I keep asking this same darn question about exercise. I can never remember what the conclusion was.
How does exercising while you are swelled, joints rubbing against each other, and it hurting to just walk?
I know when my joints feel like they are rubbing against each other more than other days I tend to limit what I do, because that stuff hurts when the bone scrubs against the other bone. Or how about when your bones pop outta joint if you are just sitting in a chair and move your knee a certain way?
What I am saying is it is "dangerous" for me to even do the simpliest of tasks, on most days. So how would be exercising help? I would think if bone was rubbing on bone it would not be a good idea to exercise... wouldn't you?
P.S. I typed all of this while eating 2 cream horns and my right wrist popped out and back into joint once.
Exercise builds muscles and helps the muscle remain flexible Muscles help support the joints, holding the tendons and ligament in their proper postions. Without muscle tone the joints do all of the work It also helps improve the stiffness levels. Exercise promotes better sleep and overall better cardio health. Pain levels do improve with good muscle tone
But if you are bone on bone then the pain levels may be too much to do anything at least until after the joint replacements. If you have joints that are so unstable that they are popping out of joint by minimal usage then you need to consider surgical repair...or at least supportive splinting But most of us can do something. Talk to your doctor and get an evaluation from a physical therapist.
Of course someone with longstanding disese with a lot of damage is in a different situation than someone who has no damage. Keeping active is easier than getting active after a long sedentary period. Starting slow is the key.
joonie, is swimming a possible exercise for you? I've noticed that some health clubs offer programs (and a special lower membership rate) specifically for arthritis sufferers who want to join the pool only. The state of being "weightless" might help...
Best of luck--I'm so sorry to hear of your pain.
Christina
People with RA get stiff because the synovium fluid inside the joints|
Yeah in my left knee, when I broke it about 7 years ago, I was told I had little to no cartliage left in that knee. The bone dr was just amazed as I had no pain from it being like that, at that time. But as my RA has gotten worse of the last couple of years that knee has hurt more, but right now my right knee is the bothersome one. It never acts right, nor straightens out and or bend all the way. When I try to do either with that knee it feels like my knee cap is going to pop off from the pressure built behind it. When I was a kid my left knee and left side was attacked the most by the JRA. Now it seems to be attacking my right side more than my left. I guess it is trying to even me out some
I am going to see if my new RD will RX me hydrotherapy. I know I need to keep the muscles toned, but I have never been able to have toned muscles especially in my legs, even when I was a kid and rode my bike for hours a day. I would ride my bike everywhere. You would think I would have had toned legs muscles doing that when i was a kid, but I did not my legs were like they are a now, mushy & flabby. I do walk most days. I do try to go to wal-mart and make the complete circle a couple of times, but most days my ankle hurts, or my knees hurt, so I do not walk around that much. It is not like I am laying around all day, I do have a 2 year old to tend to, and there is no rest, as the kid has more energy to burn than the energizer bunny! |
I had the same problems with my knees when I was 9. It put me in a wheelchair for a few years until they did replace both my hips and my knees. When I tried to bend my knees, they popped all the way until they were bent. It hurt like crazy. I also have a 2 yr old, just turned 2 today and she has the same amount of energy as yours. Never stops so I barely stop.
I suggested the float tube because Joonie has a pool but she complains the temperature of it makes her flare. Ya know, their is also an emotional boost from regular exercise. It just feels good to do what you thought you couldn't, and it feels good to push your body hard and see what it can do. It's addictive.I've started going to an approved arthritis foundation water exercise course. The pool water for RA sufferers should be warm. The pool at the community center I go to is heated and about 86-degrees. Lovely. It helps me in a number of ways. None of the exercise really stress the joints, because the water helps cushion you. it also provides a little resistance. I always feel better for going to the class, even on bad days when I have to "drag" myself there. In the fall, I will go 5-days a week. The reasons for exercise have been explained well above. Try it, you may like it.I just joined our wellness center and the pool (which is at 86degrees) feels WONDERFUL! That's too bad that you aren't able to use your own pool...but if you could find a facility that has a heated pool, I'd give it a try.
I also started some really light weight training..and it has really made me feel pretty good. I felt like I was losing strength in my legs, so hopefully it'll keep going well.
My arms are probably my worse or maybe it is my knees, not sure they are about even. Both have very limited ROM.
Anyways... I have thought about light weights to tone up my arms again. I have very little muscle in my arms. But I do not know if it would tone my arms, they do not extend all the way. Would it still work the muscle enough to tone them, even if I cannot do the whole ROM of motion? You know like do arm curls, but I cannot do a good curl.
joonie, I wouldn't exercise!
I'm swear, i'm going to scream or kill someone.. the next person who tells me that swimming is good for me or to exercise!!
ARGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
ah that felt a bit better, not much but a bit :P
I've just gone into a major flare, fluish, bc I was going to the pool, mild stretching, MILD, and some light work out..just every other night or 2 or 3 x a wk, thats it, REMEmBER.. when you go to the pool, its like working out w/ WEIGHTS.. its twice as easy,
twice as good for you.. IF.. IF you're healthy and much worse if you're already sick and inflamed.
My dr told me, exercising, when you're inflamed, doesn't make sense, bc.. you're just putting even more pressure on your joints..
The one thing i do like is mild yoga and just not going past the pt, where it hurts..
I would lOVE to be able to walk / exercise regularly.. but.. it makes it worse.. and i am frustrated~ see my other post .. LOL
See that is what I am thinking, whispered. I would think doing anything over what you do daily like walk around the house, or go to wal-mart for groceries is about as much exercise I need right now, until I get some of this darn swelling under control. Grant it, I am not as swelled, as I once was, but I still have trouble bending and straightening limbs.
Like today... I woke up about noon, because I could not go to sleep last night because my right elbow was stiff and swelled, as was my right knee, and my left ankle, and my right wrist was acting up and would not let me sleep with it under my pillow like I normally do. SO, I was up until 6:30am trying to find a comfortable position that I could go to sleep in without something bothering me and waking me up.
I woke up a noon, and I was soo stiff and hurt, and did not feel well. But I promised daughter we would take her to the mall to let her go ice skating. It was over an hour drive to get there. I was still stiff and swelled, but not hurting much as the pred had kicked in. It took me 3 hours to be able to walk around without stiffness. And then by the time I got unstiff, it rained and I started to swell more and then it was even harder to walk around. My feet were killing me soo bad to the point of where I figured if I bought a pair of tennis shoes, my feet would feel better. I was wearing crocs, they hurt my left foot because they are not cushioned enough to support it, and my foot is very sensitive to when I step on a rock or something. Anyways... I bought a new pair of tennis shoes, and my feet felt a little better, but they still hurt from all the walking I done, plus my ankle was acting up too.
I walked probably more than 2 miles today. We went into 3 wal-marts, walked a BIG mall, went into a Target, went into the shoe dept, and toys r us. We were gone a total of 6 hours and 4 of them hours I was on my feet walking around. I thought I was going to die. It literally drained me. I was sooo tired and hurt soo bad. That I took a nap on the way home and felt a little better after we got to the in-laws.
Both knees are swelled much more than when I woke up today, my right ankle is swelled and throbbing, my feet are tender and hurt to stand on them to even take a shower. My shoulder blades are on fire again, my back hurts, and my neck is soo stiff I can hard turn my head to look to the side, and my right elbow is hurts and pops when I try to extend it or bend it to scratch my face or reach for something.
Does that sound like a flare to you? I am not sure, but if it is, then I am flaring most of the time then. I am not sure what a flare is for me. As most of this is just "normal" to me.
sweetie, i want to know why the H, you are doing all that walking??
When you Hurt that bad, thats Your bodies way of saying STOP!!!!!!!!
