The posts yesterday about swimming have really made me think….after six weeks on preds after PMR diagnosis, I can walk about half an hour with a rest half way through, before I get tired. Preds have largely taken away stiffness and pain. I’ve always been a strong swimmer and loved sea swimming as often as I can , including Winter! I haven’t swum since September, and been a bit scared to, thinking I can’t do both…. But wondering about a gentle pool swim? I don’t want to jeopardise my walks, as I love getting out with dog and partner in fresh air.
I should add that my walking time had increased by the end of my first month on preds, but since then, reducing from 15 to 12.5g 12 days ago, half hour is maximum.
Many thanks.
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Freshairfiend
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I shocked myself getting into a pool in Ibiza expecting to be able to do a length as usual. I found that I simply didn’t have the stamina and almost got into difficulties in the deep end. I suspect it is something else that has to be built up gradually. I found it much more strenuous than the walks I had been doing. I ran out of puff quite quickly.
I thought I would be okay swimming recently. We visited our daughter in Sydney and used her pool, which was quite cool. I thought I would be able to swim a length and like you struggled a bit in the deep end. Fortunately I was close to the edge. I thought that as I walk ver 20,000 steps at times swimming a length would be easy!
Aquafit in a warm pool has been my saviour all through PMR, especially the first 5 pred-free years. Then I had a hiatus as I couldn't find anything suitable here. but have found a group run by the local rheuma charity. Knackered after 45 minutes but it makes such a difference.
I’m not sure about the UK pools and equipment ( paddle boards and pull buoys). I would start with pool easy swim workouts with doing 100meters and slowly working up to your goal. Look up swim workouts for Masters (60+yrs) online and pick those that you have the equipment for to swim efficiently without strain. My coaching rule: “Slow is Fast” when you swim relaxed and correctly. Focus on each stroke and kick relaxed only to keep your bum near the surface of the water. I’m back surfing after 22 months of pred and been pred-free going on 2 yrs. You can do it and this group is a great resource that I still visit for information and many thanks to all that helped me. Good luck to you!!!
My rule of thumb is start preposterously low and work up. So a light indoor pool swim, perhaps keeping your hairdo and lipstick dry, then building up. See how you are after a day or two and then crank it up a bit if you feel ok. Pred/PMR musculoskeletal structures tend not to like heavy repetition. The energy you have is a bit false and of unknown reliability. As you get lower and your adrenal glands are needing to work to make up the short-fall, beware of shocks, for example cold. Your cortisol output may not be up to it but they were fine when you were changing into your cozzie.
Paddling along on a lilo specially bought for me by the family, with a head rest, using my arms to direct me in a shallow tidal lagoon, has left me with painful shoulders a clumsy arms. Fortunately just the next day. Being pulled along by my husband caused Aussie mirth and comments like “ that’s the life”! Sigh! 😉. Saved by a massive tropical storm 200 mm of rain today. Beautiful - my book at last.
I swam regularly three times per week for most of my life but five years ago when I started pred 15mg, swimming was making my hips worse so I stopped swimming then, and haven't returned even though am now on 3mg. So try swimming go slowly and not for long and gradually build up if it is ok.
Why not? For me swimming was like a gentle massage unlike any other exercise. I have swam before PMR and continued with it after about 2 months pause. Slowly I have built stamina back to 100 laps (2.5Km), which is my usual distance. So I would say start slow as soon as possible. Regular exercise relaxes muscles and keeps them strong. Swimming is unique in a way that combines workout and stretching at the same time.
I started swimming again as I used to swim 3 times a week before PMR. I swim once a week but only half lengths. Be careful not to over do it because although you feel great in the water, the next day can be painful!
I too have started swimming again but I built up gradually, adding a length or two each time. I definitely don’t have the stamina or strength I used to have. I also found I couldn’t maintain one stroke for a long time so I mix it up - a few lengths breaststroke, then crawl, backstroke and then maybe use a float to do only legs.
The trouble is that your body doesn't signal at the time it was too much - DOMS is, as it says, delayed.
