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Sports and leisure

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Last updated 29 Jul 2009, review date due 29 Jan 2010

Introduction

Having the opportunity to participate in sport and leisure activities is important for everyone, including people with epilepsy. Lack of understanding about epilepsy, and how it affects each person differently, can mean people with epilepsy are cautioned against taking part in some activities where this is not necessary. In fact, with qualified supervision, where appropriate, and the relevant safety precautions, there is little that you should avoid if you have epilepsy. Many people with epilepsy have their seizures completely Sportswomancontrolled by anti-epileptic medication and do not need to take any greater safety precautions than anyone else.

Research has shown that when a person is active they are less likely to have seizures. So, for some people with epilepsy, sport can be of real benefit. A very small number of people with epilepsy find that exercise increases their likelihood of having seizures. This is usually due to over-exertion. Also, taking up exercise or sporting activities for the first time, or after a long period of inactivity, could affect your body weight and metabolism which in turn could have an effect on your seizure control.

Talking to your doctor

Before taking up a new sport or leisure activity it is a good idea to speak to your doctor first, particularly if your epilepsy is uncontrolled. Things to take into account are the type, severity and frequency of your seizures, known triggers, such as stress and excitement, and whether you have any warning before a seizure. It is also important to consider whether appropriate support is likely to be available for your chosen activity.

 

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Comments

Hi Rachel,

I'm an epileptic who has had two grand mal seizures, I'm now currently on medication but was not on medication for three years. I always carried on in my normal life. It sounds really good that you are so dedicated to your fitness. What I would say is know your limitations. There is no reason why you can't continue to exercise, if you still want to go to your class notify the instructor about your seizures so they know what to do. Walking is really beneficial and exercise is actually beneficial for people with epilepsy.

I have never been incontinent when having a seizure. You need to eat, especially if you are exercising. Do not feel as if this has taken over your life. I am a severe epileptic but I live my life to the fullest, it is a condition that is now easily controlled. The two things I always do is make sure others around me know what to do if I do have a seizure and know my limitations so I know what my body is capable of.

Keep your chin up and continue with your life and enjoying your exercise!

Submitted by Rachel Grant on 19 May, 2010 - 20:35.

Hi Mike,

This info has been so useful for me. I train 6 days a week in the gym which includes Body Pump classes and weight machines/free weights. I'm a fairly strong gal so lift sizeable weights. I run, cycle and walk outdoors as much as possible.

I had a seizure on 16th March - due to a migraine I'm told. Whilst the migraine is unlikely to ever cause another seizure the fact I have had a seizure gives me a 50/50 chance of another - without any warning. I have gone from a confident woman to someone who is scared to leave the house. The neurologist just flippantly said - oh you'll just have to curtail your life a bit for 6 months! I understand to use the gym I would need to make sure that someone there know what to do if I have a seizure and I will only be able to use certain bits of equipment - Body Pump - well I won't even bother asking about that as I know the answer. As someone who takes fitness seriously I guess you understand how I'm feeling - 6 months is a very long time.

The safety aspect is one thing, but the thought of having a seizure again in front of complete strangers is mortifying to me. I was lucky the last time in that I wasn't incontinent - I have now become obsessive about going to the loo and am too scared to eat.

In short I would like to go to bed tonight and not wake up tomorrow. I'm not one thing or another - I'm in limbo, I feel so desperate - my life has been taken from me. I'm just hoping that as time passes I will begin to come to terms with this.

Rachel

Submitted by Rachel on 28 March, 2010 - 08:45.

In the UK, it is considered good practice to get new clients/gym members to fill in a brief self-screening risk assessment. It’s called a ‘Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire’ - or PAR-Q). Among the questions about chest pains, blood pressure and heart disease, there’s a question asking if you get seizures. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you need to go to your doctor to discuss the limitations that your condition may place on you, in terms of exercise. You need to get written medical clearance from your doctor before the gym or trainer can let you train - their insurance insists on it.

Well, I have been through this process AGAIN over recent weeks. I was presented with the form, answered ‘yes’ to the question on seizures and was subsequently asked to get a medical clearance letter from my doctor. After 6 weeks of waiting, I was then asked to come and see the doctor in person - which took another week to organise. The doctor agreed that there would be no problem in my using the service (a sports massage) and agreed to write a letter supporting this. They explained that there would be a charge, but didn’t know the exact cost. They suggested that I asked at the Reception Desk - which I did. They didn’t know either. They suggested I tried the Surgery's website.

I checked their website and found that there is a standard 'NHS' charge across the UK for private letters which is as follows: £25 for a single page, £50 for two pages and £120 for longer documents. So, for anybody needing to have a medical clearance letter, to use a gym or a sports club, it will cost them at least £25 - assuming that their condition doesn’t cover more than a single sheet of paper to explain. I want to point out that if you DON’T have epilepsy or the other conditions noted on the PAR-Q form, then these costs wouldn’t apply to you.

Having learned that, I chose to cancel the doctor's letter, as I can't afford £25 for that letter. This means I am not going to use that sports/fitness service.

I am a fully qualified gym instructor and personal trainer. I used to train other instructors - at a place called Loughborough University - as well as running Fitness Services at The University of Birmingham. I have exercised regularly the past 25 years. The barriers that were placed before me have excluded ME from using a health/fitness service - and have prevented me from becoming ‘more active’. The UK’s government are aiming to get more inactive people and more people with long-term conditions/’disabilities’ to perform regular exercise. Do you honestly think that this series of barriers is going to allow that?

Submitted by Mike Dancer on 5 March, 2010 - 11:16.