Exercise with joint pain ideas??

jungefrau

Hey all, I am 46, female, and trying to lose some wt. I am 5 feet 7 inches and weigh 151 pounds and despite being at or below my 1300 cal/day plan for over a month now I have lost -- ta da! -- less than a pound.

When I was younger I was active with jogging and tennis and whatever. Then as I've aged it's like my skeleton is falling apart. I have chronic ankle, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder, wrist, and even finger pain. I've been to docs and they all say nothing is wrong - but it's taken its toll on me mentally and physically.

I walk my dog every morning for at least 30 minutes and sometimes longer. I have a mini trampoline and I can handle 15 minutes of that every other day. I cannot run or use a bicycle or even walk too quickly.

Does anyone know of an exercise (btw, I have no access to a pool, although that would be great) that I could do on a regular basis that will burn calories and not require a morphine drip? Any advice is appreciated.

Jennifer ^__^

icimani

Have you thought about one of the active video games like Wii Fit or Kinnect?

I bought the Wii Fit 2 years ago and it really helped me to start moving. I still use it - I played Wii tennis last weekend and burned off 250 calories. I also do some of the Wii Fit games like Step and the Obstacle Course. It gives me a decent workout (not great, but decent) and it's FUN!

blisterpeanuts

Maybe you could go to a local gym and try their various cardio machines as well as weight bearing machines (Nautilus or equivalent). If you don't have a membership, some places will give you a courtesy pass for a day to try it out. It's possible there are some things you can do (elliptical machine? treadmill? cardio class?) that won't stress your joints too much.

The nice thing about Nautilus is that you can start small and increase the workout very gradually over a period of months, steadily building up your musculature. The gym might have an in-house trainer who will work with you for a fee or perhaps a free-hour-for-new-members type of deal.

Also, I think you should consider consulting a different doctor because the problems you're describing don't sound like "nothing" to me.

best of luck,
BP

RosaC773

Piloxing is a great workout - it is a mix of pilates and boxing. I do piloxing at my gym, and the moves are not harsh on the joints.

Take a look at a couple of videos, so you can see what it is.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/47968309

http://www.piloxing.com/about/

jungefrau

The piloxing idea sounds good and I will take a look!

Re the weights: Fortunately I can lift weights and do a free weight routine every day (upper one day, bottom next day). I'm actually sorta taut except for the jelly over my belly.

I also have a Wii and have used that but I have found that even the tennis and bowling are too painful. I probably have some stupid autoimmune disease that is making me miserable. :-( I had frozen shoulders for almost 2 years and that makes stuff difficult.

MammaC66

I have a Gazelle Elliptical, and I can exercise on it with virtually no joint pain. It is a great workout, too.

OK_Girl

You sound JUST like me, are we related? I have arthritis in my spine, hips, knees and feet as well as ring and pinky fingers. I can walk, but if I walk too long, or too fast- pain town. I can walk 30-45 minutes, and it has been helping. I take breaks around 20 minutes, drink some water, then finish the walk.

You can look at my diary if you want to see what I am eating and doing for exercise.

I do Debra Mazda Shapely Girl aerobic tapes, sometimes I do the step ones too, although I did it on the floor w/o a step to begin with. her regular aerobics are good too. Many fitness and workout intensities to follow.

Are you wearing comfortable shoes? Stretching? Using heat? I take some pain killers before my walk, and I save a HOT shower for when I am done. It helps.

melbatoast917

When I first started, I had serious joint pain and arthritis in my knees. I started out on the Cybex recumbant. As I lost weight, I started to use the Arc trainer and the treadmill. Now that I've lost 70 pounds I have zero joint pain and am able to run. Don't give up. Work with what you have and find something that works.

edlybrook

I also use an elliptical...I have knee problems but I'm now up to an hour 3 times a week with no pain. Good luck!

Tempe729

Elliptical! Great cardio workout and little impact on joints :flowerforyou:

OK_Girl

I agree. Peripheral joint pain is not normal. Unless your Dr has sent you to a rheumatologsist, who has done imaging, I would be asking for a referral. GP's aren't qualified to diagnose or RULE OUT autoimmune disorders. You could have rheumatoid, osteo, lupis, the list goes on. IF there is no mechanical reasons-osteophytes, etc- then look for inflammatory issues, asp if you have digestive issues as well.

Just my two cents from someone whos been there, done that for the last 20yrs

trackercasey76

Swim!! It will help keep the pressure off from your joints and is GREAT exersize.

RainHoward

The problem with doctors and joint pain is that if they can't see it on an x-ray it doesn't exist. Most caused of joint pain are much more subtle than that and many times will only show up under an MRI or something similar.

recumbent bicycles are easier on the joints than the standard design. A good elliptical is pretty low impact. Tai Chi is another option. While many people scoff at it as an exercise it is excellent for toning, stretching and gently working muscles and joints. Some of the pilates equipment is pretty low impact *kitten* well.

I have similar issues with my body and deal with chronic pain.

