Arthritis and weightlifting

[lauradryden]

Hi everyone!

So my boyfriend got diagnosed about a year ago with scoriatic arthritis and is sore mostly every day. He did do weight training before diagnosed and during the first few months but stopped it. Does anyone have any advice on what sort of things he can do/take to get back in to it? Obviously not heavy duty weights just the ones in the gym

[woodstar1]

Hi, I've recently started back exercising and I'm loving it!!! Having spoke to my consultant he told me that it should be low impact and that some weight training is really good for our condition. I'm doing HIIT sessions 4/5 days a week now on an elliptical trainer and I'm going to start some low impact kettle bell training in a few weeks as well. Just get advice from the Dr and hopefully he will find something he can get back into, for me I feel much much better for it!!

[mcrparader]

I joined the hospital staff gym, I'm not staff but I had a referral because of my RA (I've had RA 9 years) after an Achilles' tendon injury. I was a size 18 when I joined in Dec 2015 and now I'm down to a size 8, I only did weights the last 4 months but loved doing them. Unfortunately I was also diagnosed with osteoarthritis 3 weeks ago and advised to stop the weights because of the joints affected both hips, knees & lower spine & to stick to cardio & low impact sports as my Achilles is pinned together. I have found the staff at the gym invaluable, great for advice. I've had problems with my Achilles not healing right, not being able to stretch it after exercise, being scared to stretch it it in case I damage it again! The gym staff have been great giving me so many alternatives for different groups of muscles when I can't run, swim, row I had problems even walking to start with. I also have soft tissue damage to my left shoulder muscle so I'm unable to lift it, I have no strength in it. I did see a physio fo for it but she said as it was so painful that it would be doing more harm than good. I tried weights and I couldn't lift 20kg when I first started, I stuck with with it though by the end of the week it was easier. The next week I tried 30kg on my arms and I could do it, I got up to 40kg when I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and I haven't lifted weights since the end of the first week of August. I say your boyfriend should go for it, build up slowly, take it easy and allow recovery time between workouts xxx

[lornaisobel]

I bought some weight to try and build up my strength etc - they are on my bedroom floor and I often fall over them but as yet ( Ive had them 2 years ) I haven't lifted them. Advise from other though sounds good !!

[earthwitch]

Tell him to check out the National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society website nass.co.uk/

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of spondyloarthritis, so you would do the same things as for AS, which is basically lots of stretches, and low impact stuff. The website above has a whole section on exercise, as it really is incredibly important in spondyloarthritis to maintain appropriate exercise as part of your treatment plan to avoid physical limitation and disability later on in life. If he joins NASS then depending on where you live, he may be able to join an AS exercise or hydrotherapy group. Joining also gets you a really useful magazine with loads of hints and tips for self help stuff. The NASS website also has a downloadable exercise app called "back to action".

[earthwitch in reply to earthwitch]

here is the direct link to the exercise page nass.co.uk/nass/en/exercise...

don't worry about it saying for ankylosing spondylitis - psoriatic arthritis is just another disease in the same family so you do the same kinds of exercise to help.

[Karen77]

While the joints are inflamed, he should take it easy. But when the RA is managed and he's no longer on painkillers, I think he can slowly get back to it. That's just my own experience. When I'm not feeling well (i.e. if it hurts), I stop. I've been focusing more on yoga (yogawithadriene.com), walks and I'm thinking of trying the stationary bike (since I have one and my feet sometimes are sore - my knees and hips aren't bothering me so I figure the bike might be a good option). Swimming is good too. I hope your boyfriend finds something that works for him. I definitely believe that "if you rest, you rust" - particularly when you have RA! - and I've been rusting too much!