Over 55 and rebounding or stepping?

[Judith L]

I feel I ought to warn you about a certain risk for those over 55 who enjoy rebounding and/or stepping.

Let me tell you about what happened to me first. I had been rebounding for years. Then one day, about three years ago, looking at my large swiss ball, I thought I would do some bouncing sitting on that for some cardio – something I had never used it for. Very soon my head felt different but I continued. When I stopped I felt ‘funny’ but thought it would pass. A while later I still didn’t feel right and called my doctor. When the receptionist asked for my telephone number I couldn’t think of it, then I gave her someone else’s – twice.

My doctor said I probably had a slight concussion of the “coup contre-coup type” and to let him know if things didn’t get better. Well, I soon discovered my head wasn’t working properly. For instance, I couldn’t recognize my neighbors, their faces and their names. I knew that I knew them but didn’t know who they were. That lasted a good two weeks. Things got worse the third week when I was standing in the lobby of a building, and huge man literally ran into me accidentally hitting my head with his elbow and knocking off my glasses.

It took a while for various symptoms to depart, but I learned that I had to give up rebounding and could no longer use my aero-pilates as I would like – at least I can do no moves with my head down on the platform, because the platform, of course, is usually moving back and forth. So I only do exercises in which I can sit or stand on the platform.

Last night I just happened upon a discussion which included a brain surgeon/neurosurgery researcher and he started to talk about how frequently older adults get subdural hematomas (or "chronic subdural hematomas") in which blood vessels tear and leak and which can become life-threatening through the simplest “bumps” or in ways which we would hardly notice. This morning I started to look into it. So here is a link to an article which I thought I should share with those of you who might enjoy rebounding, stepping or any even medium-impact exercise and are past the age of 55.

I had hoped to incorporate some kind of "bouncing" exercise into my routine because that is recommended for "fascial fitness" but the risks are not worth it, no matter how much I enjoy it.

[primrosecat]

Thanks, this is good info as I just turned 69.

[Lauracat]

Yes, thanks for posting and for the link - I had never heard of this. And I'm sorry you learned about it through your own injury.

[FirmDancer]

Wow - that's very interesting and very scary. Thank you so much for posting about it.

[bolieikl]

Oh my gosh! Thank you for posting your experience and the article! I am glad you are ok, now! That is scary and it makes me want to load my rebounder up in my car and take it to my grandchildren!

[lreidgreen]

I am sorry this happened to you. It sounds scary!

I have an appointment with a neurologist in a few weeks because of dizzy spells and visual disturbances I was having a few weeks ago that my PCP cannot figure out. Of course now that I have an appointment with a specialist these episodes have stopped.

I will ask him about subdural hematomas and whether he thinks I can do rebounding. I have a Jumpsport sitting in my family room that I never use and was literally just thinking that I should start using it with some YouTube videos I just found.

[horsemom2]

I think intensity can be more of a factor in this than age.

I avoid high intensity because it makes me feel light headed


Barb S

[Judith L]

About two years before the experience I recounted above, for a period of just more than a year I had one long very slight dull headache -- feeling a very slight dull pressure in my head. (At that time I never gave a thought to my rebounding as I had been doing it for years with no problem.) I saw a neurologist and had a couple of MRIs done on my brain but nothing significant was seen. (But now I know that subdural hematomas are often not seen on MRIs.) Occasionally over the last five years I've had episodes of a very, very slight dizziness.

I am thinking that these symptoms: headache, pressure in the head, or dizziness -- even when very slight should not be dismissed but make us look to see if our exercise routine might not be the cause. And even though we might have been doing something for years, the time may come when we should no longer do it.

[lreidgreen]

Originally Posted by Judith L

I am thinking that these symptoms: headache, pressure in the head, or dizziness -- even when very slight should not be dismissed but make us look to see if our exercise routine might not be the cause. And even though we might have been doing something for years, the time may come when we should no longer do it.

This is why after 3 episodes of vertigo and visual disturbance I decided it was time to see a doctor. It happened once in August and twice during a two week period in September. One of my doctors thinks it might be an inner ear issue (salt buildup) but I figured I would start with the neurologist.

[Judith L]

Originally Posted by lreidgreen

This is why after 3 episodes of vertigo and visual disturbance I decided it was time to see a doctor.

Hopefully, it's a just matter of your ear crystals needing to be "reset" which can be done by different manuevers. (Google "BBPV".) Very quick and simple. But it could be a cardiovascular problem. I would suggest requesting to have an ultrasound done of your carotid arteries.