Swimming involves a lot of work by shoulders and hips - areas heavily involved in PMR inflammation. Hips get a bashing when walking. Which is why you must start ridiculously low and build up very slowly with rest days to assess.
Since I realised the role of stress and being unhappy had had on my illness, my motto became "do whatever makes you happy". Swimming is like a meditation for me and I am entirely pain free in the water, and I am in no doubt about the physical and mental benefits. I would say that if you love swimming, go for it, and enjoy it. Give it a go and see what your body says. Standard advice, start small and build up. Be prepared to have less stamina than normal and possibly you may not have full range of movement, so you may have to adapt the strokes that you are able to manage. You can use floats as an aid, if you need them. I tire more easily and I am a bit slower than I used to be, and I need to nap after a swimming session, but I had to retire because of my illness, so I can do what I want now.
You have motivated me to return to swimming....another piece of advice I heard from a Buddhist, is count each and every length or width as 1, no pressure then to do more than 1...clever meditation.
I swim regularly, and the benefits are huge, especially as I suffer from arthritis as well. All my issues with my joints seem to vanish when I’m in the water. However, I agree with everyone who says build up gradually. Even without a condition such as PMR, when you get into the water after a period without swimming you will have lost fitness and stamina, and will need to start with short distances. I would say that pool swimming would be a safe and easily controlled place to start. Good luck
note my diagnosis is Adult onset Stills disease which for me manifests as Rheumatoid disease and my entire body is stiff and sore but I’m pred free.
I have other stuff going on at the moment but try to swim twice a week in a warm small pool managing about 8 lengths. It helps joint mobility I think and the jacuzzi is great. Since my BP has been low I’ve found the steam and sauna too hot and make me feel faint which is a shame as the steam room really helps ease my joints.
Usual caveat - everyone is different. I’ve never had a problem swimming with PMR. In fact I’ve found it comforting and helpful. I have however had a problem at times being so knackered that I couldn’t manage to get out the house to do it!
three weeks after diagnosis we had paid for our holiday in southern florida, a villa with a pool, & the sea close by. I swam every day & found no problems at all! I went swimming in the sea as I normally do, surrounded by a group of pelicans! Whilst on 15mg I was full of energy, & did everything! I hadn’t discovered this site by then, & had no idea about PMR! I’m allergic to chlorine so the non chlorine pools & sea in Florida were wonderful!
Wish it had lasted! The rot soon came back. I already had fibromyalgia, which isn’t helped by steroids, but the huge…to me…dosage helped my energy levels for that 3 weeks of holiday!
when I first had pmr, but before diagnosis, I was in a lot of pain. I found that when I went swimming it was the only time I was pain free.
It also helped give me a sense of normality because I have always swum several times a week. At the moment I just can’t because I’m trying to get over covid and am struggling to breathe, but can’t wait to get back in the water.
So yes, I think swimming would be a good idea. Obviously don’t go mad, take it easy and enjoy.
Hi - like you I love swimming and having had 2 new knees (pre PMR) I found it was the best exercise for me because it was easy on the new joints. Having been diagnosed with PMR and finding any exercise exhausting I was really nervous about the swimming but decided to take the plunge (🤣) initially in our local pool. As others have said the first length was really difficult so I started just walking and bobbling in the shallower end until my confidence increased- after about 4 weeks I could manage about 10 lengths - just a fraction of what I’d managed previously, but still better than nothing. That was 18 months ago and I’ve continued with 2 or 3 times a week + aqua aerobics a couple of times. Additionally I’ve returned to sea swimming / wave skipping with friends. Again nothing like I used to do but still a real morale booster, particularly on those days when PMR can feel quite depressing. Just start slowly, don’t attempt to much too soon and enjoy what you can do. Good luck x
I also love swimming and walking , last year I had increased my walking and up the swimming to 20 mins hard push, I thought I was doing good but in fact I was exhausting myself and found at night my body had returned to discomfort. I have now slowed it all down and cope much better keeping everything calmer but moving. So I would say swim, walk but don’t push .
