Arthritis and cold water swimming
Hi Everyone, just joined the community and wanted to ask if others enjoy cold water swimming. I've been cold swimming for over a year now but since having covid 6 weeks ago, the arthritis in my upper body has flared up, particularly painful in my hands. Maybe just a coincidence since covid ???
I wear 5 mm gloves but find that I can only stay in the water prob max 10 mins and my right hand in particular, literally freezes up.
I take a hot water bottle with me and have just purchased hand heat warming pads for after swim. Gutted, I was body boarding and in the water for over 40 mins 6 was ago 😪. Such is life, hey ho, I'm alive 🤷🤷😊. Anyone suffered anything similar??
Thank you
Comments
-
Hi @Bluebits
welcome to the community. Cold water swimming sounds wonderful. After 40 years of arthritis I have given up trying towork out why my arthritis flares. It could be i relation to Covid, I believe others have mentioned that and it can be related to stress and life events too. The most important thing is to look after yourself and be gentle whilst you are flaring and if things do not ease let your rheumatology team know. I really hope you are able to return to your cold watr swimming soon it sounds wonderful
Best Wishes
Sharon
0 -
Hi Sharon
Many thanks for responding to my post, appreciated. I need to read up more on this condition. The comment you made about not always knowing why your arthritis flared and possible causes was really very helpful. There may be a myriad of causes I guess but staying in tune with ourselves and looking after our physical and mental health has to be a priority .. I hear you. I'm thinking now that my expectations of what I'm physically able to do at times may be too high; I'm not in the same position I was 6 weeks ago so have to be totally present to what is happening at any particular moment. ...and be gentle with myself ..
Thank you ..all sound advice and I shall enjoy my cold water swimming as and when I'm able.
Best wishes to you too Sharon
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 21 Welcome
- 18 How to use your online community
- 3 Help, Guidelines and Get in Touch
- 11.8K Our Community
- 9.4K Living with arthritis
- 146 Hints and Tips
- 221 Work and financial support
- 755 Chat to our Helpline Team
- 6 Want to Get Involved?
- 394 Young people's community
- 11 Parents of Children with Arthritis
- 38 My Triumphs
- 122 Let's Move
- 32 Sports and Hobbies
- 19 Food and Diet
- 365 Chit chat
- 244 Coronavirus (COVID-19)
- 32 Community Feedback and ideas