I have started exercising daily in order to keep mobile, shed some weight and work on returning to work. Unfortunately it's not going to well. I walked 4 miles and during my walk my knees were burning in pain, the tendon on my left knee was sending sharp pains off and on. My heels both burned and the tendon up the back of my heel on my right foot tightened right up and eventually released. By mile 3 my hips were burning and I know my stride was changing, due to accommodating for pain but I soldiered on. That night sleeping was a pain the tendon in my right knee felt like someone was twisting my leg, my hips were in screaming pain...needles to say I got limited sleep.
Now this wasn't the first time this has happened, in fact this is what happens almost every time I work out! I'm currently writing this from my bed as I'm pretty limited as to what I can do today. Yesterday I hit the weights, like I have in the past. Unfortunately my tendons and ligaments from my shoulder around the back and into the neck are all seized up, I'm in pain and that right knee is a problem. Needless to say it was another sleepless night...and this is not abnormal for me because I refuse to give in and continue to solider on and try to ignore this darn disease. There are positives to this...I have lost 3lbs...which is great because this last year I packed on 25lbs and I am pretty sure that weight gain is not good for the joints! Stretching...although it hurts to get on the floor and do it..it feels so good and some stretches I don't even have to sit on the floor to do!!
My questions are...
Does anyone else find that exercise creates pain afterwards? Basically I feel like I have ran a marathon every time I work out. I know what it feels like to run a marathon, I have ran one ;-)
Does this get better with time? Will my tendons, muscles, ligaments ease up, rather then act like a shark and clench down for days every time I work them?
Does this pain mean damage may be occurring or am I just out of shape?
Does this mean my disease is not controlled or is it just life with PSA?
Feed back would be greatly appreciated! Happy New Year!! <3
P.S I kicked the smoking habit...over 3 months smoke free and I am loving the freedom! Thanks to Allan Carrs Easy way to quit ;-)
Hi TaraLynn, you are describing exactly what happens to me but in a lot less than four miles! Good on you for keeping going. I've been able to maintain/improve my range of movement with hydrotherapy and over time my exercise tolerance in the water has increased as well but anything on land sets off my knees and hips until I'm unable to sleep/move for the pain.
I don't have any answers to your questions just a similar experience. I've also put on a similar amount of weight. I'm seeing my rheumy tomorrow and have alot of this covered in the questions I'm planning on asking him. If I get any enlightening answers I'll let you know.
I would like to know the answers of those questions too. I never had much stamina, I could never run or lift weights, and I would always get tired really easily. But I had found yoga as a sport I can love and do without much restraint. I haven't been able to even do yoga since my first big flare in May. I want to exercise but I don't know how. And I don't know what would be beneficial for me and what would cause even more damage. I'm thinking about seeing my physical therapist this month (I went to pt for my scoliosis) and ask those questions. I too shall let you know if I get some answers.
Thanks for the reply Jules! I sure wish we had a pool because I would love to start hydrotherapy! We are planning a move to a bigger community one day soon and I am looking forward to being able to do hydrotherapy. I see my rheumy on the 13th and will be talking to her about this as well.
Sorry that you have a similar experience but it's also nice to know I am not alone. I have been pushing through the pain, probably not a great thing to do but I really want to see what my limitations are and the outcome from pushing myself a little more. I have a knee support that is a fantastic aid and just ordered some k tape to help support various joints as well. I went from an avid runner a year and a half ago..to not being able to walk a mile with out pain. I use to stop when I felt some pain but now I push through a little more. Sometimes the pain comes and goes but after a few days of doing the same it's increased and my mobility is limited. For instance my muscles are all tense....even though I did stretching and Epsom salt baths...my muscles tend to remain tight for a day or two after. Trying to find a happy medium that will allow me to burn calories, exercise my joints and mental health (exercise lifts my spirits) and still function.
Jules said:
Hi TaraLynn, you are describing exactly what happens to me but in a lot less than four miles! Good on you for keeping going. I've been able to maintain/improve my range of movement with hydrotherapy and over time my exercise tolerance in the water has increased as well but anything on land sets off my knees and hips until I'm unable to sleep/move for the pain.
I don't have any answers to your questions just a similar experience. I've also put on a similar amount of weight. I'm seeing my rheumy tomorrow and have alot of this covered in the questions I'm planning on asking him. If I get any enlightening answers I'll let you know.
I have had similar experience as the rest - I heart after I work out. I gave up to be honest.
