just some thoughts on how much exercise we may still do

nick55

I hope this is of some interest, I went out to snowdonia last Sunday, on another foray. my intention was to walk as far as was wise, and turn back at any time. I had expected to do this half way up snowdon, I was wearing my knee supports plus carrying the old walking pole, which were utterly vital, most people use walking poles these days it seems.
so I went out, and just kept on walking. the last time was in April, when I climb the rhud dhu, this time I wanted to try the south ridge. it was a very very hard walk and climb. to my despair, everyone I met walked at twice the pace i set, they were all a damned sight fitter than I was. but, I kept climbing, and eventually struggled to the top, and entered the lovely new cafe there. it really s a splendid cafe they have built on snowdon, and do recommend anyone to visit it. the view is fabulous.
for reasons I am not sure of, ther was hardly any feeling in my joints, somehow all the stress and hard work seemed to act like a lubricant, and i hardly noticed my arthritis at all. I got back down the rangers path, a lovely if very long walk. here the hiking pole really cam it its own. I was out over eight hours on the mountain, and on the way back home still had no sign of arthritis.
I have found that in spite of bad bouts of pain, and time in winter when we feel our joints falling apart, it would seem exercise is never a real problem. I think the hardest thing is to sit down for long periods , and do nothing, though i know ,sadly, many out there have no choice.
I am seeing the physio on Tuesday, which will be interesting. so, there one ls thing, if anyone ever thinks their body may not be up t a good hard walk, whilst for many it may be true, i would say, never underestimate yourselves.

one can sometimes, do far more damage simply being too kind to ones limbs when they are all along crying out for a good stiff bout of punishment!
I always harboured the idea that once arthritis sets in the joints may deteriorate further by too much overuse. I am wondering if this is a fallacy, hope the physio can answer this.

I still get aches and pains, so am not crying wolf, !!!!!!!

Nick

elnafinn

Hi Nick

It is good to hear about your walking experiences. I take it you have changed your user name I am positive there is only one Nick that walks for England on this forum

I certainly agree, use it or lose it, but at the mo, with sciatica, mainly brought about by walking, I prefer to mow the lawn, do gardening, cycle, (hula) hooping, my latest craze! exercise bike and stretching exercises.

All the best with your walking expeditions and physio appointment next week and I hope you get answers to all your questions.

Please keep in touch,

Elna

dianel

Hi Nick,
I've had these thoughts a lot lately. I recently moved from a flat to a bungalow with a large garden. As a passionate gardener most of my life this was a big thing for me. Consequently I've been very busy - obviously I'm much slower than I was and it certainly hurts but I push through it as best I can. I have to say I feel better for it as long as I don't overdo. My inflammation markers are down and people say I look better than I did. How much of this is the joy of the garden or the exercise of course I don't know.
Anyway, I think I agree with you - if possible do the exercise at your own pace especially if it's a hobby you love. Best wishes, Dianel.

nick55

elnafinn wrote:

Hi Nick

It is good to hear about your walking experiences. I take it you have changed your user name I am positive there is only one Nick that walks for England on this forum

I certainly agree, use it or lose it, but at the mo, with sciatica, mainly brought about by walking, I prefer to mow the lawn, do gardening, cycle, (hula) hooping, my latest craze! exercise bike and stretching exercises.

All the best with your walking expeditions and physio appointment next week and I hope you get answers to all your questions.

Please keep in touch,

Elna

I have a new computer, which is a different subject, I am not the best at keeping track of passwords, so, I had to get a new user name on here. do try the snowdon cafe, take the train it is a real work of art.
best wishes,

Nick

jackie1955

This is a lovely, inspiring post Nick. Well done!

And thanks for the info on the new visitor centre - I saw it on tv and would love to go up Snowdon (by train!). Have passed close by many times, but the top has always been obscured by cloud lol

Jackie x

woodbon

Hello Nick.
I agree with you, I've been going to the gym, 2 times a week, but had to stop :shock: a few weeks ago as I've had carpel tunnel surgery on my left hand. We are going up to the lake district in a few weeks time and I'm looking forward to it so much! I know I probably wont climb andything much, but there are lots of nice walks that only involove a minimum amount of climbing. We live in Norfolk, and often walk round the nature reserves. I've found that since I've had to use a stick and walk slower, with lots of stops, I've seen lots of things I'd miss if I were walking faster!

