Good Afternoon All
I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for some exercises for the hip and thigh area. My pain areas are low back, hips and thighs. I can hardly walk at times my hips are so sore and stiff. As long as I don't use them the pain is manageable. Walk a little and wham the pain sets in. I have tried various stretches, I do keep moving all day but it just seems like there is more I can do for myself. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Make it a great PMR day
Pred dose? What was start dose and when?
If you are so sore moving, then I suggest not moving!! Making ourselves hurt doesn't make anything better in my experience- we can't "go for the burn" with this as we will just burn out! Either that, or you aren't on enough Pred. I don't know of any exercises that could help , but someone else might. I hope you get some relief from the stiffness and pain.
That’s what I was thinking re pred....no point being in so much pain you can’t move!
Have you tried swimming?
Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried and no matter how easy I go, my hips and thighs just scream afterwards and for at least another day. Plus it takes so much energy to get there, undress, get wet, dry off and redress and get home. Sounds ridiculous but that's my life.
I delt with the same pain. Same location. My PT started me with pelvic strengthening exercises.
[If you can’t walk try slow for 5 minutes]
Transverse abdominus activation with functional activities.
•treadmill @ 2.5 mph x 5 mins.
•Sitting abdominal bracing 5 sec. hold x 10 reps, (feel with fingers under hip bones each side-hold breath exhale and feel abdominal muscles contract.)
•with alternating
hip flexion 2 x 10 reps
•Sitting spinal flexion stretch to center/left/right with hands on
table 2 x 30 secs.
•Sit to stand with abdominal bracin 2 x 10 reps
•Patient Education- Bed mobility
(Means you transfer weight correctly to get out of bed.)
That’s all I did when in so much pain. It was slow, but I progressed. (I have more to recommend.)
Did till next PT appointment. She added things but it was DSNS 
There’s a procedure for getting out of bed & I still do it!!!
All luck - I understand your pain!
I agree! I just did the abdominal bracing (google it!) to begin with. It’s a wonderful exercise for chronic pain and really fundamental for posture (which means less pain!) and for getting moving. I did it in bed when I couldn’t get down onto the floor but you can do it sitting or standing too. This will strengthen the core muscles and once you’re sure they’re doing their job properly you’ll be able to move on to more specific hip and leg exercises.
Take it slow and go gently...and I’d definitely check your Pred dose too.
Wishing you well and pain free!
You described that so well. I just “did it”, but thanks for clarifying.
Aquarobics is pretty good or just bobbing about in a pool. My Rheumatologist arranged an X-ray to make sure the low back pain and hip pain wasn’t something else. I do have a deterioration of the spine top and bottom. Best of all get your feet up when you can.
As long as my wife is on 11.5 pred she is able to do Zumba classes. When she has tried to taper and gone below that, she is not able to do Zumba due to that low back, hips, thighs and below the buttocks.
Joe
Hi navesjasjoe, your wife could carry on at 11.5mg for a while if reducing causes problems and then give it another go later on when it has settled down, say go to 11mg.
once I was on pred I started to see an osteopath and shortly afterwards started Pilates in a studio with one to one sessions on reformer equipment. Had gentle exercises with bands etc from osteo too for in between sessions. I love walking but built up slowly - some days not walking at all but resting. Resting and pacing are key.
I’ve done Pilates for about 14 years so when pmr struck I was devastated at not being able to go. However I spoke to my Pilates instructor and she suggested dropping down a level and taking it slowly. At first I was very sore, just lying down. My back felt lumpy and strange but as each week went on it became easier and I felt the benefits. Sometimes I’m not able to go because my body is too sore but those times are becoming fewer. I’m now able to play Tabletennis ( with the U3A) and can manage most walks. Learning to ballroom dance has been a joy except when another activity has occurred already and the energy level has been depleted. I’m a great believer in keeping moving but there are days, like yesterday, when no energy, dizziness and lethargy were the order of the day. So, did nothing except sleep and watch tv. Some days are just like that!!
Just a thought. I am recovering from hip replacement surgery. Crutches make it possible to walk. Could you borrow some, just so you can walk a bit. I find I can walk off pain in a couple of minutes.
Red Cross loans if you can't find any from friends.
Yoga works as well. Take beginner ( or chair), you go at your own pace , and the final meditation is terrific. Good luck 👍
Hello Linny I have almost identical awful hip pain to you - except that X-rays have subsequently shown that my hips are OK, and the pain us due to trapping of nerves in my lower spine, running to my hips - that FEELS exactly like hip pain. I found it hard to believe. I am told that this spine collapse and nerve trapping is is due to osteoporosis, brought on as a side effect of taking prednisolone to combat my GCA. Heyho Linny! So - don't take extra preds because of this, without seeking detailed expert medical analysis/advice - and X-rays. You may otherwise make matters worse. Good Luck.
I take Gentle Yoga classes - twice a week. It is good to stretch muscles gently with proper breathing and relaxation at the end of the class. It has helped my walking.