There are few points to consider. Everyone gets muscles etc pain for first month at most of working out for the first time. That pain goes away with time (unless over training occurs).
Pain from OA and permanent damage goes away with rest.
Pain from inflammation doesn’t follow the above logic ACCEPT for one thing - sit down for a long period of time and it’s all over. You are going to turn to a board and hurt more. Light stretching and walking helps as long as you drink fluids (water is best).
Thanks ladylazarus, I find yoga difficult because my muscles are so tight in my body! I have been doing some and it feels so good to stretch but my flexibility has rapidly diminished this past year and a half! I have to modify most poses and my knees are really bad so many things are limited depending on the pain levels. I registered for a 2 hr introduction to yoga biomechanics ...yoga for pack pain on January 17th. I contacted the instructor noting my limitations and he said this could really benefit me, so I am really excited! I saw a therapist but was basically told I know what to do and listen to my body. It's challenging because for me this disease tends to vary in what joints are impacted, although my hips, shoulders and knees are always an issue the pain levels are up and down. Probably because of an increase and decrease in inflammation! I think yoga and hydrotherapy are probably two of the best things we can do for our body.
Problem for me is...I want to hike,bike,do a tough mudder,join friends in eco challenges, be active, have an active occupation and maybe one day run again...I know that's dreaming but I want to keep really active!
ladylazarus said:
I would like to know the answers of those questions too. I never had much stamina, I could never run or lift weights, and I would always get tired really easily. But I had found yoga as a sport I can love and do without much restraint. I haven't been able to even do yoga since my first big flare in May. I want to exercise but I don't know how. And I don't know what would be beneficial for me and what would cause even more damage. I'm thinking about seeing my physical therapist this month (I went to pt for my scoliosis) and ask those questions. I too shall let you know if I get some answers.
Good points mataribot. So the goal is to get the inflammation down (which I am doing with treatment and diet), find a happy medium and live with it. I actually can't sit too long or my hips scream, my body seizes up...have to move through out the day. I went from doing nothing to now being able to do my daily house hold chores( cooking, cleaning, vacuuming) with out any big pain. I am planing to return to work next month so I need to be able to do more. Walking a mile is fairly tolerable... maybe I need to just slow it down a bit. mataribot said:
I have had similar experience as the rest - I heart after I work out. I gave up to be honest.
There are few points to consider. Everyone gets muscles etc pain for first month at most of working out for the first time. That pain goes away with time (unless over training occurs).
Pain from OA and permanent damage goes away with rest.
Pain from inflammation doesn't follow the above logic ACCEPT for one thing - sit down for a long period of time and it's all over. You are going to turn to a board and hurt more. Light stretching and walking helps as long as you drink fluids (water is best).
That’s the idea. I hating too. I get mad at my wife when she makes me sit in the car while she shops. I walk 4 miles every day for work. That’s all she wrote for me.
TaraLynn said:
Good points mataribot. So the goal is to get the inflammation down (which I am doing with treatment and diet), find a happy medium and live with it. I actually can't sit too long or my hips scream, my body seizes up...have to move through out the day. I went from doing nothing to now being able to do my daily house hold chores( cooking, cleaning, vacuuming) with out any big pain. I am planing to return to work next month so I need to be able to do more. Walking a mile is fairly tolerable... maybe I need to just slow it down a bit. mataribot said:
I have had similar experience as the rest - I heart after I work out. I gave up to be honest.
There are few points to consider. Everyone gets muscles etc pain for first month at most of working out for the first time. That pain goes away with time (unless over training occurs).
Pain from OA and permanent damage goes away with rest.
Pain from inflammation doesn't follow the above logic ACCEPT for one thing - sit down for a long period of time and it's all over. You are going to turn to a board and hurt more. Light stretching and walking helps as long as you drink fluids (water is best).
I walk two miles from car to work and 2 more from work to car. Can you believe we have no shuttle? My hips scream before I get to my desk. I take shoes off in car.
sybil said:
I know you’re an athlete but I think you probably do need to slow down or to do different forms of exercise. I can swim as far and nearly as fast as I ever could but I don’t think I could lift weights, maybe some little ones …
Walking a mile is an okay workout, walking two is good … do you need to walk 4 miles in order to build stamina and strength? I’d have thought not, though I suspect you have more technical understanding of this than I do. I’m pretty sure you can get back to fitness with a less taxing regime though.
