I'll be fine going into a store, sometimes getting out of the car is a little difficult due to stiff painful knees. It takes me a few minutes to walk strait. I'll go to the grocery or to the mall, or even Toys r us and not even half way through the store my hips, knees, lower back and feet start aching and if I don't sit down, it will get worse. I had to get a cart to lean on becuase I hurt so bad. I noticed the other day that I am walking alot slower than I used to. My hips kinda feel like they are tight. I notice that I hobble just a tad. Is this normal for RA?
I can tell you that I go through this, too, from time to time. It's like the weight of my upper body is putting too much pressure on my body from the back down. I've learned to find a chair and sit for a couple minutes, or lean on a shopping cart, as you did. And if I drop something on the floor, trying to bend over and pick it up is a struggle.
I have noticed that this seems to occur if I've put on a few pounds or if I've been unable to exercise regularly. Losing the weight and making sure I exercise daily [if only a long walk] seems to help. No one hates to exercise more than I do - but I do it because I'm convinced that you have to "use it or lose it."
A couple of weeks I had arthroscopic surgery - torn meniscus in my knee. Within two hours of this outpatient surgery you are at home and in bed, strapped into a CPM [continuous passive motion] machine that rotates your knee 24/7 for the next 48 hours non-stop. The purpose is to keep the joint mobile so it won't stiffen.
So that's a lesson here about what you can do to keep joints from stiffening. Keep them moving!
Lee
At times Katrina I'm very simular to what you described. Sometimes are better than others....but it doesn't sound unusual at all.Katrina, I am like this all the time I walk and especially after I ride anywhere. I also have Fibro so before the RA diagnosis I had the pain and stiffness when I walk after sitting. I have been undiagnosed(by a Rheumy) because I don't have the visible swelling so, I blame it on the Fibro. He did say I had inflamatory connective tissue disease so, go figure. I still call it RA(LOL).I feel just like that every time I go shopping. But I also have Fibromyalgia pretty bad too.i too get those same feelings but it also depends on how much i've done for the day and i know now that i can only handle so much then i hve to rest. the weather does something to me also because if its cold and rainy, i'm hurting. but if its hot i am superwoman! sometimes i'm ok and if i do too much i pay for it big time the very next day. this is sooo weird isnt it?
One good thing about RA
I think that's pretty normal for RA. Seems like any type of joint stress, like the EXTREME ACTION of grocery shopping is liable to irritate the joints.