Sounds like you're having a great time. Dont know Snowden, but I would like to. The trouble we have is that there are so many places we'd like to go to! Happy wandering! Love Sue

nick55

scottishlass wrote:

well done Nick,I recently attended a 4 week course run by the OTs at hospital about mobility and exercise for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and basicaly it did dispel the myth that exercise etc is a No go area,and in fact the opposite is true,exercise is good.
They did advise that the exercise be approppriate to the state of our joints at any given time EG,if in a massive flare,then stick to range of movements only,but if well controlled or fairly settled just do whatever our bodies will allow,they did say a good measure was if an activity causes pain and discomfort that is still evident 2 hours after then weve probably overdone it,so just modify it next time,but all in all exercise was good..especialy walking,cycling,swimming and things like tai chi.
it also showed that some exercise can have pain relieving benefits too as well as lifting our mood and helping us sleep better.
well done.

reply
thank you for this. it has made me think a little bit, given me some markers to determine how much activity is enough.
any ideas how to lose weight next question!!!

Nick

dachshund

Hello Nick55.
Welcome to the site.
My sister and i have cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair i have artifical hip and knee.
I go to the hydrotherapy pool and we both go to the gym i dont do a lot at the moment because of pain in my leg's and back when i find out what's wrong then i will do more as iused to do a lot of rowing. 2 year's ago my sister broke her collar bone she could not have it put in plaster because of the using the wheelchair so after a week she went back to the gym and the rowing machine she went back to the doctor after 3 week's and he was amazed it said it had healed so sent her for a exray and it had. joan xx

nick55

dachshund wrote:

Hello Nick55.
Welcome to the site.
My sister and i have cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair i have artifical hip and knee.
I go to the hydrotherapy pool and we both go to the gym i dont do a lot at the moment because of pain in my leg's and back when i find out what's wrong then i will do more as iused to do a lot of rowing. 2 year's ago my sister broke her collar bone she could not have it put in plaster because of the using the wheelchair so after a week she went back to the gym and the rowing machine she went back to the doctor after 3 week's and he was amazed it said it had healed so sent her for a exray and it had. joan xx

reply
there are times one would gladly take over part of the burden of another, times when we are alone and quite and the world has passed us by. sadly we each bear our own burdens, in some way. I do think the mind plays a great but unspoken part in these matters though. how we adjust to pain, do we just smile, groan a bit and laugh it of, and get on with life, and how soon it eases sometimes when we do something different. like your going to the gym. I do think doing nothing and surrendering to whatever condition we have is often he worst thing we can do. and who an say how much each of us is capable of? the greatest underestimater of our own abilities is often our very selves i feel.

Nick

livinglegend

nick55 wrote:

For reasons I am not sure of, there was hardly any feeling in my joints, somehow all the stress and hard work seemed to act like a lubricant, and i hardly noticed my arthritis at all. Nick

Hi Nick

Well done on your climb. However, you should note the following information:

When a joint swells, it can pinch the nerves of sensation that pass next to it. If the swelling irritates the nerve, either because of the inflammation or simply because of pressure, the nerve can send sensations of pain, numbness, and/or tingling to the brain.
medicinenet.com - rheumatoid arthritis.

It is easy to confuse pain with wear, not really the same thing. Also the converse is true, absence of pain is not always absence of wear. Reasonable sensible exercise which has been discussed previously with your doc is essential to keeping fit.

But warning signs come in all types. Anything unusual can sometimes be a warning sign.

Joseph 8)

valval

exercise is good helps strenthen muscles that helps with joints u have to get balence right had 3 mile walk today even though was not at my best (had to lay down when got back) as know it helps but some days such a struggle worth it in the end

nick55

livinglegend wrote:

nick55 wrote:

For reasons I am not sure of, there was hardly any feeling in my joints, somehow all the stress and hard work seemed to act like a lubricant, and i hardly noticed my arthritis at all. Nick

Hi Nick

Well done on your climb. However, you should note the following information:

When a joint swells, it can pinch the nerves of sensation that pass next to it. If the swelling irritates the nerve, either because of the inflammation or simply because of pressure, the nerve can send sensations of pain, numbness, and/or tingling to the brain.
medicinenet.com - rheumatoid arthritis.

