ANY ADVICE ON RUNNING AND EXERCISE ?

[antibes]

IVE STARTED RUNNING AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I HAVE SOME PAIN IN THE ELBOWS AND WRISTS AND FINGERS AND I NOW HAVE STIFFNESS IN HIPS , BUT I LOVE RUNNING AND WANT TO CONTINUE I DONT WANT RA TO TAKE OVER ANYONE ELSE RUN OR HAVE ANY ADVICE ? i FIND KEEPING PHYSICAL MAKES ME FEEL SO MUCH BETTER JUST HAVE TO REST AND BE CAREFUL , I DO PILATES AND SWIM TO0 WHICH HELP I AM ON MTX 12.5 FOR ANOTHER WEEK THEN GO UPTO 15 400 MG PLAQUENIL ,IAND DECLOFENAC I STARTED THE MEDS DEC 1ST

[Hidden]

Antibes- I have been thinking about your question and I have to admit to feeling just a little envious that you can even be considering running. I would say that if you find running helps and that you suffer no ill effects then please continue to do so, however I will warn you that many people with RA can hardly WALK the length of themselves far less run. So your meds are working a little miracle and in such a short space of time that is fantastic so if you want to run or take part in any other physical activity then absolutely. I too was diagnosed in December, however my meds are certainly not got me at that stage- seems you are in remission already and I certainly would be reporting back that you are now back running

[Hidden]

I'm with KatieC I'm jealous that you can think about running!! One of the hardest things for me to adjust to is not being so active as I used to do! I used to play squash, swim, climb mountains now I have problems walking for more than a hour (which I know is more than some people!) I need to walk my dogs most days so can't take any more physical activity on although I'd love to get back to swimming.

I think just do what your body tells you & listen to it.

[antibes]

Hi Katie thanks for your response I'm not in remission un fortunately ,but am able to do most things

Though at a cost and in some pain declofenac eases it. My wrist hips knees and elbow hurt and my elbows lock and i have fatigue and foot cramps ankles going but find all of these pains happen tjroughout the day and evening i take regular rests but am lucky I can keep moving, though by the evening my wrists feel like they are broken and ankles and elbows throb too and can be sore my kids help set the table and everyone clears up I dontbknow how it is for everyone else

I'm sorry hear that your still finding it so difficult it's a horrible disease I still get really angry and just want it to pi...... off

At the moment I am trying lots of things. Though I love running after 2 days not sure whether to stick to swimming as I'm scared of damage but I defiantly find that even if im in pain it loosens you u and feel like excersise will help put me into remission

And makes you feel. Better mentally and physically everyone must go at their own pace

Hope you are feeling better soon xxx

[oldtimer]

The body needs weight bearing exercise as well as flexibility. If you can run, then go for it!

Just remember, moderation in all things - a bit of this exercise and a bit of that exercise will help your body to keep fit and as healthy as it can be while it is being attacked from within.

I'm sure that you will find that you have flares when you have to rest for a bit, but then you can get active as soon as possible afterwards to prevent long term loss of muscle and bone.

[nottsexsportfanatic]

hi Antibes,

Like others have said I too am envious that u r able to run again as I would love to do more as I used to b a kickboxing instructor amongst other things.

I think the main advice I would offer regarding the pain and not wanting to cause more damage is to see a specialist physio. I was told not to run during a flare but to keep cardio fitness mayb I could cycle instead. this still hurts my wrists and shoulders but like u the endorphins or is it serotonin that exercise produces does ease my aches and pains at the time. I try to relax in hot bath afterwards tho.

physio advice helped me to understand better what exercise I could realistically do safely.

good luck

tina

[helixhelix]

Yes exercise can be great, and it makes me feel so much better being able to get out of the house and do stuff, although like some others I'm v excited just to be able to walk for an hour or so now. And strong muscles help protect our joints, so worth it for that as well as mental benefits. But do make sure you have the best possible running shoes, and try to run on soft surfaces rather than pavement as running is hard on your joints. The inflammation does push joints a bit out of shape so even if there's no permanant damage yet you need to take care not to put too much strain on them. Pain is there for a reason, which is a warning sign, so don't push too hard through it. If you can find a good physio who knows a bit about RA to advise that could be a big help. Polly

[antibes in reply to helixhelix]

hi

thank you for your feedback i do use good running shoes but on reflection as my hips hurt yesterday i think i will try the bike and stay with swimming and pilates other people have also recommended a good physio so i will ask at the gymn first

thank you i wish you well Monique

[Sailaway]

So jealous like the others! The advice I've been given is absolutely not to exercise until the inflammation's under control because of the irreversible damage I could do to myself. I went to see a physio & even she wouldn't touch me or give me exercises to do.

