Exercise and Arthritus

Kaz59

Hello Everyone

I am new to this forum

i have osteoarthritis in my hands and knees my left arm and now possibly my hip since walking more

i have put up with it for a few years and had knee X-rays a few months ago

due to have a knee injected this week

I was given to understand exercise would improve my knees so I bought a dog to encourage me to walk and move more

am now walking 3 x daily !

I feel my knees have gotten much worse is this normal

I am now struggling to sit on the loo and am in pain all night

is it usual for pain to get worse before it gets better?

Anna

Hello @Kaz59 and welcome to the online community,

You have osteoarthritis and are due to have a knee injection this week. You’ve started walking three times a day with your dog and your pain has increased so you wonder if this is normal.

First of all let me say well done to you for taking up exercise - a three times a day walk is very impressive! You are right to believe that exercise is good for people with arthritis - it helps keep us flexible and mobile as well as being good for our mental health. Walking is a good overall exercise, but it’s also good to try some strengthening and stretching exercises - these will help your muscles that surround your joints to keep your joints supported. You’ll need to rest for a couple of days after your knee injection, but when you restart your exercise programme, perhaps you could add in a few of the attached exercises which will help to strengthen your knees:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-knees/

The Versus Arthritis website has got loads of really good information about exercise if you want to browse the website ( the link is on the right hand side of the page). I’ve tried some of the Leon videos and I particularly liked that I can go at my own pace and push myself to my own limits.

Many of our members on this friendly forum have their own hints and tips for exercising with arthritis and I’m sure they’ll be happy to share their experiences.

Best wishes, and do let us know how you are getting on,

Anna ( mod)