Linny - It's me again. I am worried about you. Are you on Prednisolone? How long have you been taking it? What is your dose history? GCA made me blind in one eye, and heavy dose Pred is being used to try to prevent me from going blind in my other eye. However, it has made me diabetic and given me osteoporosis - just a couple of the well-known side-effects. I will carry on eating them, if that means that I can continue to see - but it's a heavy price to pay!
Please do find a good consultant - probably a rheumatologist - to get to the bottom of this. Now! Regards. One-Eyed Jack
At present 9-10 mg of prednisone depending on the day. I started at 20mg, came down slowly in a year and 7 mos. I do not have GCA. I have never been out of pain, but then I guess I shouldn't expect to be. My pain is in my hips, thighs and right side of neck and shoulder. I can go days with no pain in neck and shoulder but hips, back and thighs always have pain. It is, of course, worse when I have tried to get something accomplished. You know like doing the dishes! I see a pretty good rheumatologist and she thinks I am doing fine, though she pretty much discounts the horrific fatigue that I suffer from. Thinking of looking for an intern-nest that can go over my entire system and make sure nothing more is problematic. I am so terribly weary of it all. Had Fibromyalgia for 20 years before this.
Thanks for listening
I am participating in a health recovery class with Tai Chi. Many I. The class have Parkinson's and other issues. But I think it is very good and keeps me moving
I started to get relief within a month going to pool exercises/stretches. The focus is strengthening gently and offers a range of movement to help with referred pain issues that occur over time when PMR symptoms are relentless. It is not an aerobics class in the usual sence. It has allowed me movement when i thought i couldn't. We build strength as is regular. Surely it helps muscles rehydrate, and bloodflow.? These were positive babysteps to begin with.
OK Linny - I see. My whole episode started only about 8 months ago - and I was put on 60 mg preds after losing sight in right eye, to try to save the left one. Now you tell the fuller story, I can see that your case is different. Fibromyalgia. 20 years of pain - Oh dear - dear Linny!
Why don't you expect to be out of pain Linny? You do have the right to expect the system to try their best to achieve at least that for you.
I am 78 now, so must expect some system failures, I guess. You don't sound so old, so you shouldn't have to live in pain like that. Do ask the Doc (again?) what can be done about that. I must admit that I have tried the usual paracetamol - then codeine - co-codamol - tramadol - something else that I have forgotten - and finally morphine. Frankly they didn't help too much - not in the doses that they allow me, anyway. Now I'm on self-prescribed Scotch Whiskey instead, where I can dose myself as needed. I suppose that I shouldn't recommend it - but it does take the edge off for me!
Where do you hail from Linny? I am from the Surrey/Sussex border, South of Guildford.
Linny - I will carry on thinking of you. Take care.
I am from the USA in the state of Ohio. Lovely little rural town. I have never been able to take any of the narcotics. However, I have been wondering about marijuana but my dr. doesn't prescribe it. I will be 70 in two months, never drank but considering taking it on.
Take Care
Linny
I have a friend who has relatives in Ohio. He loves it. There is a place where they all jump in the river and sit in car tyre tubes - and go bobbing down to the town. I don't know how they get back!
What is the name of your town? - I would like to have a look on Google Earth. I live in a little village called Wonersh in England. There's a nice pub in the centre of the village - built in about 1450. Strange to think that the guys who built it didn't know that America existed.
I hadn't thought of marijuana. Hmmm. Maybe I will look into that.
Nice talking to you
Arthur
I live outside valley city. Loudenville is where you go tubing and wherever you get the tubes from will pick you up at the bottom of the river. It is wonderful. My sister owns a cabin and land there and is right on the banks of the river. It is super fun. Of course I haven't been tubing in years and probably never will be able to go. Bummer!
Good meeting you
Linda
I would suggest it isn't exercise you need - that is exaccerbating your problem which might well be trochanteric bursitis or probably myofascial pain syndrome which is causing the low back pain and causing referred pain into the upper legs via the sciatic nerve. A good physiotherapist should be able to tell you the state of your back muscles - I have exactly the same sort of low back pain/hip pain and physio works on the spasmed muscles and the rheumy or GP does local steroid injections (not into the joints).
I have looked at your Valley City and "driven" down its streets on Google Earth - What a really lovely place Linny, as you said. Have you found my inn in Wonersh (The Grantley Arms)?
Wouldn't it be good if I came over there, and we both smoked some of the weed that you talked of - then jumped (or more likely fell) in that river with our tubes? I see that its not far from you. This is the stuff that dreams are made of - as Shakespeare once said. Heyho!
The more I think about your Marijuana option - the more I like it - for you - and for me. It's devilishly hard to get over here though.
You do have compensations Linny - Not always easy to focus on though - I'm sure.
Arthur
Your town looks so quaint. Just like the movies. Definietly English. Thank you for sharing
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