Kimberbuzz

It's so hard to keep exercising when you're in so much pain afterwards. I experience the same thing. I have gotten some relief using the elliptical, a rowing machine and the recumbent bike and like another poster I take pain relievers afterwards to relieve the inflammation. Good luck. Don't give up.

TurtleRunnerNC

I have hip & knee issues always. I have widedpread joint pain that comes & goes. When it comes it hangs for quite a while then will go away for a bit.

What has helped me the most was cutting my intake of processed sugars. I still eat them but no where near what I used to. I cut out soda completely. I might drink one once a month. Cut the sugar I put in my coffee in half. Cut the creamer I put in my coffee by 2/3. I can tell a huge difference if I go on a sugar bender (insert PMS here).

Being more active helps too.

2nd best thing - Yoga. I found a dvd on amazon called Viniyoga for lower back (I herniated a disc), sacram & hips (arthritis). It has also made a big difference. In fact I stopped doing it for 2 weeks & noticed a lot more hip pain so back to yoga this week.

Also, I take an Aleve every night before bed.

Also, you probably need to increase your calories. For your height & weight 1300 might be below your BMR, and you don't want that. Try scoobysworkshop.com & run your numbers there.

Hope this helps. I have also been tested for everything under the sun for my joint pain with no answers except Osteoarthritis in my hips for certain (mri). Feel free to friend me if you like.

Jkmumma

Elliptical is less stressful on joints than walking. You can also set resistance/climb to whatever hurts the least. Stretching before and after helps. (I have arthritis all over, lots of swelling to go with it) Getting in better shape has helped lessen the arthritis pain, even if exercise hurts. Unfortunately there's a certain amount of "suck it up and deal with the pain" that comes with working out with arthritis.

Ask your doctor about condroitin and glucosomine... (I probably spelled that wrong and I'm too lazy to look it up) Ask your doctor if there's any reason you can't use motrin.

Motrin and heavy working out is risky, because you can injure yourself and not notice, but on a really bad day if you still want to get in a light work out...

Less sodium in my diet has helped with joint pain too... I DON'T have blood pressure issues, but cutting back on sodium has helped with joint swelling.

My favorite though: hatha yoga. It's the least intense form of yoga, and that helped A LOT with weight loss/strength/flexibility. I'm doing more intense yoga styles now, but it started with Hatha, and a lot of gyms offer classes as part of their fees.

Stronger muscles/less weight on joints/generally healthier all equals less joint pain. UNFORTUNATELY, to some extent, it has to hurt if it's to heal, you might just have to deal with some of the pain until you get there. Keeping swelling down will minimize the pain though.

MOST DAYS now I'm more ok... On cold days, I'm still downing prescription strength motrin before getting out of bed.


Motrin = ibuprofin = advil it's all the same thing. Advil just has a candy coating on some of their stuff. Generic works just as well, but tends not to be as nice to the stomach. Advil tends to be the gentlest on the stomach. My stomach doesn't care as long as it's not on an empty stomach.

BinaryPulsar

I also have joint pain, especially knee pain. Lots of great ideas here. Piloxing sounds like a lot of fun. I love yoga. And I am weight lifting with some help from the book: "The New Rules of Lifting for Life". That book is for people that are older and/or who have had injuries. Biking is good for the knees. And walking (or elliptical).

Derpina7

I really like the elliptical, I had knee surgery a few years ago - it still acts up every now and then. It's less stressful on the joints.
Another good option is swimming! AWESOME work out, and again, because you're in water saves the joints a little bit!

Alliwan

The piloxing idea sounds good and I will take a look!

Re the weights: Fortunately I can lift weights and do a free weight routine every day (upper one day, bottom next day). I'm actually sorta taut except for the jelly over my belly.

I also have a Wii and have used that but I have found that even the tennis and bowling are too painful. I probably have some stupid autoimmune disease that is making me miserable. :-( I had frozen shoulders for almost 2 years and that makes stuff difficult.

they have ruled out RA and other joint autoimmune diseases?

I have RA, i hurt 24/7, just in varying degrees. I cant do weights as it makes it worse, there are days walking to the couch from the bedroom feels like a 5 mile marathon. but resistence bands are helpful days i can do those, i try to walk to keep myself moving on days i can do that.

a pool at the ymca or local gym would be really helpful, if you can find a way to do that.

mskathyw

Sounds like yoiu might have fibrmyalgia.

Try water aerobics. The water takes the stress off of your joints and allows you to get a decent workout without the pounding on your joints. If you are not into group exercise just get in the pool and walk.

lwagnitz

Try Yoga or Pilates.

I have hip and SI problems & have had 1 surgery, going on 2, and a messed up ankle. This has helped me a lot.
Pilates might be a little intense, but take it slow, or try pilates mat work.