It is easy to confuse pain with wear, not really the same thing. Also the converse is true, absence of pain is not always absence of wear. Reasonable sensible exercise which has been discussed previously with your doc is essential to keeping fit.

But warning signs come in all types. Anything unusual can sometimes be a warning sign.

Joseph 8)

reply

this encapsulates my present thinking. one is in pain, has twisted the joint, or joints. one walks but limps so we sit down. and it gets worse. next day we have a good long walk and the pain goes and we come back as though there never was any arthritic condition.
so we ask, is our pain giving us a false impression of our condition??
I think often, and with osteo, my own, it may be doing that. one has to look back and make a case history of our arthritis to make comparisons. only when we have outdone our past activities say a long long walk, do we realize that pain is, as you say, a signal but may have no direct relevance to the state of our joints. i think also th wrong kind of activity is more often to blame, such as bending and twisting.

Nick

kaylion

Hi Nick

Thank you for your inspirational post. It came at a great time for me as on Friday I was visited by an old friend who regularly competes in marathons. I was feeling pretty rubbish about myself until I realised just how much I constrain myself! I have to admit to moaning about various aches and pains and stopping myself from doing things when it might be uncomfortable but to be honest without my diagnosis I would have put up with more pain before deciding that I couldn't do this or that.

I know this is not the case for all and I am at a very early stage of RA but I came to the realisation the other day that there may well come a time when I really can't do things, so best to get out there and live life. I have three small children so it's even more important that I don't impose these restrictions on myself.

Over the last couple of days I have made a deal with myself not to complain and just to get on with it. Got a steriod injection tomorrow so that should help with the plan!

I hope no-one thinks that I am denigrating their pain, I know it's different for everyone and I am very lucky not to be terribly affected. Just wanted to share my positivity today!

Kay

joanlawson

Hi Nick

Well done for climbing to the top of Snowdon. I'm afraid I took the easy way, and went on the train when I visited last year.

I believe you have OA in your knees, like me. I think you have to recognise that the amount of exercise possible is different for each person.It depends on the severity of the arthritis. Mine has been classed as severe in my left knee, and I have been told that I need a TKR, but I am still making up my mind at the moment. I also have OA in the other knee, and one ankle. I get bursitis in my hip too, which makes walking painful. I used to do a lot of walking with my husband, so it is disappointing that I can only manage short walks now. If I tried to push myself beyond my limits, I would probably collapse, so I always have to calculate how far the walk back is going to be, and know when to stop.

It is important to keep your muscles strong by doing some exercise, but I think you have to be sensible about it. I was referred to a special exercise class by my doctor, and that is helpful.

Joan

nick55

joanlawson wrote:

Hi Nick

Well done for climbing to the top of Snowdon. I'm afraid I took the easy way, and went on the train when I visited last year.

I believe you have OA in your knees, like me. I think you have to recognize that the amount of exercise possible is different for each person.It depends on the severity of the arthritis. Mine has been classed as severe in my left knee, and I have been told that I need a TKR, but I am still making up my mind at the moment. I also have OA in the other knee, and one ankle. I get bursitis in my hip too, which makes walking painful. I used to do a lot of walking with my husband, so it is disappointing that I can only manage short walks now. If I tried to push myself beyond my limits, I would probably collapse, so I always have to calculate how far the walk back is going to be, and know when to stop.

It is important to keep your muscles strong by doing some exercise, but I think you have to be sensible about it. I was referred to a special exercise class by my doctor, and that is helpful.

