Sports

[spursgal]

I used to do kickboxing and stopped for a while. I got diagnosed a year ago with RA and now after losing over 3 stone in weight, I want to get fitter. Does anyone have any idea about a similar sport or something that I can do, bearing in mind my little finger joints aren't to good...?? Sorry guys but can't find much info out there to help me and what I did find was basic and conflicting, so who better to ask than people who live it....xx

[allanah]

Go to your local gym and have a word with one of their trained specialists who will give you advice on what's ok for particular conditions. I start Wednesday and am excited!

[spursgal in reply to allanah]

I did go to the gym, but they didn't really help, just gave me exercises I could do in the gym. I'm not a gym person as I get bored to easily. Thats why I was looking for personal experiences rather than so called experts. But thanks for your response.

[allanah in reply to spursgal]

Oh sorry. I don't have any yet but hope too very soon. X

[Hidden]

I'm thinking one of the other martial arts perhaps? Why not look at local associations with a view to asking them whether or not your little fingers would be put under stress in their particular discipline? You could then double check with a physio to see if it's advisable. I do Tai Chi but somehow I think that would be a tad slow for you!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Or an energetic form of yoga.....

[spursgal in reply to Hidden]

Energetic yoga, never heard of anything like that, but it certainly is going to be googled... Thank you.

[spursgal in reply to Hidden]

A little to slow for me yes.... but I will certainly look into some others, as my wrists are also weaker now, so will be choosing carefully. Thank you

[mary53]

Hi How about spinning classes...they can be exhausting so be careful. Because you are on the bike you aren't weight bearing on your feet and you can adjust the handle bars so you don't put too much weight on hands. My aim is to get back to spinning on I can get off the sofa!

[spursgal in reply to mary53]

Well Mary, I hope you get there... I just feel so out of sorts and uninspired, just want to find my mojo again !!

[samjam]

Join a health walking group. Sometimes find that it is the social side of walking that is very helpful, not necessarily the distance you walk.

[Hidden]

I use a nintendo wii fit plus - sounds a bit comical and I did inherit it from my sons but it is great for yoga, muscle exercises and aerobics - you can customise stuff and suit yourself in the comfort of your home. My boys bought me a Wii Zumba programme and on days when I'm feeling I have more energy I do 20 minutes of this and it gets my adrenalin surging and if I don't do all the moves then no one knows but me! You can do other stuff such as tennis and maybe even kick boxing although it would be an entirely different thing to the real mackoy of course - but different doesn't always mean it's bad? I built up slowly with it and didn't do anything involving my hands or wrists until they were much stronger - still very cautious.

[spursgal in reply to Hidden]

I used to use the Wii ages ago, I lost interest for some reason, but I think I might get it out again. Thank you x

[flow4]

I do 2 aquafit classes a week - they're worth considering (especially if you have an idea of aquafit as being just for old ladies! ) The shallow-water one is like a Zumba class, but with extra resistance. The deep-water one is much more challenging, because as well as doing the exercises, you have to stay afloat for an hour! A lot of the exercises involve kicking like a martial art or pivoting/spinning as if you were a gymnast doing bar work. It's very good indeed for core strength. There is another harder class, aqua-combat, which I haven't tried, which the kick-boxing people do. All aqua-exercise is great, in my opinion, because it simultaneously provides extra resistance for your muscles and extra support for your joints. And you can do it to whatever level suits you - gently or really pushing yourself. I can do things in water that there is absolutely no way I could do on dry land, and so I can really get my heart going I get a fantastic endorphin rush, too!

[spursgal]

I would love to, but with my shift work I am finding it increasingly difficult to find anything late enough for me to do..I have taken up running, so hopefully it will keep me occupied enough and I can do it at any time.... My specialist nurse says its great for strengthening my joints so I will keep trying....