TaraLynn, I know exactly what you mean! As a fairly young person (26), one of the most frustrating things for me is not being as active as I want to be. Or, at least, not as active as I think I should be :) But I somehow made peace with it years ago. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Sendrome when I was 18, and even though it is not a disease that can cause damage or turn into something worse, it definitely has a huge impact on your quality of life! I felt like I was flushing down all the energy I had LOL. And being as young as 18, accepting my body's limitations was even harder. Now PsA has limited me even more! But the thing is, even though you learn to push through it, you have to accept that your body has new limits now. I don't mean to upset you by saying this, please don't get me wrong. What I can say from my experience is, your body has limits, and it actually doesn't really matter how much you try to push through it, there will always be a limit to what you can do, your body won't allow for more.
But why be upset about it? Doesn't everybody has limits, one way or the other? Our bodies may be a little more limited, so what? All we have to do is learn to listen to our body, and cooperate. And that is one of the things you learn from yoga. As a matter of fact, I had learned that my body still had limits, but was not as limited as I thought it was :)
What I am trying to say is: listen to your body. Push as hard as you can but do not push harder than your body allows you to. And you will be just fine :)
TaraLynn said:
Problem for me is...I want to hike,bike,do a tough mudder,join friends in eco challenges, be active, have an active occupation and maybe one day run again...I know that's dreaming but I want to keep really active!
Yes, I have seen a PT and swimming would be great but we have no pool on our little Island. I am also using a stationary cycle as well as walking, yoga and light weights. This has been a gradual process a year and a half ago I could barley walk, make dinner or do just daily tasks so I have come a long way...just not where I had hoped to be but maybe I need to just step it back a notch :-) Congratulations on your year and a half quit, that is awesome! Feels amazing!! rosen said:
My physical therapist and doctors have recommended low impact exercise- water aerobics and recumbent bike. Have you gone to PT yet?
Great job on quitting smoking!!! I quit a year and a half ago, and it still feels great!
You're absolutely right Sybil... I need to step it down a notch and go a little slower as my body is obviously not adjusting to this. It's hard to find that happy medium because a week ago my husband and I walked 6 miles with no issues however I think I stepped up the pace a bit on this one and maybe need a rest day here and there. I have been walking almost daily and minimum a mile for several months now. The weights I am lifting are light...10lb kettle bells and 10lb dumbbells which is light compared to the old me...
I am usually good at listening to my body and felt really great after my work out until last night when I started to seize up and believe me the pain of last night and tonight...it's not worth it! My husband gave me a lecture tonight...too much too fast.
sybil said:
I know you're an athlete but I think you probably do need to slow down or to do different forms of exercise. I can swim as far and nearly as fast as I ever could but I don't think I could lift weights, maybe some little ones ..... :)
Walking a mile is an okay workout, walking two is good .... do you need to walk 4 miles in order to build stamina and strength? I'd have thought not, though I suspect you have more technical understanding of this than I do. I'm pretty sure you can get back to fitness with a less taxing regime though.
I can totally understand what you are saying...just venting and wanting to know what others have experienced or know when it comes to exercise, increased activity :-) I have been gradually increasing my activity for the past year or more. I spent months working towards regaining my mobility through medication, diet changes and very slowly increasing activity. When my disease progressed I was lucky if I could make dinner so I have come along way :-)
It's tough when your mind says go go go but your body says nope. What I can do varies so it's challenging to predict what is enough and I have the mind set of pushing a little more some times... I was in my late 20's when I first started having flares. I also was told I have IBS...I was very fortunate to have a really great functioning life for many years while living with this disease. Life is still great...life is just a little more challenging at times :-)
ladylazarus said:
TaraLynn, I know exactly what you mean! As a fairly young person (26), one of the most frustrating things for me is not being as active as I want to be. Or, at least, not as active as I think I should be :) But I somehow made peace with it years ago. I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Sendrome when I was 18, and even though it is not a disease that can cause damage or turn into something worse, it definitely has a huge impact on your quality of life! I felt like I was flushing down all the energy I had LOL. And being as young as 18, accepting my body's limitations was even harder. Now PsA has limited me even more! But the thing is, even though you learn to push through it, you have to accept that your body has new limits now. I don't mean to upset you by saying this, please don't get me wrong. What I can say from my experience is, your body has limits, and it actually doesn't really matter how much you try to push through it, there will always be a limit to what you can do, your body won't allow for more.
