OA - fitness & exercise classes.

Fionabee

Where to start? I've not been on here for some time, I had knee replacement in January 2014 and received some really good (if severe at times!) advice and made a good recovery. The other knee has responded well to a steroid injection, but it's going to need replacing at some point in the future.
My back is my main problem. Thoracic scoliosis picked up in late teens was left alone as it caused no symptoms until many yrs later. Had a decompression and fusion 10 yrs ago for spondylolisthesis, at that time I was told I had advanced OA changes on MRI/X Ray for my age (44 then). The doc said the scoliosis might have contributed to this causing abnormal wear & tear. Over the lat 9 yrs low back pain has worsened, knees have given way and I now have thoracic pain too from the scoliosis, my neck & base of skull are troubling me and a new higher back pain has started, just above the level of my old fusion. Still with me?.....
I stopped work 5 months ago, just not able to cope with the whole work/home package, pacing myself has helped a bit, morning is my best time, as the day progresses, pain & discomfort build up, severity depends on what I am up to. I take some Tramulief SR at bedtime and try and hold off taking any Zapain till 4ish.
I walk the dog most mornings, trips out, shopping etc - an hour is about all I can manage. I've been to a variety of exercise/keep fit classes but have yet to find anything that helps, I'm "sensible" & avoid certain bits (a lot of activities, even senior stuff is too high impact for me) a lot is "doable" but by the time I get home I'm fit for nothing, weepy and often have to go lie down and the afternoon is a write off. This sounds really wimpy, I just don't know how to proceed, if I "listen to my body" I don't feel as if any of this is doing me any good, or is it true that no pain equals no gain??
My GP referred me to the physio 6 months ago, he talked about pacing and re structuring my life, no exercises though.
What do you do, have you found anything that gives you some relief?
Better stop here, sorry to have written so much.
FBx

hileena111

Hi
Briefly I have OA in hips, lower back neck and ankle.
Kypho scoliosis.....nothing done to it. Mostly in my lower back
2 Hip replacements.
after the 2nd hip replacement, doing an NHS exercise I fractured my greater trochanter bone which will not heal so I am on crutches permanently
Got osteoporosis.....OK LOL
I belong to an Arthritis Care branch and its a very active one.
We have seated zumba once a week.....most people sit but some stand and some stand and then sit {I sit LOL}
We have yoga once every 2 weeks.....its geared towards us.
We have a walking group once a month.......Walking means on your feet, with crutches, with a walker or even with a scooter LOL at least that is fresh air and company....Once I was very sore and decided to take my scooter {usually use crutches} but half way round my husband got on the scooter and I used my crutches. He doesnt have arthritis and thinks the scooter is great fun LOL
We also have a hydrotherapy group although there is a waiting list for this....I dont go to this.
I'm lucky....I may not be able to walk very far but I have my car so throw te crutches in the back and go LOL...not sure if you drive or not.
That is probably not a lot of help to you but just thought I would let you know my experience.
I do have to pace myself but am not very good at it :oops:
Love
Hileena

barbara12

Im with Hileena on this one, there is always some thing we can do, gentle exercise that doesn't cause pain..you do seem to be active,its not easy to judge just how much we should do , this is the prob, could you not get in touch with the physio to ask for some exercises to do at home, they know you and should be able to advice.

dreamdaisy

Hello again, it's nice to hear from you. My tip is to stop when you think you can do more. When I go for a walk with The Spouse I have to remember that the outward journey will have to be repeated for the homeward journey, so our walks are, of necessity, curtailed even though I use the rollator and have a couple of rests. It's the same with housework, when I've completed one or two chores and feel as if I could do more I then have to think about the payback and whether it's worth it. I usually conclude it isn't.

Arthritis forces us to rethink what constitutes exercise and readjust our habits and lifestyles. It reminds us constantly that we are not like we used to be, that we are not like others and that we cannot necessarily manage what they can with apparent ease. DD

Fionabee

Thank you for your replies ladies.
Don't know how to say this tactfully, but I hoped more might respond :-/
I wonder if just getting thru the day feels like enough, without looking for other activities. I volunteer for a few hours one morning a week, when I'm thru I feel utterly done in, but I do enjoy it.
The local senior keep fit (av age 70) although gentle is really hard on my bad knee and altho not high impact it still has impact which affects my back.
Beautiful day here in Brum, eventually had had to move into the shade!

dreamdaisy

I'm not sure who you hoped would reply and I am sorry that you are disappointed by the responses you have had. You've been absent from the forum for some time (as you yourself admitted) new members won't recognise your name let alone know what you underwent (and it was a trial, yes?) Like you, the forum has moved on. People are becoming increasingly dis-interested in others but that reflects modern life.

Just getting through the day can be enough for many of us, I know it is for me. DD

bimble

I've always understood that swimming or exercises in water do not put stress on joints. Our local pool has 'aquarobic' sessions for various age groups and abilities. Apologies if this is a stupid suggestion, not understanding what your limitations are.