USE the wheelchairs at Walmart, any place that has them USE them.. they're fun, lol and they're a huge help.. you're wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy overdoing it..
and yes, I'm scolding you lovingly, i want to know why you feel the need to do this??? You won't stop hurting, until you STOP and make yourself REST and stay at home.. PERIOD.. it sucks, totally.
I think a lot of people have this aversion to the wheelchairs, i sure don't!!! lol.. I"m sick..I look fine, hear that all the time, and i'm like thanks, now go away.. LOL.. (no i don't really say that :P)..Why do people have this aversion to admitting they're ill? I do wear the big ass braces w/ steel in them. on my wrists... that does seem to help people GET that i'm ill.. duh~
I have a friend who looks down at me, bc I refuse to overdo and be in constant pain.. she constantly overdoes it.. and I think she's a total martyr.. so its YOUR CHOICE...(if i remember correctly, you've been scolded before, lol?
Remember this IS a degenerative disease, sooo do you really want to be even sicker, in a couple of yrs????.... or have more time on your side.. and again, I'm saying this really nicely, .. i'm just blunt..
Its hard not to do things, trust me, i know that!! I know about the wishful thinking... also for sleep, ask for ATARAX.. or use valium.. i use both.. whatever gets me sleep and away from the pain and nasueous.
darlin, DO take better care of yourself.. ((((((((joonie))))))))))) gently...
For those interested in the approved arthritis foundation water exercise courses (which are range of motion exercises, NOT swimming, not heavy duty exercise) you can go to http://www.arthritisfoundation.org then plug in your zip code -- follow link to "Programs and Services" and you'll find approved classes listed there.
I always get scolded. I have only had RA a year and even though I have had 5 joint surgery they aren't (at least I don't think so) related to RA. I don't have the problems that you do, nor do I have young children. My youngest is 15 and I let her drive me around in the car
I already have to give up one day a week to MTX! I have to squeeze everything into when I feel good and it is hard to rest and exercise correctly. I always look forward to your post. Have a great restful day.
Joonie:
I hope you are not feeling that I am scolding you because I mentioned the arthritis water classes. It certainly wasn't my intent to scold you or others. I am merely mentioning what seems to be helping me.
lighten up....ya ask a question you take the answers....no one has yet to mention SEX.......if that helps, it is an exercise, don't ask me can't remember darn.
I agree with Rose, a good humping is as good as a 5 mile run!! A fantastic way to exercise and fills your body with good ol' endorphins natures natural pain killers and what a great way to exercise.
I'm new to this, so have gone from being quite active to not so much. I have cut out all the nice things like donuts (just treat myself one a week to a pig out), swim if the mood takes me, walk slowly if my back lets me, have sex when I want to.
Everything in moderation..... and listen to your body. You have to start somewhere. Make your mind up what it is YOU want to do and try and stick to it.
No-one's scolding just trying to pass on their own tips.
Ok seems no one has read whisphers reply to me. I was replying back to her. I was not complaining about being scolded by ya'll. I just have a problem with being scolded by my hubby and MIL for me not exercising or trying to minimize what I do to not over do.
Island Woman - I did not think you were scolding me, but helping me. No worries there. I tried to click on that link early this morning, but my hubby's laptop is screwed up and would not go there.
Michele - I did not really make it pass the first hour before I was rushing hubby up in stores, because my feet, ankles and knees were killing me. I would have sat down, if I could have found benches to sit on, but none had somewhere to sit. I did sit alot while at the mall as we watched daughter skate for an hour, but I did have to walk all the way around the rink 4 times to help her fix her skates and then I got tired of watching hubby look around at other women, so I went to the shoe store and a clothing store, but did not stay long. Just looked at something that caught my eye and when I seen the prices I slowly backed away and went right back out the door.
Joonie a 6 hour shopping trip with 4 of it on your feet is too much. That is past exercise gone right into torture. You will be paying for this for days at the very least.
