Has running inflamed anyone's acute arthritis?

[StromCom]

Hi. I've been getting acute arthritis since I was 19 (I'm 44 now) ... and after completing the first week of C25k, my left foot has inflamed with arthiritic swelling and I can barely walk. Anyone else found this?

[Biketo5k]

Hi StromCom,

Were you following the plan on alternate days? If you suffer with arthritis running may not be suitable for you and I'd highly recommend visiting a graduate ST (sports therapist) to look into it. In the short-term you could apply ice (wrapped in a teatowel) over the affected areas (no more than 15 mins). That would help with the pain relief and help bring the swelling down. A handy alternative to ice is to immerse your feet in very cold water for the same time period.

[StromCom Graduate]

THanks. Yes. RUnning alternate days.

[GoogleMe Graduate]

What kind of surface were you running on?

My Dad has RA (later onset, so I think less joint involvement) and runs regularly but he has always been careful about surfaces and since I have auto-immune difficulties (and had surgery on my feet as a teen, with arthritic flares in adulthood) I am following in his footsteps and don't run on roads. Well fitting footwear has been extremely important - although perhaps surprisingly I do much better in more minimal shoes. There are certain spots on my feet which will trigger joint problems if there's too much pressure there.

I found TENS helpful with my foot flares - not applied locally but on my back to get my own endorphins flowing.