** Don't walk on an incline if on a treadmill, and avoid big natural inclines outdoors like big hills. Walking on the grass vs a hard surface helps me too and was told by my doctor that it was better for your joints.

jpe71

I was wondering about fibromyalgia myself. I have it, and am just starting to work on management. See a rheumatologist if you can. They can rule in or out various joint conditions. Proper care may make the work easier. I do swim, because my doctors encouraged it strongly, and as a waterbug, that was all the encouragement I needed to upgrade my gym membership! However, since you do not have access to a pool, the ideas of recumbent bike and elliptical are both good. I use those, too.

Ddmck1

I get some serious knee pain (I am hoping that the weight loss will help alleviate) I like swimming laps when my knees hurt. it gives them a break and I am still getting a killer workout.

lilawolf

I've known two people who dealt with joint pain that several doctors could not find a cause for. The first was prescribed a low carb diet. He said that his pain was gone within a week and he also lost 20lbs in a couple of months.

The second person was diagnosed with gluten intolerance. He cut out wheat (though not other carbs) which also made his pain go away and caused him to lose weight.

I have also read several times on the internet about it helping. A two minute search gave me this:
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Lifestyle/Nutrition/39/The_Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Low_Carb_Nutrition.aspx

Maybe you could try if for a week and see how you feel?

LinaBo

Without a pool (which is really your best option for both building strength and burning calories, with the least impact), elliptical is your best bet for cardio. For strength training, while I don't use them much myself, I would look into isometric exercises, which use static positions during muscle contraction, rather than a wide range of motion (basically, you are clenching and unclenching a lot).

As for what you might have, I agree that it could potentially be Fibromyalgia. I was diagnosed with it nearly 5 years ago. It is classed as a syndrome, with a sort of "cluster" of symptoms; most people get the central symptoms, while there are some on the periphery that are not universally experience by all sufferers. The thing about it, though, is that it's shaping up to be a condition of the nervous system; basically, the brain chemistry is different. The parts of the nervous system that regulate pain signals are having their own, hypochondriac freakout, either exaggerating the pain you feel from a minor injury, or completely making *kitten* up. I experience pain that feels like the muscle tissue throughout my body is simultaneously being scalded, frozen, and having an electrical current run through it; I have pressure points all over that, especially when I'm flared up, feel like someone's is jamming an elbow into a nasty, existing bruise, whenever I sit or lean against something or am otherwise touched with some degree of pressure; I get allodynia that leaves me irritated by the textures of certain clothes, blankets, my watch, jewellery, the edge of my desk on my forearm as I type, the slightest variation in temperature, you name it; my bones, including my fingers and toes, ache. My joints also ache. Certain muscles tend to feel tight, especially near their insertion points/close to joints; I'm chronically tired, and often need upwards of 14 hours of sleep to feel half-rested. OTC pain killers do absolutely nothing for me, because they treat pain from physical damage at the site.

Every day is like spinning the wheel of fortune a few times, giving each of these symptoms it's own rating of 1-10 on how much they're going to act up. Temperature (hot AND cold), stress (mental and physical), diet, rest, barometric pressure, you name it... they all aggravate these symptoms. I bust my *kitten* in the weight room in spite of it all, because I know that NONE of these symptoms show up in an x-ray or MRI, from the neck down (it literally is in my head. A real-time MRI study actually showed abnormal brain activity in people with Fibromyalgia, although this sort of testing isn't available to the public). I have to use mind over matter, ignoring my brain that is screaming at me that my body is suffering gross physical harm, when it's not. The payoff is that, when I work out hard enough, I get that rush of endorphins that is a natural, effective painkiller for a few hours. Afterwards, I pay for it with Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness on top of ridiculous fatigue (the good news is that I sleep a lot of the painful downtime off)... but right now I live back with my parents, and my life is about gruelling workouts to lose weight and gain muscle, along with lots of sleep and eating accordingly, in the hopes that becoming more fit ultimately reduces my symptoms (being fat seems to exacerbate pretty much any illness, in my opinion, right down to the common cold and flu), and becoming more independent. It's still early, but I'm making progress.

Anyway, I wanted to give you a picture of what that's like, in case you recognize more of yourself in those symptoms. The joint pains, right down to fingers and toes, are what caught my eye on this one. I would definitely try a couple more doctors for another opinion, and see about getting a referral to a Rheumatologist (even though I believe, based on the research, that Fibromyalgia is becoming less of a rheumatologist's area, it is sort of where it's been lumped for now. A good one will know the signs). There are still some GPs that are jaded, diehard, anti-Fibro, "it's all in your head" types. Usually the stubborn old *kitten* who need to retire. So, whether you have it or whether you have something else, I would keep trying until you find an open-minded doctor who is willing to get to the bottom of it, instead of processing their patients like livestock.

katiejarr

Have you tried Yoga? Have you also tried Glucoseamine with Condroitant? Not sure if I have the spelling correct but I get it at Costco and it takes about 3 weeks to work. I have joint pain and arthritis, I had it so severe in my hand that I had a bone removed to relive the pain.

I do yoga and the elliptical and take the above and they all have worked a lot to help me.

blueeylb

bump