Sore muscles

[shareasmile]

This is a bit hard to explain, but I am wondering if others with RD have had a similar observation. Before RD, if I worked some muscles that had been idle for awhile, I would get the usual muscle soreness--the kind that bothers, but in somewhat of a good feeling way. Now, with RD, my muscles react quite differently. I began working my lower ab muscles a few days ago. Now the soreness has set in, but it is more painful--almost as if I am being stabbed with a knife with certain movements. And I have noticed that after a hard day's work in the yard, I barely have any muscle soreness, just mainly overall exhaustion. Is this common with RD? or possibly a result of the meds we take?

[Mark_67]

Muscle pain and fatigue are common. My rheumatolgist is unsure if it is attributed to the meds or RA.

[PJsorefeet]

I get exactly the same, if i try and tone a muscle group i get really bad muscle aches and a definate pain, if I'm just busy in the garden etc its fatigue. My rheumy said the condition affects the ligaments and tendons so if you repetitively use one muscle group you can cause low grade inflammation giving you the pain. This doesn't happen in functional activities where you use a variety of muscle groups sharing the loads.

Gentle regular stretching helps but its very annoying isn't it!

[shareasmile in reply to PJsorefeet]

Thank you, sorefeet. I feel better knowing that someone else has noticed the same thing. I have decided that I cannot focus too much on one set of muscles now. And YES! It is annoying! Guess I will just have to put up with the pudgy abs!

[Jane06]

I am sometimes unsure if it is joint pain or muscle pain I am feeling. I definitely seem to get general muscle aches - especially arms and shoulders - when I have been doing nothing at all. I have noticed that my wrists, hands and feet joints are tender at the same time, so I am sure it's all linked. I go swimming regularly and this seems to help.

[shareasmile in reply to Jane06]

Yes, Jane, I have the overall soreness and fatigue, especially when off of steroids. Since having RD though, I have found that my muscles react differently to physical exertion and exercise. It is just one more thing to adjust as I deal with this stinkin disease.

[Hidden]

This was how my RD first showed itself three and a half years ago. I was playing badminton once a week with a friend and was finding the pain in my calf muscles appalling afterwards - a complete over reaction so I could barely walk for a few days afterwards. I recall wondering what on earth this was about because my friend was absolutely fine apart from a wee bit of stiffness and ache the next day and she's older than me. Then my knees started followed by both wrists and badminton became a distant memory!

I don't have it very often now as my RD is quiet and I exercise quite hard most days. But I do get completely exhausted if I over do things and have to sleep most afternoons - not just a nap but total wipe out!

[shareasmile in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, Twitch, for responding and helping me to know that I am not alone in this experience. Just never read any information about this in all my research.

[ShellyWelly]

Oh my goodness! What Twitchytoes mentions above sounds very similar to how things kicked off with me!

After my snowboarding fall in January, when I got back home I carried on at the gym as normal but went easy for a month or so whilst my torn back muscles from the fall healed.

I then decided to start running again (i'm not built for running and find it very difficult but every few months I start with a couch to 5k type training plan). I started off and for the first 2 weeks it was all going well, and I steadily improved on each session, until the start of week 3, when after only a few seconds into my first run interval, I got terrible pains in my calves, a bit like cramp, but the whole leg felt stiff, like it was frozen, tight and very painful and every time my foot landed I got a prickly, stabbing sensation in my ankles. I finished the session but found it much, much more difficult than usual and the pain was entirely new and quite different from the usual minor aches i'd get afterward.

I had to take a couple of days off after that but then I went again, and the exact same thing happened, only this time, my breathing was terrible too. I'd gone from comfortable 3 minute running intervals (told you I was rubbish at running!) down to literally 30-60 seconds. Instead of improving I was much, much worse and my legs were very painful.

I stopped running and started using the cross trainer and walking instead but the same thing happened. On the cross trainer in particular, I used to be able to do 45 minutes easily, but within about 10 minutes, my legs had locked up, I felt exhausted and holding the handles was really painful, so I ended up having to stop any activities that were weight bearing or that required grip.

That lead to me having massive break of almost 4 months from the gym, before I felt strong and determined enough to go back, but this time, to try swimming, which is causing me very little pain and is helping me feel fit again.

[shareasmile]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, ShellyWelly. It certainly helps to validate the feelings I have had with regards to exercise. This RD definitely forces us to redefine what exercise will be safe and effective for us without causing more pain!