Pow. My knees went stiff again.

Baloo

Pow. My knees when stiff again yesterday. I was thinking they seem nice and loose, so lets check how much movement I have. I could lock them straight and I could bend my knees up to my chest on my back, a bit stiff there but no pain. So now, I can barely walk and had to get my stick out or I'm going to fall over. Duh. I did nothing and my knees have gone stiff and painful. I took an Ibuprofen for now and see what happens. (Reposted from chat to the Helpline Team. Last time it happened I took the route of gentle exercise).

Baloo

The ibuprofen worked. Yet another arthritis mystery of how can bending a knee cause a knee to flare up. So fragile.

DODGYKNEES

Hi @Baloo the same happens to me. I find elevating my legs and hot water bottles help. I also massage my legs and knees with baby oil which seems to help. It's so annoying isn't it, feeling somewhat normal one day and attempting to do something, then spending the next week in agony. Anyway, hope you are well

Rina

That happens to me too - no rhyme or reason why some days my knees are fine and then others I wake up with one swollen. And then the next day, it’s back to being fine. No rhyme or reason. I do find that elevating it on a very soft bean bag and using my heated wheat bag does help.

All the best, Rina x

frogmorton

and the gentle exercises too. Poor you @Baloo at least you know you're not alone with this ((()))

Toni x

Baloo

I'm pretty keen on getting the weight off my legs. My original support in bed was a foot wedge, and I found my knees and ankles wobbled around a lot on top of it, so I added a bed pillow under my knees and found it was more snug. For some reason I dispensed with the bed pillow and looks like this was a bad idea, as it allows my leg to more easily move around and even drop off the side of the wedge. Looks like I should put the bed pillow back in before something worse happens. My back has been starting to ache as well.

Baloo

Story time. Work has offered a wellbeing hour so I decided near enough instantly that my change of health warrants a visit to the gym for a re-assessment by Nuffield Health. All I was getting until then was 6k steps of gentle shuffling a day.

I fancied something a bit more aerobic like exercise bicycle or rowing. I spoke to the trainer today and we tried the bicycle, I found my right knee a bit too stiff and might need wearing in. I already knew that, but my knee was stiffer than I expected.

We moved onto the rowing machine and found something I didn't know about. Apart from a little difficulty climbing on, the rowing machine honestly felt like there was nothing wrong. Finally I have something where I can easily see what happens if I try to manage a proper 12 minute workout, where I can break out a sweat, and pull a good stretch out, as far as I'm able to. Gobsmacked.

The trainer also recommended I bring my physio exercise bands for my old arm exercises, and contact a physio for some new guidance about hips knees and ankles, which they can follow up in the gym.

Baloo

Gym week 2. That was good. I'm taking it easy until I know what reaction might happen.

I did my shoulder physio properly for the first time in ages, which must be something to do with being in a gym.

Rated the machines as 1- Rowing machine. 2- Cross trainer. 3- Bicycle.

I think the bicycle is out, I can't get my knees to do the turning circle. I had a nice imaginary row across a lake somewhere instead for ten minutes.

I booked in with the doctor to see my knees but that won't be until 1st March (strike action permitting) so I hope I'm not going to be aching all over tomorrow and sorry about doing the gym.

Baloo

I didn't start aching from the Gym on Friday until Monday then I had a sudden flare up of all the old aches. The aches have eased off so I am hoping I will get used to it if I keep going and listen to the aches. Gym again this Friday. I might have to halve the number of reps in my Physio and Rowing or something if I can't tell whats hurting.

jonr

I think it's a case of "good days, bad days" with Arthritis and there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why I'll get a flare-up which happens on non-exercise days as well as the days I'm active.

I've found a variety of support sleeves help maintain movement and the compression they offer also help with the swelling. I've recently started to use a massaging machine which looks like a drill with a rubber Squash ball stuck on the end, it really helps take the stiffness out of my tendons and ligaments so if that is something you or anybody else suffers with then buying one could be a very good investment.

Baloo

Fresh back from the gym @jonr . My shoulders hated me for a week last week, so I shifted from shoulder physio to wrist and heel physio, and avoiding leaning forward on the rowing machine. Keeping the rowing bar near my chest was less fun but I am glad the stroke can be adjusted by that much compared to other machines. It still worked.

Vibration sounds like a good idea. We found a magnessage vibrating magnetic wand we can try out once its recharged.

Baloo

Dr Dong (Pronounced Young) has diagnosed osteo arthritis in my knees so we are off for an x-ray and some suitable physio guidance, so I can hit the gym more safely. The point being that physio can delay things becoming worse. I thought physio was just for recovery but apparently this is not quite the full story. The longer life of joints can be at stake? I wasn't aware of this at all.

jonr

Indeed Baloo, I wasn't aware either until a physio explained to me that with the weakining of the joint, the connecting tissues and tendons come under extra strain which only adds to the misery. The theory is that the physio not only strengthens the muscles and connecting tissues around the joint to aid stability but the stretching helps to keep everything supple. I've been at it about 6 months now with a daily 15 minute physio workout at home, it was really tough at first but after persevering through the pain barrier, there are signs of improvement and mobility. I don't think I'll get back to running, badminton and swimming but I am remaining active and in less pain so there must be something in it.

JenHB

Just read this thread - it's given me the kick up the backside to do the exercises I've been given in the past so I can continue doing various other things I enjoy

Baloo

No instant results from the gym except for one. I can do it. Let those who read it understand what that means emotionally, after months and months of nothing more than shuffling around. I saw the doc and he watched how I struggled to get out of a chair and said exercise your quadriceps. So this week I was on the leg press. Fairly certain I could do leg press reps all day at 5kg, but the Nuffield guy says I should put the weight up and go for less reps.

jonr

Good for you Baloo - I say do what you wanna do, unless that Gym guy actually has Arthritis! Stick at it, maybe throw in some walking on the treadmill with different inclines and speed and then move up to swimming. Apart from the benefit to joint strength, the Endorphin release is fantastic and your body's natural painkiller.

Baloo

Bingo. Surprising what a bit of knowledge can do, and its called osteophytes. The Nuffield guy in the gym hit the nail on the head when he said I should keep up the physio to stop scar tissue building up. It's nearly right, but in the case of osteoarthritis its more like scar bone is it not? This could make the whole thing a lot less frightening.

Chris32

Thanks for this post. I'm finding it really useful. I have OA on my right knee and a recent increase in pain level has left me pretty much house bound for 2 weeks. I read with interest the entry about a rowing machine. It's not very practical to get to a gym, so wonder if I can get a similar action by sitting on the bed and sliding my foot /feet backwards and forwards with a resistance band to add load.

Baloo

@Chris32 I think you near enough said it yourself its impractical to get to the gym but practical to get some resistance band work to get those muscles in trim.