Gentle exercise is good. If you can do an arm curl with a .5 pound weight - that would be good. Doing the arm curls with no weight is acceptable if the .5 is so heavy it causes pain. I find many repetitons with low weight does me more good and less harm than trying to do heavier stuff. I have only a tiny amount of cartiledge left in the feet, knees, hands, and elbows. I would tell you to stop if it hurts, except that I always hurt at first - mostly stiffness type pain, then it gets better. You stop when it hurts or your muscles get tired. Go slow 5 minutes is a long time. 30 sessions of 1 minute each count the same as one 30 minute or six 5 minute sessions.
To build my knee muscles, the quadriceps (big one, just above the knee) my ortho doc had me do straight leg lifts. I put a can of vegies in a plastic shopping bag , hung the thing over my ankle by the handle, over the arm of the couch. I picked my leg up (knee straight) from the couch, and hold for a 10 count and slowly lower. It helps the same muscle as pushing down on a bike pedal without grinding the knee joint. It makes it possible to go up a stairs! (Which I Hate
How is your grip on the hand that had the elbow broken last year? Can you pull open a bag of chips (no tools!)? My hand was once so weak I could not pull the cap off a fat highlighter pen. I would pull the pen out of my weak hand instead. I worked on the highlighter pen cap until I could do it - it took about 5 weeks to get that cap off the 1st time, every time. I still can't get every bag of chips open, but can get most of them...eventually.
I worked on my 'pinch' by opening wooden clothes pins and putting them on the edge of a cool whip container and then when they were on, I pinched them open and took them off. I could not cut my own finger nails with the big toe nail clipper when I started. Now I can clip my finger nails with the little finger nail clipper! I was highly motivated because my dear hubby was cutting them straight across - guy style.
If you don't use your joints, they will cease to function at all.
Show your new RD or even your GP what you can or can't do. They should be able to tell how to exercise without injury and they should sent you to PT to learn the exercises. I know transportation is a problem for you but it is worth a trip or 2 to learn.
House work is exercise. Playing with son is exercise too.
I love yah Joonie!
M
Thanks Marian.
I have not been able to open a bag of chips, especially the small bags, without using my teeth or getting someone else to open them since '04, but it has gradually gotten worse since '04.
Would it still build muscle if my joints do not bend and straighten all the way?
I think you should try the weights. You might find that you have more flexiblity after a while. Either way, I think some is better than none.Absolutely! Mine are crooked. They close pretty good right now but I can't open up hands or elbows all the way. I can't even remember when I could open my hands (like flat) without pushing on something.
Ok... nice to know. I thought you had to be able to extend and bend all the way in order to build muscle. I wonder why I have never had thigh muscles then? I did ride a bike everyday when I was a kid and my thighs have always been like they are now, except I can tell I have lost more muscle since I had that really long wait to get to go an RD and was already inflammed in my muscles by the time I got to see an RD, I was in a really bad flare from head to toe for about 5 months.
Ok, well I will see what I can do and it not make me hurt more.
When I was doing so well on the Humira last year, I bought an exercise ball, and when I had extra energy to burn off, I would sit on it and bounce up and down and lay on it on my back and it felt good to stretch, but now my knees are not doing so well again, and it is even a task to get off the couch without help now.
I will take note of the exercises you posted and do them one day when I do not feel so drained even after I have been asleep for 8 hours.
Joonie,
you should talk to your doctor about a referral to physical and occupaitonal therapy. At least for an evaluation. Find out what is improvable and what is permanant. For me it required multiple joint replacements to get my big joints working again. But you should at least figure out where you stand physically. Once you know that then you and the therapists can begin to build a plan to improve your physical conditioning and overall function
Yeah, I was not going to do anything yet. I seem to be flaring, again. I was going to talk with my new RD about it when I get to see her the 21st of August. Believe me I am not into more pain, I have enough of that as it is.
I guess if she RXs Pain & Torture (PT) I will try to go. But it is soo hard to make it to some where when you have to depend on others who work to take you.