But why be upset about it? Doesn't everybody has limits, one way or the other? Our bodies may be a little more limited, so what? All we have to do is learn to listen to our body, and cooperate. And that is one of the things you learn from yoga. As a matter of fact, I had learned that my body still had limits, but was not as limited as I thought it was :)
What I am trying to say is: listen to your body. Push as hard as you can but do not push harder than your body allows you to. And you will be just fine :)
TaraLynn said:
Problem for me is...I want to hike,bike,do a tough mudder,join friends in eco challenges, be active, have an active occupation and maybe one day run again...I know that's dreaming but I want to keep really active!
Really Sybil...I am kidding however in the back of my mind I would love...love ....love to do a tough mudder! A tough mudder is a series of obstacle races..will post a link below :-)
My knees have been brutal the past while...in fact my husband was just saying tonight that they really have seemed to have gotten worse just the past 6 months. I am doing a 2 hour introductory to yoga on the 17th. Looking forward to trying that!
Do a tough what?? Please translate 'cos I want to know whether I want to do one too!
You will do all this stuff in time. Are your knees damaged at all? Mine have pretty bad OA but since the inflammation's been under control I've managed a shambolic sort of run .... I can still handle hill walking quite happily though. The sloooow things can be fabulous for loosening up, Tai Chi makes me limber in a way that aerobic exercise doesn't.
TaraLynn said:
Problem for me is...I want to hike,bike,do a tough mudder,join friends in eco challenges, be active, have an active occupation and maybe one day run again...I know that's dreaming but I want to keep really active!
I take an anti inflammatory when I first get up. Get my daughter off to school then do 30 minutes of yoga to get everything warmed up and stretched out. Then do a 4 mile jog or body weight exercises on my total gym. I found it a lot easier then free weights. If I’m flaring then I don’t do the yoga or the jogging and just do 2 hours of Pilates on the total gym. Keeping active and lots of stretches is the key. Take your time and ease into a work out that you enjoy, and pain is not a good thing, don’t press your limits.
Shutterbug you have yourself a good routine! I was doing alright but poof...I think I may have pushed it a little too much. My mobility also seems to vary day to day so chances are my disease is not well managed.
It felt good at the time but the pain the days after is not worth it so I will chill out a bit. I'm not taking an anti inflammatory however after reading this, I just took a celebrex...It's been a two days and this needs to ease up a bit so hopefully the Celebrex helps. I'm not sure I will ever run or jog again as my knees are pretty bad now....maybe in a pool :-)
Shutterbug said:
I take an anti inflammatory when I first get up. Get my daughter off to school then do 30 minutes of yoga to get everything warmed up and stretched out. Then do a 4 mile jog or body weight exercises on my total gym. I found it a lot easier then free weights. If I'm flaring then I don't do the yoga or the jogging and just do 2 hours of Pilates on the total gym. Keeping active and lots of stretches is the key. Take your time and ease into a work out that you enjoy, and pain is not a good thing, don't press your limits.
Ironically, the PsA started in very soon after I quit smoking. Even though this disease has messed with my life in a major way, I honestly prefer it to how I felt smoking. I've got pneumonia right now (ugh) and it feels like how I felt normally when I smoked.
Congrats on your progress with exercise! I'm not quite there, but am making inroads and before I got sick had been exercising regularly again. I can't do yoga because I'm hyper mobile and apparently it's bad to hyperextend my joints like that (who knew?) but I've found the balancing/strengthening exercises help way more with joint pain anyway. The combination of Humira and PT for my hip has been AWESOME. :)
TaraLynn said:
Yes, I have seen a PT and swimming would be great but we have no pool on our little Island. I am also using a stationary cycle as well as walking, yoga and light weights. This has been a gradual process a year and a half ago I could barley walk, make dinner or do just daily tasks so I have come a long way...just not where I had hoped to be but maybe I need to just step it back a notch :-) Congratulations on your year and a half quit, that is awesome! Feels amazing!! rosen said:
My physical therapist and doctors have recommended low impact exercise- water aerobics and recumbent bike. Have you gone to PT yet?
Great job on quitting smoking!!! I quit a year and a half ago, and it still feels great!
We have free yoga sessions at the university where I work starting later on this month. Every Wednesday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., My boss said she'll she'll sign up with me.
Maybe I'll go for it--I'll ask my physical therapist what she thinks. With my back and leg pain, I really don't want to aggravate anything!
I have found that movement is the best treatment, but I listen to my body. If there is real pain then I do something different, but I keep moving. Getting fit for shoes will also make a huge difference.
