exercise | Arthritis Information

 

Does exercize make you feel better or worse?  I have pain and stiffness when I wake up but after moving around I feel some better. However, when I walk to much or do anything very physical I feel more sore afterwards.  Is this normal?

I joined Curves once and found that even when I wasn't flaring, I always hurt after.  My RD told me to quit Curves and try swimming instead.  I like the swimming much better.  I have to admit, though, that I can never exercise when I'm flaring.  It hurts too much to even move.

Exercise should be based on your age, ability, and disease level, not on what the most current exercise fad tells you.  There's a lot that goes into exercising and sometimes constraint is the most important aspect of exercise.  I walked 3 miles this past winter and I paid for it but I got up the next day, stretched it all out and did it all over again, except I only did a mile.    I exercise but it's based on being 63 years old, what my body is capable of and how RA is treating me at that particular moment.  My exercise routine changes depending on all of those factors.  Sometimes I'm sore for a couple of days and other times I'm not.  For me , every time I did exercise I got a problem even at a very basic level.  I bought a treadmill and used beginner program.  I ended up with pain in my heel which became Plantar Fascitis.  when I became little better after 6 months, at work we hired a personal trainer and I did basic lunges, weight bearing exercises some beginners step exerxise with medicine balls etc.  I added achilles tendonitis on the same feet.  Now I can hardly walk.  i do a water exercise class and a mild aerobic/weight class three times a week -- on the other four days I water exercise and swim laps without classes. Do I feel better? You bet! I've even been able to cut down on pain pills by 50% -- and hoping the other 50% will become a reality.I am just so fatigued... I really want to walk for 1/2 hr a day but I'm so God- awful tired.... It makes me feel so guilty. I was meant to begin Tai Chi classes a few months ago but the instructor has left.  Was really looking forward to that, hopefully we will see a new one soon. LyndeeNZ2009-05-25 18:17:32

Wanttobe - I HEAR ya! I love to exercise and I haven't even had pain to speak of in 2 months. But when I try to exercise (even mild like a short walk), I keel over from the exhaustion of it all. Takes me a day to just to recover.

Like many things, exercise can definitely help when used in moderation but can make things worse when over-used.  I feel much better when I get some regular exercise - even if it's nothing more than walking to/from church/school instead of driving.  It really helps with fatigue. I've always heard it helps with fatigue too but it doesn't for me now. I stuck to it for 2 months once and it was always a struggle. The whole time I'm walking I'm feeling like I want to sit down on the curb. I swear I'm going to start again tho- just to help with my weight. I have been walking 3 days a week some weeks and occasionally 4.  I think it helps to give my feet a break.  They hurt a bit but I really enjoy walking and I know weight bearing exercises are important.  Soon I'll be swimming but I'll still try to walk a bit too.Just wanted to add that when I first started with arthritis water classes, I could barely keep up -- and would come home and head right to bed. I kept with it though and it became a little easier day by day. Soon I got to the point that I was doing as well as anyone. Eventually, I outgrew the class and moved on to the other classes which presented a huge challenge to me. If class did 15 repetitions of a move and I could only do ten, it was okay -- and I just tried for 11 the next day. By the end of the class session, I was able to keep up with most moves.

I strongly recommend the arthritis water classes to all that are interested in starting some form of exercise. You can find where they are having low-cost lessons by going to www.arthritis.org and plugging your zip code into the area on home page where it says programs and services. You're bound to find a program near you. (For those overseas, check with your local arthritis foundation)

Eventually, exercise will energize you -- but you've got to expect it to be tiring at first.I agree Island Woman, I love the water exercises.  I don't have an arthritis water class near me.  I've taken the regular water exercises and adapted them for myself.  It's better than no class at all and works well for me.  It's hard to hurt yourself in the water.  I've overdone it with repetitions but never hurt myself.  I exercise and have found it to be very helpful. As I've gotten stronger I feel better. Several things contribute to feeling better for me....but I'm sure the exercise is helping. Start slow; if you can just do 10 or 15 minutes at a time that's ok. Slowly you'll increase the amount of time that you can do. Depending on what I do there are days where I'll be sort of sore the next day and there are days where I'll make it half way up the hill on my walk and have to turn around and come back home because I know my knees are not going to make it. That's ok....at least I'm trying. Some days I can go two miles up and down hills; three months ago I would never have even tried it.

I'm in the water 6 days a week plus my dialy walks with the dog.  But when I started out 4 years ago I could barely do anything but we all have to start somewhere.  Keep in mind that we can't go from zero to sixty without hitting all the numbers in between.  You can not go from inactivity to a 30-60 minutes exercise program over night.  Our goal is to do more tomorrow than we could today not to do what we could do before RA (at least not yet :) )

I know that exercise is good for me, but by the time I'm done with work, I'm beat and looking forward to a nap or quiet night.    Probably a vicious circle as the less exercise, the more tired I am, but I still wonder how others that work fulltime find the time and energy.   There are yoga, water aerobic and pilate classes at our local community center, but the times don't work out real well.    It is summer, so maybe I'll get into a routine of at least taking a short walk each night.   Cathy I was working full time when I started exercising.  The first thing I did was to put the exercise on my calender.  6-7 PM  MWF became MY time.  I wouldn't work late, I didn't schedule anything else...that workout time was sacred.  To help me I hired a personal trainer...I'm cheap so I wasn't going to waste the money.  I made exercise a priority.  It wasn't easy and several times I thought I would quit but I began to really enjoy it and I enjoy having stronger muscles even moreBuckeye - thanks for the idea.  I may be making it less important as I don't make a plan to exercise.   Somehow I think it will just happen and that obviously isn't working very well for me.    Okay... short nap now but before I lay down, I'm going to make a big note to walk at 8:00.  That's my biggest struggle. I get lazy. If I sit down in the evenings after I get home and start vegging out I don't want to get up and do it. For me I do best to come straight home and put on my work out clothes and tennis shoes. I'm a workout nut and even I have a hard time getting motivated if I go home after work. I go directly to the gym on my designated days (my hubby and I alternate days through the week). Another thing, don't dwell on it throughout the day (it's way too easy to find an excuse NOT to go), just automatically go and do what you can.

Also, if you start lifting weights be prepared to have muscle soreness a few days afterward. [QUOTE=CathyMN]I know that exercise is good for me, but by the time I'm done with work, I'm beat and looking forward to a nap or quiet night.    Probably a vicious circle as the less exercise, the more tired I am, but I still wonder how others that work fulltime find the time and energy.   There are yoga, water aerobic and pilate classes at our local community center, but the times don't work out real well.    It is summer, so maybe I'll get into a routine of at least taking a short walk each night.  
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