No limits to being strong, feeling good

Doris Caranicas  is my hero. She’s had multiple sclerosis for 30 years, but that’s not slowing her a bit. Each week, she rolls her wheel chair off the bus and heads to the Wasie Therapeutic Pool at Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s Sister Kenny Institute in Minneapolis. “It’s fabulous. I go there twice a week and I love it. I swim 13 laps,” she said. “I think a person should do as much as they can for as long as they can.”

Whether you’re able-bodied or have challenges, exercise is key to maintaining strength or slowing the progression of certain ailments. For Caranicas, it’s a no-brainer. “I have to keep what I have left. I don’t want to lose anything more.” Swimming keeps her strong, she said, and “it just feels so good.”

People with arthritis, cerebral palsy, MS, fibromyalgia, strokes and spinal cord injuries also use the pool, which is kept at about 92 degrees and staffed with therapists.

“Because of the buoyancy of the warm water, you have a decrease in gravity, which allows individuals to work muscles, endurance and flexibility,” said Wasie aquatic director Ken Giske.

“They can become stronger, and so when they are back on land, they are more fit,” Giske said.

Here is a sampling of some specialized exercise programs around the Twin Cities:

Therapeutic pools: Check out the Wasie Pool at Abbott Northwestern, the Courage Centers in Golden Valley or Stillwater, the Fairview Riverside Medical Center in Minneapolis or Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Most charge a nominal fee, often just $4 a visit.

Neuromuscular fitness: If you’re looking for a fun group fitness class that improves coordination, nerve function and lifts your spirit, visit the Neuromuscular Integrative Action (NIA) class that Marie Huss McKay and others teach at Life Time Fitness, the Health East clinic at St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood and other locations in the metro area (see www.nianow.com/niafinder/class/697-1) .

Combining tai chi, tai kwondo, martial arts and dance, it’s “the perfect East-meets-West experience,” Huss McKay said. Cost: Health­East charges $40 for four weeks of classes or $12 a class. At Life Time Fitness, it’s part of your membership.

Therapeutic horse riding: A wonderful fitness tool for many suffering from autism, stroke, cerebral palsy and developmental delays. Riding stimulates muscles neglected by wheelchair use, coordinating leg and back reflexes and improving balance. Visit We Can Ride in Minnetonka, 952-934-0057. Cost is $160 per session or Walk on Therapeutic Riding in nearby River Falls, Wis., which charges $140 for six weeks,  1-715-425-2025. Both groups are members of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

Back and neck exercise and relief: At each of the six metro locations of Physicians Neck and Back Clinic, a team of doctors, physical therapists and fitness specialists runs patients through an intense core-strengthening program that uses specialized Nautilus neck, back and ab machines to bring relief to patients enduring chronic neck and back pain. The cost varies by insurance. But once you graduate from the initial two- or three-month program, you can retain unlimited access to machines for a nominal monthly fee. 1-888-833-PNBC. www.pnbconline.com. 

Cardiac rehab: A friend who suffered a heart attack three years ago works out under medical supervision three times a week at Methodist Hospital’s Heart Center in St. Louis Park and loves it. She hits the exercise bike for 40 minutes and lifts weights; others pad along on treadmills. You need a doctor’s referral. Nurses monitor blood pressure at the start, middle and end of each workout and do a monthly EKG. Staff members help you devise a moderate routine that also helps with weight control. For more info:

ww.parknicollet.com/Heart/treatments/cardiacRehab/index.cfm . Regions Outpatient Cardiac Rehab at 2575 W. University Av. in St. Paul (www.regionshospital.com ) also has a program, as does Allina Hospitals’ outpatient Cardiac Rehab Centers at United Hospital in St. Paul, Unity Hospital in Fridley, Mercy in Coon Rapids and its hospitals in Buffalo and Owatonna, Minn., and River Falls, Wis. See www.allina.com/ac/hearthealth.nsf/ . 

Yoga for kids with cancer: Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in St. Paul and Minneapolis created its new Peaceful Play Yoga class for children with cancer or hematology disorders. The classes, which are free for child patients and their families, use yoga animal poses, growling and giggles to reduce anxiety, promote healing and encourage movement after difficult medical therapies, said instructor Megan Thygeson. For more info, call 612-813-7629. 

 Dee DePass • 612-673-7725