Fionabee

DD, I thought my opening post was fairly comprehensive, rather long, maybe that is off putting. I said my main problem was my back, but wasn't appealing exclusively to back sufferers.
You are right I haven't posted for a while, but surely that is not a prerequisite, I wasn't expecting anyone to "remember" me, if I read a post & think I might be able to help, I post away regardless of who the poster is, if I can't, I keep quite.

Bimble, swimming is probably the best exercise, problem is it bores me to death! There's no pleasing some people is there?! I enjoy a dip in the open air on a hot day, but I think I should look into some sort of aquafit. I enjoy the sociability of a keep fit class (and have been struck by how friendly people have been) since stopping work I do miss the companionship it offered, but not the job itself.

dreamdaisy

Of course it's not a prerequisite, I was suggesting possible reasons why you didn't hear back from too many - it must have been disappointing for you to not have received a flood of helpful and practical answers. If people think they can help they reply.

Stopping work brings about its own challenges. The pressure of having to be somewhere doing things for hours with the company of others is suddenly gone (which is a relief) but then the days begin to stretch. Oh boy can they stretch and finding things to do to fill them without harming ourselves too much is a different challenge, and one which can be tricky to surmount.

hileena111

Hi
I'm with you on the swimming........dont particularly like it even though I know its one of the best exercises......neither do I like having to get dried etc afterwards.....that adds to my pain. At home I wrap myself in a terry towelling dressing gown to get most of the water off.
Anyway you say you volunteer and you enjoy it but you say you are utterly done in.
We are all different so I'm not saying you should do this but I cant "just get through the day" I'm a volunteer for our Arthritis Care branch and on the commitee etc etc. I enjoy it but am shattered afterwards.
We should pace ourselves ...yes.....but we should still have free will......be able to make choices......Sit and think....is the volunteering worth the tiredness afterwards {for you} I find mine is but if I felt that way after doing too much housework I wouldnt think it was worth it
I suppose it depends what your volunteering involves. Mine is with arthritis care and we all have arthritis so its automatic to have a chair and be able to sit as much as you can, no heavy lifting or anything like that....
Hope my insight has been a little bit of help to you
Hileena

elnafinn

Hi Fionabee

I am sure I remember your name from some time ago as I have a distant cousin called Fiona.

Like you I have scoliosis and I noticed it myself in my early teens and nothing was done about it as I had no pain other than when dawdling or window shopping then suffered with low back pain that came and went.

I have had a spinal op to stop further compression of the spine - neck end - this was not performed by a scoliosis surgeon but I felt that was ok as it was not near my curve. I did see a scoliosis surgeon last year because I have lost 5 inches in height and a DEXA revealed osteoporosis. In the end we both decided I was better off with no intervention as I would have to have such a large fusion I would hardly be able to bend at all and would never be able to put shoes on again etc. An extremely long recovery and lots of risks if I had gone through with it. He thought I had lost as much height as I probably would now. Hope he is right. My rib cage now sits on my hip bone.

Anyway, exercise wise, I walk albeit it slowly every day, go to a tai chi class with some lovely people and a great teacher - very laid back and do daily stretching exercises at home, all of which I enjoy. I potter around in our garden and sometimes go to our allotment to help out. I do tend to push myself but that is how I am and how I survive! I like to feel in control as best I can! At the moment I am a bit stuck as I had a shoulder replacement 13 days ago. I have had both knees done too in 2008 and 2010.

I take Zapain daily to keep me going.

Elna

Lou001

Hi.

I also do swimming which I find can help to loosen me up and ease my stiff joints. I like to get into the Jacuzzi after swim and take the time to relax.
I have recently started yoga for beginners (this was recommended by my rheumatologist)

There are a number of people in my yoga class that have joint problems so I don't feel like I stand out amongst the rest. I'm really enjoying it so far. It's lots of different stretches, some easy, some a little more challenging, however I do it at my own pace and don't do anything I find too difficult. So far I'm finding that it does help to get the joints moving and is also very relaxing!!

Hope you find something to suit you.

thenunn

Hi Fiona,I've found something I can do without feeling pain and that's sleep lol. Not that its always a long sleep ,but I am pain free .

I love swimming ,sadly I gave up about 18 months ago as it hurt too much even with modifications to strokes . Silly I know but I got so fed up not being able to do as I used too and tired of trying to find an alternative way. In my frustration I stomped my feet and behaved like a naughty little girl . I have however come through that phrase(almost) and will be trying again but differently,with the mindset of knowing nothing I do will be as I used to BUT as long as I do what I can and enjoy it then I'm doing ok . Someone said we have to change what we call 'exercise ' and I agree.
I think the hardest thing for me is learning to 'pace' ,I think it is most of us ,I still keep trying to build Rome in a day,but I am learning .

Fionabee

Thank you for your replies. A friend goes to t'ai chi, I'm going to go along tomorrow and give it a go and make a bit more effort to get to the pool. I wish I could just put a towelling dressing gown on and come home like that (nothing to stop me I suppose!) getting dry and dealing with long wet hair is such a drag, I usually come home with my hair in a turban.