But I totally understand that you don't want this disease to rob you of what you really enjoy, it's such a thief. I hope you can work out a plan which is good for you now and in the long term.

[antibes in reply to Sailaway]

hi

thank you for your feedback ive learnt that a good phsyio seems to be the way forward as i want to be able to stay active and not cause any unnecessary damage your so right about this disease robbing us and its is a fear of mine but im determined to keep strong , who knows in life , i certainly wasn't expecting this hope you stay well Monique

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Antibes

Do you see a physiotherapist? If not, it might be worth asking if you can be referred to someone so that you can get some good advice on exercise. Exercise is certainly recommended for people with RA and strengthening your muscles can help to support the joints, but some exercises might be a bit too high impact for a lot of people with RA, so worth getting professional help.

Also, to minimise stress on your joints obviously make sure you have good, comfortable and supportive footwear and better to run on softer ground if possible.

Kind regards

Victoria

(NRAS Helpline)

[antibes in reply to Victoria-NRAS]

Hi Victoria

thank you for advice i shall definitely be getting some professional advice as this is coming up with each reply and i feel so energized after after

kindest regard monique

[Janeye]

Hi

It's so great that you are determined to keep up with the exercise regime. I too love keeping active and used to walk for an hour a day to work, go to the gym, spinning and yoga all whilst on Enbrel as I think I was in a medical remission for several years which was amazing as I almost forgot I had RA. Unfortunately I started having a blip and problems with my knee a few years back and am now off the Enbrel as I'm trying to conceive so exercise has been tough. However, my rheumy advised cycling and swimming and some weight bearing activity as it helps the muscles and keeps the joints lubricated. I find that even if my knee hurts when I walk, it doesn't really bother me when I cycle so I'm sticking to that for now.

I was always told to avoid high impact activity due to the stress on the joint. I've never been into running so this didn't bother me. If your knees and hips are sore I'm not sure running is the best thing for you. I would say maybe lay off it for a while and just do some swimming or cycling as it's much less stress on the joints. As other people have said, we feel pain for a reason and if the running is aggravating things just have a little rest and then go back to it when you are feeling better and see how you get on.

Happy exercising!!

[antibes in reply to Janeye]

hi janeye

thank you for your help. its lovely to read that you kept active doing yoga , spinning and the gymn and being to sometimes forget or at least put into the back of your mind that you have ra . i am saddened to hear that you have had a blip but hopefully this is just becausue you have come of the meds to conceive which i am sure you wil and that l will intself induce a remission for you . i think i might have t agree with you about running being too much but i will take some professional advice and speak to my rheumy as i love it but my husband wants me to cycle with him so that is not so bad im keeping up with pilates and swimming and today my pan factor is low so something is working though yesterday it was high !!! Its a very confusing thing this ra business

best of luck with everything Monique

[earthwitch]

Its important to keep up whatever exercise you want to do, and you can do without doing damage to your body. Running probably isn't the first choice for any one with joint problems because of the high impact on your body, but that doesn't mean that everyone has to give it up immediately, and I do know of some folk who are well controlled on treatment who can still do a high level of impact exercise like running. Definitely make sure you have the absolute best shoes for absorbing the impact though as that will help protect your joints.

As you already are doing other exercise, you might want to consider doing more of the low impact stuff and gradually moving away from running so much, though I could imagine you would need to make that shift very slowly if running is something that you have really enjoyed up to now. If you like being able to take part in events, then you could consider walking half marathons as an alternative - its still fairly demanding in terms of fitness levels, but less serious impact on your body. Before I needed crutches, I really enjoyed walking half marathons, and where I lived most of them did have a class for walkers as well as runners.

[antibes]

hi earthwitch

i keep reading running is not the best and will take some advice it does look like i might be spinning from now on !! im sorry to read that you are on crutches and hope that this is just a blip on this journey .half marathons walking is not something i have heard off but shall google it later his evening

thank you and wishing you a painfree weekend

[Hidden]

When I see people running or jogging around the streets, I often wonder 'how the hell do they do that?' I was never super sporty but am now reduced to a mobility scooter when I go shopping for any length of time, which I have to use now due to fatigue and the awful stiffness which feels like my various joints have been glued together and I am literally unable to get hips, legs and feet moving in harmony! Until I 'gave in' and used a scooter I would literally stand and cry because I just could not move - terribly embarrassing in John Lewis! Please be really careful - I do not consider I have RA too badly but have to live within my new (unwanted!) limitations. You may not know what stress and potential damage you are doing to dodgy joints - endorphins or whatever will mask any pain you might have otherwise felt and make you feel brilliant..... For a while. I have just read this back and realised I sound like a very strict teacher.... Sorry! Carry on keeping mobile and happy, but memorise a skeleton hanging up in a medical school and 'guard' your precious joints.