Joan

I have exactly that. osteo both hips, both knees and now both ankles. i have had times of severe pain, nasty sometimes thank heavens for the tramadol I say. but there are times when it is not to bad but there in the background. you must find this yourself. i have a good tolerance of pain thank heavens.

winter is bad as my house is cold and I got rid of the central heating using electric heaters which saves me a lot of money.
anyhow, looking back one sees how the bad days are interspersed with the good. my fear is always doing more harm to the joints but this seems not to be the case. I am, fine now, but who knows? I treat it almost as an old friend coming to remind me if its presence ....which it does.

long walks are fine if one wears knee supports, and i use a walking pole almost all the time now in the countryside. not so much in the town. also, i find before any bout of strenuous activity, I will spend three days resting and just keeping the joints nicely mobile. this is extremely helpful. and has allowed me to do my walking now. basically, rest then exercise. too much of the latter and it would make bad again.
it will be interesting hearing what the physio says tomorrow, first thing is lose weight!!! how, i do not know????

lindah

2 months ago I was sitting crying at the docs about the things i could no longer do when she asked me what I did last year that I couldn't now.
When I said well I can;t walk up Helvelyn or do a 12 mile walk because of wear and tear she said it is just a term they use,not meaning that the more I used my joints the more I would wear them out.
So I joined the gym and go 5 times a week,sometimes using the pool,I have lost about 10lbs by eating sensibly and whilst on holiday we clocked up quite a few miles over the fortnight,including a climb up a mini mountain.
I agree that sometimes I have to work through some discomfort but am at my worst after a prolonged sit.
Linda H 8)

nick55

lindah wrote:

2 months ago I was sitting crying at the docs about the things i could no longer do when she asked me what I did last year that I couldn't now.
When I said well I can;t walk up Helvelyn or do a 12 mile walk because of wear and tear she said it is just a term they use,not meaning that the more I used my joints the more I would wear them out.
So I joined the gym and go 5 times a week,sometimes using the pool,I have lost about 10lbs by eating sensibly and whilst on holiday we clocked up quite a few miles over the fortnight,including a climb up a mini mountain.
I agree that sometimes I have to work through some discomfort but am at my worst after a prolonged sit.
Linda H 8)

I keep coming back to this posting I did, it is nice to communicate with others. I a deeply gratified that it has inspired others, and this makes everything worthwhile. we seldom realize we are all far more able and powerful than we realize in everyday life. all of us.
so, any volunteers for a nice snowdon jaunt next week up the watkins path???? meet you all at bedgelert.

jennifer22

I have oa in my ankles and try to go bt 3 times a week to the gym. You can exercise on my prescription i got refered by my nurse.

nick55

I can only say anyone who says a bad thing about the NHS shoot them!! they were excellent but that may be because they are a small country hospital, a cottage hospital in Penrhos, holyhead. the physio was very nice indeed, excellent. she gave me some exercises to do, and since this morning, my arthritic hip has been almost beyond belief.
i have to do these three time a day, and so far it has been great. she insists I go to a gym, three time a week, but I am not keen on that.
I am hoping this and walking and losing weight may be the answer to controlling osteo, i am not happy about going down the joint replacement route at any time soon or later,

nick

lindah wrote:

2 months ago I was sitting crying at the docs about the things i could no longer do when she asked me what I did last year that I couldn't now.
When I said well I can;t walk up Helvelyn or do a 12 mile walk because of wear and tear she said it is just a term they use,not meaning that the more I used my joints the more I would wear them out.
So I joined the gym and go 5 times a week,sometimes using the pool,I have lost about 10lbs by eating sensibly and whilst on holiday we clocked up quite a few miles over the fortnight,including a climb up a mini mountain.
I agree that sometimes I have to work through some discomfort but am at my worst after a prolonged sit.
Linda H 8)

ninakang

Ever since I've been diagnosed with RA, I've made a real effort to be more active. I've always been quite lazy when it comes to exercise, I'd rather sit and watch the telly and eat pringles :-) But since I've been diagnosed I've thought "I'm b*ggered if this is going to beat me!".

I could probably do with losing about half a stone but I'm not really bothered about losing weight. Also, I don't want to give my girls the wrong impression that exercising and eating healthily is all about being skinny (no offence meant whatsoever to skinny people there). Apart from my wobbly tummy (that wobbles like a jelly according to my 7yr old) and wobbly arma, I'm happy with my shape and would just like to tone up.

I take my girls swimming every Sunday morning, I go to step aerobics after work on Tuesday and Pilates after work on Fridays. These two classes are for me, it's my me time which I haven't had a lot of since the girls were born.

I still have the aches and pains but the exercise hasn't made them any worse and I actively feel better on a Sunday morning after a swim. Even though it does mean I have to wash my hair :-)

Nx