Aqua fit (not swimming laps) was the best exercise for me during the first 4 years of my PMR journey. It provided cardio, muscle strengthening and valuable stretching all in one. Unfortunately about a year ago it began to feel much more difficult to do, and then work began on our community centre and the pool will be closed until Sept/24.
I still managed some exercises in our pool during the summer months, but I also walk more now due to the last Dexascan results and need for more weight-bearing exercise.
My daily swim in the Ngunguru Estuary, NZ, is the high point of my day. I start when the water gets warm enough in November and continue through until early May. 35 minutes of gentle swimming with the tide, about 1.8 km by Google Maps. Always something interesting, this time of year, it's the Godwits: we have about 60 here, they fly non-stop for 11 days direct from Alaska. I wear a florescent yellow hat and tow a bright yellow 'floatie' to prevent getting mown down by power boats or jet skis. A few years ago, I managed 150 'estuaries', this year maybe not so many as I started late. It helps with weight control and definitely eases the PMR / GCA aches and pains.
Hi! I was a regular fitness swimmer when I was dealing with PMR over a decade ago. At first I had the same reluctance as you to get back into the pool as I was so stiff and sore. What I found was that it was the single best form of exercise. Yes, you will need to start very very slowly for a warmup and yes, your swim will be at a slower pace BUT and I cannot emphasise this enough, after a few very slow lengths feeling very stiff and sore, I could feel the pain begin to ebb away and some flexibility return and was able to do a modest swim of front and back stroke (I dislike breast stroke myself, but it might suit others ). And most amazing of all, after I got out I would feel about 80% of the pain just.... gone. For most of the rest of the day, for whatever reason (endorphins?), I'd have much better flexibility and never had a rebound where I felt worse later or the next day. This response included a period when I was only on high dose ibuprofen, not proper care with prednisalone, before proper diagnosis. Swimming was actually the way I could cope with the early weeks of knowing something was wrong, and having a good idea from Dr Google, but not yet having seen a rheumy and having a lot of pain (ibuprofen not too much help of course).
I'd take this was a strong 'your mileage may vary' caution, and also, I was just over 50 rather than nearly 65, as I am now . But I would love to see research done on swimming and pain relief for PMR because whatever biological process was happening, I actually would feel nearly back to normal for hours post-swim (which I really cherished), without the stiffness or most of the pain. In short, swimming gently for 30-40+ minutes was the equivalent of a major dose of painkillers for me. I would guess any gentle aqua-exercise would help so many with PMR, for reasons others note -- anyone can do it, you are supported by the water, your movements are slowed anyway, you get some resistance exercise and burn some calories, you get the endorphin rush after, it's social... of course there's always the challenge of getting into a snug swimsuit BEFORE the swim 😆😆 which always took me a while (easier for men than for us women!). But for those who can manage to get to a pool and keep in mind they'll likely need 10-15 minutes to gently warm up in the pool, I think swimming or other water exercise potentially brings major benefits. If trying a sea swim of course be with people, stay in a very safe area and keep in mind you'd not have the normal reaction times and so on butI'd think quite possibly, the cold water would also have its benefits alongside the swim. Though I preferred a heated pool!
Finally: it's so important with PMR go have those mental and physical spaces that allow us to be who we are (and remember who we are!!!). If you are already a swimmer, absolutely do not give this up and maybe try my approach of the 10-15 minute very very slow warmup then gradually see what you're capable of. Oh also: you might find short workout fins very helpful as they give legs more power and take pressure off shoulders for swim strokes. Best of luck!!!
I did aquafit every day Mon-Fri, also before pred, and the earlier I had the class, the better day I had. I could even manage Pilates or Iyengha yoga afterwards - no chance without! Had to be warm water though - I seized up otherwise. I think it is as simple as vasodilation and better blood flow to the muscles. The sauna or steamroom also helped but not as much.
Hi Freshairfriend, I love swimming and go to local pool 4 days a week and do 40 length have never stopped even when I was told I had PMR and always feel good after xx
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