Recently diagnosed

SWilliams1969

Good afternoon, looking for some guidance. Im 56 and just been diagnosed with mild to moderate osteoarthritis in thumb and shoulder. I've been looking on the internet and one site will tell you one thing but another site will tell you the opposite. I'm trying to find info on the best exercise - can you help? Swimming - crawl or breast stroke as movement in shoulder is very restricted? Tai Chi or pilates? Thank you for your patience.

Naomi33

Afternoon @SWilliams1969 and welcome to the online community.

Sorry to hear your concerns about the right exercise to do.

I went on a pain management course when I was first diagnosed and found it very helpful.

The following links maybe of interest to you.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/search?query=Living+Well+Programme+%E2%80%93+5+Week+Self-Management+Course+

https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/about-us/our-impact/healthy-life/joint-pain-programme

Best wishes @Naomi33

SWilliams1969

Hi Naomi,

That sounded perfect but I've just checked my nearest Nuffield Health centre and they are not running the course which is a shame.

Thank you so much for letting me know though

Naomi33

Your welcome

I went to my local leisure centre so maybe worth asking them to??

Also try the following links online…

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

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/hand-and-wrist-pain/

Regards @Naomi33

helpline_team

Hi @SWilliams1969

Thank you for your post on our Online Community. I can see you’ve had some helpful suggestions and links from @Naomi33 already but there’s a little more information that I hope you find useful.

It’s great that you’re trying to stay active to help manage the condition. As you might know, exercise is really important in the management of arthritis. Generally speaking, the most important thing is to pick an activity or exercise you enjoy doing and don’t find too painful, as it makes staying consistent so much easier.

Generally speaking, breaststroke is gentler on the shoulders than front crawl, however you need to listen to your body and see what feels comfortable for you. It may be that alternative strokes are more suited to you.

There’s information from Swim England with tips on swimming with an MSK condition here –

https://www.swimming.org/justswim/musculoskeletal-conditions-swimming/

Both Tai Chi and Pilates are low-impact, slow, and adaptable forms of exercise that are joint-friendly and support balance, mobility, and pain reduction. You can speak to the instructor to let them know of your concerns and they can adapt certain movements and exercises to suit your abilities.

Whatever exercise you choose to do, start off gently and give your body time to adjust. If you do to much too soon it can lead to soreness or discomfort, which might make it harder to stay motivated. It’s also helpful to seek the guidance of a physiotherapist so that they can suggest movements and exercises to suitable for your individual needs and abilities. There’s some more information about getting started with exercise here -

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/getting-started-with-exercise/

Thanks, Claire, Helpline Advisor 😊

SWilliams1969

Thank you Naomi and Claire,

I will be visiting my local health centre to check out the pool, Tai Chi and Pilates.

Have a lovely evening