Lifting Weights with Arthritis?

lizpitts

I have severe arthritis in one knee and moderate arthritis in both shoulders. Currently my only workout is the pool. I jog in chest deep water for 30 to 50 minutes 6 days a week and do 20 minutes of upper and lower body exercises 4 or 5 days a week. I'd really like to add some weight lifting to that to build strength and muscle. I can do bicep curls, seated row, flys, chest press and leg press but with a very low weight.
Any ideas about what I can add to that very short list?

gxmiller31

This may not apply to you, but when I turned 60 I developed arthritis pain in my right wrist, thumb, elbow, ankle, knee, basically I was suddenly afflicted and couldn't lift and move as I had in the past. It took me a over a year to figure out that gluten, a pro-inflammatory, was making my arthritic joints swollen and very painful. I eliminated gluten from my diet and within a week I felt WAY better.

It may not help you but it worked wonders for me. You might read up on it, maybe test it out.

susanrechter

Sounds like the OP gets a good amount of daily exercise. I'm impressed.
I heard that sugar is a culprit when it comes to arthritis. Arthritis, inflammation of the joints, may be aggravated by sugar, sugar may feed the inflammation. We need carbohydrates for energy so I am figuring simple sugars, candies, cakes, may create high blood sugar levels contributing to the inflammation.There was also something about how sugar creates oxidation. It's all sort of a domino effect, one thing leads to another. I know my arthritis acts up when I eat too much refined sugars and that includes cakes, so the gluten may be a trigger as well.

susanrechter

If you're already exercising in the pool, why not add pool weights to your program? See how that goes and if it aggravates your arthritis.

lizpitts

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm Type 2 diabetic so my sugar is VERY limited. I don't eat any refined sugar but do have a little fruit. I don't eat a lot of wheat but I probably need to cut it out altogether. I've used water 'weights' some but I'm having a hard time finding new exercises for them. I think I need to google more...lol. I'll try no gluten and see if that helps. It sucks that bread is SO convenient!