Re: Exercise or not? - Emphatically Yes and sometimes No

[Guest guest]

When you are having a flare, I wouldn't do more than light stretching

exercises. It is easy to over do it, and that can make things

worse. I personally feel it is important to get the RA under control

with medication before starting an exercise program (other than maybe

light stretching and swimming).

When you are feeling better, or if you are stiff in the mornings and

feel better in the evenings, exercise is one of the best things you

can do for RA. The key is to doing the right kind of exercise. For

me, walking and yoga are bad. Walking hurts my feet. I can't even

do more than a few minutes on the treadmill and you don't get much of

a work out in a few minutes. I can however do the eliptical machine

(no impact), ride the bike or walk the stair master (less impact than

the treadmill, great for the rear end).

I can't do yoga because it puts a lot of pressure on my wrists. Yoga

instructors (at least the one's I've met like those upside down

positions). You can skip the parts of yoga that are tough (like

resting on your elbows instead of your wrists), but I hate going to

the class and not doing the things everyone else does. My mom does

her own version of yoga at home and it helps her greatly (she does it

in the morning and helps her loosen up). She's had RA for over 20

years and is unable to work the joint damage is so bad. She

practically had to beat me over the head the first year I had it to

get me on board with exercising.

I can do weight lifting because most machines I use do not put undue

pressure on hands/feet where I have the most problems. I get the

benefit of strengthening muscles and tendons, without hurting my

joints, and as a result I feel much better when I exercise and notice

a big difference (feel worse) when I don't.

Swimming is one of the best exercises because the lack of impact but

you still get lots of work from your muscles. Water aerobics are

good and the arthritis foundation sponsors arthritis water classes

and other exercise programs. Here is a link I posted recently. You

just enter your zip code to the right on the web page and get a list

of that are in your area (it lists arthritis support groups too):

http://www.arthritis.org/events/getinvolved/ProgramsServices/default.a

sp

Even once you do find exercises that you can do and that help you

feel better (less pain, less stiffness, more energy) you still have

to be careful not to over do it. It's easy to over do it because you

often can't tell until later or the next day that you did over do

it. It takes practice and patience - but the change in how you feel

is worth it. I promise.

Jennie

--- In , " teerific11 " <teerific11@y...>

wrote:

>

>

> Hi All,

>

> I was wondering if there is anyone out there with RA who has tried

to

> exercise to keep from getting too stiff and had positive results?

I

> did some light exercise last night (as my GP suggested) and my arm

> (elbow and hand) hurts worse now than ever! I'm thinking that

> exercise might be the worst thing to do when a flare-up occurs.

Any

> input would be appreciated.

>

> Hugs, Tee

[Guest guest]

When you are having a flare, I wouldn't do more than light stretching

exercises. It is easy to over do it, and that can make things

worse. I personally feel it is important to get the RA under control

with medication before starting an exercise program (other than maybe

light stretching and swimming).

When you are feeling better, or if you are stiff in the mornings and

feel better in the evenings, exercise is one of the best things you

can do for RA. The key is to doing the right kind of exercise. For

me, walking and yoga are bad. Walking hurts my feet. I can't even

do more than a few minutes on the treadmill and you don't get much of

a work out in a few minutes. I can however do the eliptical machine

(no impact), ride the bike or walk the stair master (less impact than

the treadmill, great for the rear end).

I can't do yoga because it puts a lot of pressure on my wrists. Yoga

instructors (at least the one's I've met like those upside down

positions). You can skip the parts of yoga that are tough (like

resting on your elbows instead of your wrists), but I hate going to

the class and not doing the things everyone else does. My mom does

her own version of yoga at home and it helps her greatly (she does it

in the morning and helps her loosen up). She's had RA for over 20

years and is unable to work the joint damage is so bad. She

practically had to beat me over the head the first year I had it to

get me on board with exercising.

I can do weight lifting because most machines I use do not put undue

pressure on hands/feet where I have the most problems. I get the

benefit of strengthening muscles and tendons, without hurting my

joints, and as a result I feel much better when I exercise and notice

a big difference (feel worse) when I don't.

Swimming is one of the best exercises because the lack of impact but

you still get lots of work from your muscles. Water aerobics are

good and the arthritis foundation sponsors arthritis water classes

and other exercise programs. Here is a link I posted recently. You

just enter your zip code to the right on the web page and get a list

of that are in your area (it lists arthritis support groups too):

http://www.arthritis.org/events/getinvolved/ProgramsServices/default.a

sp

Even once you do find exercises that you can do and that help you

feel better (less pain, less stiffness, more energy) you still have

to be careful not to over do it. It's easy to over do it because you

often can't tell until later or the next day that you did over do

it. It takes practice and patience - but the change in how you feel

is worth it. I promise.

Jennie

>

>

> Hi All,

>

> I was wondering if there is anyone out there with RA who has tried

to

> exercise to keep from getting too stiff and had positive results?

I

> did some light exercise last night (as my GP suggested) and my arm

> (elbow and hand) hurts worse now than ever! I'm thinking that

> exercise might be the worst thing to do when a flare-up occurs.

Any

> input would be appreciated.

>

> Hugs, Tee