RA and exercise

[Lady Di]

March is my one year anniversary with RA. I had 3 flares my first year. Does anyone have an exercise program they are using. I have not been active for the past year and really don't know where to start. The fatigue is my biggest battle. How do you fit exerices into your day when you work full time and lack the energy and motivation to do anything? I know you don't exercise when a flare is going on, but what exercise is safe?

[moonfrog]

Hi Lady Di,
Yoga is really goood, biking is good, and swimming is excellent for RA
E

[julie]

Oh yes swimming is great its the best exersise for us

[MegsMom]

My one year is in August and I've still not found a Rx I can tolerate. But on days I can I do Yoga and I'm going to start Tai Chi. It's supposed to be good for RA because it's gentle on your body.

Swimming is probably the best medically speaking- but I can't swim :)

[Andy]

Arthritis pain can be relieved by doing few exercises and/or physical activities. It really helps to put away that acute arthritis pain. Read the article to know why and how it is so addictive:- http://blog.myphield.com/blog/acute-low-back-pain/0/0/another-reason-why-physical-activity-relieves-pain

[KLM424]

In the past 3 years I have been so fatigued that I could barely manage my activities of daily living, and definitely not any exercise.

But, they do say that water exercise is the best for you. Good luck to you. I hope you are able to manage an exercise program that works for you.

[RoadRunner]

I have been a lifelong distance runner when I came down with RA on my 40th birthday, I'm now 43. I couldn't have imagined not being able to run and have tried to keep it up these last 3 1/2 years but I feel I am losing the battle. I take enbrel, meloxicam and 5mg of predisone that I can't seem to get off of. The enbrel works pretty good at keeping me looking like a normal person but does little for the fatigue. I find it kind of weird as I feel like I have swelling all over from my face to my hands, knees and feet but when I look at them they don't look very swollen. I think this is an effect of the enbrel.
I once again will try to start jogging again this week and alternate it with biking or an exercise bike( I don't like to swim unless there is pretty girl swimming with me.). I have always been pretty slim, when I came down with RA weighed 160 and now I'm up to 175. At my height of 5'7 that's getting a little heavy and I'm feeling it.
What brings me to constant stops in exercise is the fatigue and I seem to hit a spot, when I'm just starting to feel better, that I hit a wall and go into a type of flare that brings everything to a stop!
I'm determined to try and fight the fatigue this time and keep exercising through the flare this time, I think the big thing is to slow down and not push myself to run more miles too fast. I tend to want to get myself up to 4 miles of running 4 days a week in the first month, I'm going to bring that down to just 2 miles this time with the alternate days of biking in between.
I wish you luck and try different things to see if they work for you. Good Luck and keep me posted. thanks

Charles

[leighdu]

March is my one year anniversary with RA. I had 3 flares my first year. Does anyone have an exercise program they are using. I have not been active for the past year and really don't know where to start. The fatigue is my biggest battle. How do you fit exerices into your day when you work full time and lack the energy and motivation to do anything? I know you don't exercise when a flare is going on, but what exercise is safe?

The fatigue is definitely one of the worst parts of RA for me. I usually just force myself to get some exercise in as hard as it is...but I never ever jog, run, or do any sports that has any impact on my joints when I am flaring. Swimming has worked wonders for me, and is usually my preferred method of exercise.

[jenstot]

March is my one year anniversary with RA. I had 3 flares my first year. Does anyone have an exercise program they are using. I have not been active for the past year and really don't know where to start. The fatigue is my biggest battle. How do you fit exerices into your day when you work full time and lack the energy and motivation to do anything? I know you don't exercise when a flare is going on, but what exercise is safe?

Exercise helps people with arthritis as it reduces join pain and stiffness and increases muscle strength and flexibility. I think dancing is one safe way to exercise as it helps relieve stiffness and mantain flexibility.

[Mockingbird]

I walk when I can tolerate it for exercise, I like to do things in my garden but can't do it like I used to. I swear there is something about the dirt that really helps. I agree the pool is great but have noticed that hot tubs and jacuzzi's can make me very tender. A tip on walking- it is easier if you do it during something you like, for example, going to the malls or the theater

[kathleen8586]

I have an exercise on demand channel on my cable which is really good. It might be worth looking into or finding out if you might have something like that. I can't really tolerate much exercise at all either, but there are these 15 minute workouts on there, some of which you can do sitting down, that are pretty good.

[naturelover]

I do regular walking for almost 15 minutes. But the most important thing is my wife who is having mild RA is the one of the lazy person to do exercise and I am making her do simple exercise every day apart from daily chores at home. Now, after getting intermittent pain in her shoulder, she start realizing the importance of exercise too.

[Heather]

When I first felt the sypmtoms of rheumatoid arthritis, I had settled into a fairly couch potatoish life. While exercise definitely does not take away all the pain, now that I have begun an light walking program, I do feel much better.

[crimson]

As for my wife, the best exercise that she does is swimming and it is really effective for her and she does it 3 times a week.

[naturelover]

Heather wrote:

When I first felt the sypmtoms of rheumatoid arthritis, I had settled into a fairly couch potatoish life. While exercise definitely does not take away all the pain, now that I have begun an light walking program, I do feel much better.

I do understand that the pain will not get relieved just because of exercise. but it can rejuvenate the body and keep it active. I feel the pain while watching my wife doing her exercise. Do start with small exercise and I think walking is good.

[prasanth5]

Swimming is a good exercise. Jogging an walking may also be attempted. Both these exercise burn the extra calories that may not be permissible to our body and that may on the other hand act only as the promoting factor in the developoment of this ailment.

[debby]

I was going to the gym twice a week for a year up until nov 09..had to stop going cos i couldnt afford to keep up my membership :(
Anyway...i just gradually built up my stamina and strength..i was at the end walking 5-6 miles on treadmill...cycling 3-4 miles...doing some light weights..and then i if had time i would go for a leisurely swim.
My GP told me not to fear the pain...he said not to push myself too hard...take it slow and build up..if i got pain slow down...or rest. Sometimes i would only go once a week if i wasnt feeling to good..but I had no real problems in fact i felt fantastic.
Now since i stopped going i have put on 1 stone..and feeling so achey its unblievable..what i would give to be able to start going again...it also is a good mood booster!
:D

[prasanth5]

Stretching exercise is the one prescribed to my mother by the doctor who treater her. He asked my mother to lift the hands up and move them sideways whenever possible. Again he cautioned not to overdo. My mother would stop immedietely when pain arose.

[ginai54]

I was recently diagnosed and while I do have pain in a number of joints, and only started meds a week ago, I am a former dancer, move in some way every day, either bike, skate, dance , use the elliptical machine, or hike. I am tired, but so much more tired if I don't do something. Sitting is the worst- herniated disc and sciatica as well, and I think of the phrase, "use it or lose it". The prospect of not being able to do all the physical things that I love to do, is the worst, most frightening part of this for me, so every day that I am able to keep participating in all those things is an excellent day, pain or no.

Just do what you can...
Ginai54