Weak right arm

[Sparky10]

I'm right-handed. Most of you are too, I'm guessing. I'm also rightsidedly MS'ed up. This summer while on the motorcycle I noticed the skin on my right upper arm flapping in the wind due to lack of muscle tone. That made me decide to do something about it.

For the last week, while walking on the elliptical, I'm exercising the right arm holding 2 weights that together weigh 4.5 lbs. Started at 3 minutes, swinging, pumping, lifting straight out, up, any motion I can think of while holding on the elliptical with the left. At first I had the set down the 1.5 lb weight after about 2 minutes and just use the 3 lb. Now I'm up to 5 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day, with the full weight, almost every day.

I have 5 lb weights but they seem so dramatically heavy! Maybe it's a mind thing because they are quite large, comparatively. No plans to move to them yet but when it happens I'll have to start over with 3 minutes.

So now short sleeve bike riding weather is over so it will be a long time before I can see that particular difference. Maybe a picture of the clenched muscle to compare later.

I realize at some point I'll probably have to start doing something similar with my left arm.

[Suebee]

Sparky, I love your post because you point out that different parts of the body can be affected differently and that you were able to problem solve ways to improve your right arm tone. That's awesome!
I have weaker right side too. I like to experiment with different exercises, and have used 1 lb weights for hands, I found the 5 lb heavy feeling too. But admittedly it is challenging for me because it is trial and error, PTs always give same workout to both side of body, and building strength and maintaining seems, at least for me, like shoveling sand against the tide.

I'll add another exercise that you might find helpful - the wrist extensor strengthener. An example of how the wrist extensor is used when you hold a heavy pot by the handle.

When I hold a heavy pot by the handle, my wrist is too weak to hold pot level for very long and the pot will start pointing to the ground. This is obviously dangerous if you cook. I compensate by ordering take out. (LOL only kidding) I compensate by using pots with two handles, filling pot after it is on the stove, or emptying pot with a measuring cup rather than carrying a full pot to the sink.

I also have an exercise my PT gave me - take a plastic jug gallon full of milk or water and hold it in weak hand. The position of the jug handle isolates the wrist extensor. Slowly raise and lower the jug just with your wrist. Don't overdue at first if you're wrist is weak. But this iis great exercise to do with one hand while on elliptical if you have weak wrists.

Best of luck!