in his legs, which is important because sitting with bent legs is unhealthy, says Lillian Torngaard. 

Combi Bike Plus also enables me to raise my heart rate, and it improves my  cardio and blood circulation, says Anders Bonde Jensen.

Exercise is vital

Every Wednesday, Anders Bonde Jensen also does horseback riding in collaboration with a assistant rider. Riding improves his balance and offers him a massage from the motions of the horse, explains Lillian Torngaard. Furthermore, the twice-weekly visiting physiotherapist “breaks” his joints and “bends” his legs.

The daily exercise with Combi Bike Plus, in Lillian Torngaard’s opinion, is essential for his physical wellbeing.

– It’s crucial to exercise if you have multiple sclerosis. In the spring of 2020, when Corona shut down Denmark, Anders was unable to go horseback riding or receive physiotherapy. After 14 days, his physical condition deteriorated. His memory was weakened and his speech also became slurred as his body grew rigid, says Lillian Torngaard.

Exerciser is worth every penny

He was fortunate to have Combi Bike Plus to keep him going.

– The physiotherapist also states that it is critical that I continue to use my Combi Bike Plus. He has suggested that I exercise in the evenings when I have the time. So, yes, it’s worth every penny, says Anders Bonde Jensen. The mobility exerciser is located in his office. 

Rides several kilometres

He is focused on how many kilometres he rides while exercising.

Yesterday, after taking a shower, I rode four kilometres, he says. According to Lillian Torngaard, the knee becomes more flexible as a result of the body being properly warmed by the hot water, allowing him to bike even farther. The typical distance is three kilometres.

– The exercise with Combi Bike Plus ensures that the motor skills are maintained even though the disease cannot be cured. He prevents his legs from swelling by pedaling. Furthermore exercising helps him strengthen his arm muscles, says Lillian Torngaard and continues:

– The resistance is usually set at level 2. It’s a very gentle resistance, but if we raise it on Anders, he’ll be exhausted. Then he can’t even hold his coffee cup, which he should be able to do, she says.

Recommends Combi Bike Plus to others with MS

Anders Bonde Jensen is happy with his Combi Bike Plus and says that people in similar circumstances can also benefit from exercising at home.

– I would like to recommend Combi Bike Plus to individuals with multiple sclerosis. I can drive right up to it and use the exerciser directly sitting in my electric wheelchair, says Anders Bonde Jensen.

Top Subjects covered

Anders with his Combi Bike Plus

Exercise increases Anders arm muscles despite sclerosis

Exercising with Combi Bike Plus each morning for 40 minutes allows Anders Bonde Jensen to increase his arm muscles despite sclerosis. He also increases blood circulation in his legs.

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