Moving Helps Joints.... | Arthritis Information

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So GoGo posted to someone about why/how moving our joints helps us - which makes sooooo much sense (our fluids gel up when we sit, moving around or taking a hot bath helps them back into liquid)


What I'm wondering now is......HOW MUCH it helps? I guess because as I read that, I started to think about when I'm at my best - which I know I've talked about before. It's in the summer, when it's hot out (there's the heat that helps..) and when it's so busy at work I forget to go to the bathroom sometimes (haha - there's the moving around part) So in theory - the more I have going on in my life, the better I feel, because I don't get a chance to slow down. Hm. It's an interesting theory, and I just wondered if anyone else could think back, and see a correlation like that - or if I'm just nuts. :)

The latter of the two would not amaze me in the least. Haha
Hi Katie,

Been thinking on how to put my response in words ... hope this makes some sense too!

I think you are right.  I seem to be the most content, yet energized, when things are hectic (but under control!). Last night I had 17 for a bbq.  Loved it!  When things are busy at work, and no chance to slow down, I'm a happy little employee.  Like you at work, in each of these cases I'm singularily focused on the tasks at hand.  They are things I do well and get a lot of satisfaction out of.  I'm rewarded by happy guests or a job well done.  All the kudos that come with that can't help but make me feel good!

Another thought is that the distraction of the task takes us away from any negative thinking we have.  Heck, when things are banging on all cylinders at work or at a party, who has time to dwell!  :)

One more to add to the list ... How about the endorphins produced by physcial activity?  Even if I'm feeling tired or grumpy my mood lifts and I feel energized after something like a bike ride or working in the garden.

Oh, and you just might be a bit nuts too ... but maybe it's because you have that Canadian in the household. :)
It catches up to me. If I spend all day moving. I'm fine while I'm going, but the instant I stop, it's ALL over.I usually pay for 1-2 days after too.

*sighs*

doesn't it stink?? lol  
I'm like MsMidge.  I do fine while there is a lot going on, but once its over, I'm down for the count for a couple of days.  But, I do enjoy remembering that I can still do it if I need to.  Just have to factor in the extra recuperation days.True, true ... feet are swollen after the party and had to ignore them to get in some garden time this a.m. (before my MTX hangover knocked me out!)

Oh, and the hubby has invited over some of the crowd last night to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs tonight.  A house full of hockey fanatics should make for another relaxing night!  Go Sens Go! I'm at my best physically and mentally when I'm challenged.  Doesn't matter if it's cooking and preparing for a large dinner or bbq, writing my column, doing art, or exercising.  It's all the same because I'm busy and productive.  Like, Crispy I have to take in account the time that will be spent recoverying from my bursts of energy but that's okay.  I'd rather spend a day doing nothing knowing that I accomplished something the day before.  In fact, that's how I plan my weeks.  I don't fear the pain, but I do fear the loss of productivity. It sure takes me longer to do it all.   Keep those joints moving.  Lindy

I posted this months ago about movement helping joint lubrication. I know that when i was kinda crippled up and got to the point of not wanting to get out of bed Dr. Kansel constantly urged me to walk and after i started walking, i felt so much better. Anyway here is the post again.

LEV

How Movement Lubricates Bone Joints

Main Category: Bones / Orthopaedics News
Article Date: 09 Dec 2006 - 23:00 PDT
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LEV
levlarry39235.4498263889 Even on bad days I stil get up and get the old joints moving around.  Pick up my house...do the dishes...and just pace myself while I am doing things. Liz, you are so right about pacing yourself.  I'm still learning about that.  You'd think after all these years I would be better at pacing but I'm only a little better.  I still want to go full throttle. What you say is true.When i wake up in the morning after resting all night i hurt like anything and am so stiff but once i have had a warm bath and i have eventually got moving everything seems to loosen up.If i over do it i end up back to square one , if i sit for too long i cant move again so if i alternate between resting and moving i manage ok.Pin Cushion, The warm bath does the trick for me too. But I have to say the more active I am the better I feel.  It makes sense, but I find it so very hard to pace myself. Today I finally got outside to clean up the back yard - pulling weeds, etc. for the big party we are having in two weeks. I didn't do it because i was feeling up to it(I had to cut down from 10mg to 7.5 of pred starting yesterday), I did it because it needed to be done. Instead of taking breaks, I gritted my teeth and finished it so it would be done and something to cross off the list. There is just so much that needs doing...

I agree - moving about and getting going is good and helps with pain and stiffness - as does a warm bath or shower BUT too much exercise and I pay for it for weeks afterwards... I think it's a case of balancing what you personally are able to do without major pain and what won't make you suffer afterwards. I have started swimming, I only go for 20 mins once or twice a week but it really helps. Yesterday I went swimming and then came home, felt energised and cleaned the house, today I am in agony - overdid it a bit... I do try to have a little walk every day - even if I'm not going out I'll walk to the shops to buy a paper or whatever. The hardest thing is getting up and about though, if you wake up feeling stiff and in pain it's sooooo tough to get out of bed and into the shower, get dressed, get going. I think people with arthritis have massive amounts of willpower just to keep going!

I think you are right KT , we do have lots of will power to keep going, its a need to feel normal and also i think we know that if we stop we are going to hurt and we will feel worse.Our good days make us do so many things that need to be done but boy do we pay for it.But what about the fatigue guys, I try to do what you say by getting up moving around, do a little housework, maybe a little baking etc, but by the time I have done that, I seriously need to lie down the fatigue is absolutely horrendous, truly exhausting, so I lie down, usually in pain by this time and take an Endone and usually sleep for a while, I actually come alive from about 3pm onwards and slow down again about 6.30pm, any ideas on what I am doing wrong, if I am doing anything wrong!  many thanks Janie.

I don't think you are doing anything wrong per se.  It could just be that you are doing too much at once.  I love to bake and have had the itch to bake lately.  I know that if I clean more than 2 rooms in the house on the day I want to bake I am going to be wiped out.  So it's either bake...or housework.  The way I have my housework schedule set up is that I get one free day a week from housework.  That is the day I do the "extra" things I want to do.  Like bake...or walk the dog a little on the beach.  If you want to try the combo of cleaning and and a little something extra, maybe make it on a day that your cleaning is minimal.  Like just picking up here and there to make the house look a little tidy.  Rest.  Then go bake or whatever it is.  I also try to do a lot of my mixing of ingredients sitting down at the table. 

I wonder if my job itself has something to do with it. I *can* sit if I need to. And the area I work in is probably like 4ft by 15ftish, so I don't walk terribly far in a day, and yet I do get to move around. Then, I'm pretty good (most of the time) at limiting myself. I'll give myself a certian amount of time to do chores once I get home, go to bed within the same hours every day, etc etc. Perhaps it's because I've dealt with this all my life, so I feel less "bad" about stopping, or "giving in" when I need to rest. I'm not being mean, sorry if it came off that way. I just can't imagine what it must be like to be normal for so many years, and then WHAM! Have to stop doing so much of what you're used to. I on the other hand, don't have anything to compare it to, so when I'm tired and I know I'm gonna pay for doing anymore....well....I don't do anymore! LoL That's not to say I don't have my moments where I'm dumb and keep going, or I have something big I want to do, and don't care how I feel later. Oh no, that happens, believe me! :)

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