Right lecture over, I will disappear back into my box! Enjoy what you do, and ignore scaremongerers like me. Xx virge

[antibes]

HI Virge

first a big thank you for coming out of your box ! I posted about running and exercising so that i would get good advice and help which i have got from all of you .

ive always been active and clearly it makes me feel so much better emotionally and physically though yesterday my hips ached a lot i! needed to kn ow how far i could push myself and whilst i am able to at times it is important for me to recognize that im doing myself damage which will clearly affect me in the future , ii need to learn to do things within my limitations but being relatively newly diagnosed its this is not always so easy i always thing that at some point it will disappear even though it constantly sends me reminders throughout the day in different parts of my body .

the fact that you may sound like a school teacher made me smile as my sister is a teacher and i know that you only have the best intentions in writing this and once again i thank you for taking the time to write

i will talk to my rheumy and find a good physio and wil update you all on my activities within the perimeters of some good guidance

wishing you a pain free weekend and stay out the box you clearly have a lot to give love Monique xx

[Hidden]

Hi Monique. Sorry I'm coming late to this as been postponing until my weekend started winding up. I was a couch potato until RA and was seriously overweight. Now down by over 4 stone and try to do about 40 minutes a day on my Nintendo Wii - including using weights, steps, yoga, jogging on the spot, lunges and hoola hoops. I've been doing this for a year and a half and swear it keeps the RA away most of the time. I used to play badminton and am meant to be restarting soon but have bad Sacroilliac pain just now so best wait. My physio said she thought this would be fine now - she said "whoever would have imagined you'd be well enough to even hold a racket earlier in the year - those drugs must be amazing!?". Like others though I'd be cautious about high impact sport because of the joint problems. I met a woman I know just before Xmas and I told her about RA and she told me she's having loads of tests just now for arthritis because of her hips. She declared that at 49 she's too young for osteoarthritis still so it couldn't be that! But I thought to myself that this is nonsense - she's been jogging daily for many years and is a fitness fanatic so I could imagine that the impact might easily be a contributory factor. If you do it then be very careful with footwear and also try and keep to grass or soft surfaces. I sometimes jog with the dog on the beaches here. Roll on endorphins and shout out "use it or lose it!" as you go! Xxx

[antibes in reply to Hidden]

hi Tilda . thank you for taking the time out to respond. its always inspiring to know what exercise routine s people are doing , food recipes are a good idea too, love the gluten free breakfast

like you i strongly believe that the excersie and not only helps with the pain but releases endorphins i also say the same to myself when i swim keep going or you will lose it im seeing my rheumy this evening to ask about getting a phsyio and what i should be doing also ive noticed my left side is weaker and determined not to let that go i understand that many people are not able too also and that we are lucky we can

its interesting point what you say about the lady who runs people have given me some good advice and i think running doesnt seem to be so good i might have to stiop that although i was only doing a third of wha t i was doing pre ra and at a much slower pace

im trying to listen to what my body says after excersie and when the pains are bad rest for a few days or go for a swim which is great though its hard to motivate when its as cold as this

if i get any constructive advice from my rheumy i will post and let you all know

wishing us all pain free and flexible days xx

[Hidden]

Ps and I've become completely addicted to serotonin and endorphin highs - I wonder if this is why so many people with RA suffer from depression? Because if you can't exercise you don't get this particular rush. And if I'm feeling depressed now or in pain (or both) I really look to exercise to pick me up out of it - whether walking the dogs or gardening or my 40 minute session on nintendo wii.

[Hidden]

I never thought I would be saying this but I cannot do half or a quater of my training schedual- it so frustrating- having gone from 17 mile walks daily, doing kettlebells, and either Yoga or Pilates,on a daily basis (up at 5am for first installment) then fitted the rest into my day

I have gone back to how I was before I was diagnosed - with the wrist and hand pain. I wish some one could invent a dumbell with does not put strain on my poor hands with having to grip.

Good on you if you can still train and keep up for as long as your body allows.

[antibes in reply to Hidden]

hi reiki master

, i wish i could say i have been able to keep up with the program tho im still giving it my best exercising and doing Pilates , i keep adapting my routine, my elbows and wrists are killing me so have just walked on an incline in the gymn i totally get your frustration and have spent the weekend quite angry with this bloody ra im sure the rain hasn't helped !

I hope you are able to get back to pilates or yoga soon, there is a lady in my class that ha had s ra for 20 years and has two new hips and is still going strong so there is hope for us all

wishing you a pain free week xxx