For those who exercise...

Cez
Cez Member Posts: 46
edited 9. May 2012, 06:59 in Living with Arthritis archive
...what do you find suits you best? I'm in the lucky position of being pretty much in clinical remission. I'm losing weight and want to start exercising but obviously want to be sensible. I know the literature suggests low impact activities, swimming etc but I just wondering what you guys find specifically most effective? I.e gets you fitter without causing flares etc!

Be interested to hear your experiences!

Comments

  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Cez

    My exercise regime keeps me going, would not like to say that it makes me any fitter :lol:

    Generally 6 days out of 7, I do 15 minutes hooping (hula), nothing fancy, and a good half an hour of stretching exercises, which I do not find a "walk in the park". I ride my bicycle locally in the day and walk too and only really sit down when at the pc, which is quite often. :lol: Before starting the evening meal, I do 10 minutes on the exercise bike and this is daily. One day a week I do a cleaning job that is a work out in itself, hence not doing the stretching exercises that day.

    I used to do yoga yonks ago. I have never been to a gym and can just about swim but do not go to the local pool.

    Elna
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    hi still work half days so stick to stretches through out the day to keep joints moving walks when got the time and go up and down stairs reg. do not swim in local baths as water bit cool and find it causes more probs than it solves good luck val
    val
  • tanith
    tanith Member Posts: 175
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I try to walk every day at least 30 mins, swim for an hour twice a week, cycle if its a nice day and I have hand weights by my chair and I use those a couple of times a day..
    I manage my O/A and I am sure the excercise has helped keep muscles etc strong to support my ailing joints..
    Our worst times are always our best lessons.
  • valval
    valval Member Posts: 14,911
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    just got a step counter as well to see how many i am doing (from pound shop)
    val
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,764
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    If you've read the literature and are in remission, Cez, I'd have thought the - low impact - world's your oyster.

    I'm not sure how helpful it is to learn what others do as we're all so different. I walked as much as I could for as long as I could and always tried to ensure 2-3 rounds of the cricket pitch perimeter every week. When that became impossible I took up riding (RDA) and found that really beneficial, especially for core muscles - so much so that, when I'd to pack it in after my knee revision, I got an exercise machine that to some extent imitates the horse's gaits. I now use that every day and do some upper body exercises while on it. I also do quads daily and we take the wheelchair to nice, flat places where I can walk as much as I can and then ride a bit.

    I've never found that exercise caused flares. When in a flare the exercise can be more difficult and hurt more. I was always told to carry on taking all my joints through their paces but only gently and maybe not for as long.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright