Arthritis in elbow AND knee. Exercises? Weight lifting?

iorahkwano
iorahkwano Posts: 709 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What are good forms of exercise (or weightlifting) for someone with arthritis in their elbow and knee?

I'm asking for my 55-year-old mom who has hypothyroidism. She is 5'3" and 170lbs. She eats pretty healthy & keeps a journal, but is having a hard time working off the calories. She used to weight lift but now her knee & elbow make it very hard to do so. As a result, she is losing lots of muscle & putting on fat.

She does 45 mins a day on an exercise bike and some abs exercises, but that seems to be the only thing she thinks she can do. Sometimes she tries to weightlift with 2 or 5lbs weights with elbow braces on but even that hurts her. I suggested swimming, but I don't think she wants anything to do with getting into a bathing suit lol. She is able to walk around the house, carry stuff, grocery shop, cook dinner every night & ride that bike so she isn't totally incapable of some physical activity.

Ideas?

Replies

  • iorahkwano
    iorahkwano Posts: 709 Member
    Anyone?
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    stationary bike?


    lifting helped my arhtiris. ymmv
  • orangevalkyrie
    orangevalkyrie Posts: 8 Member
    Really late on this but hope it can help someone. Doing weightlifting using super slow reps helps strengthen my arthritic joints instead of tearing them down. I do zero cardio unless its swimming. And I keep my workouts to just abs, bench press, row, pullup, and squat. Just remember speed= momentum not strength and it will tear up your joints
  • theonenonlymrssmith
    theonenonlymrssmith Posts: 26 Member
    edited July 2015
    iorahkwano wrote: »
    What are good forms of exercise (or weightlifting) for someone with arthritis in their elbow and knee?

    I'm asking for my 55-year-old mom who has hypothyroidism. She is 5'3" and 170lbs. She eats pretty healthy & keeps a journal, but is having a hard time working off the calories. She used to weight lift but now her knee & elbow make it very hard to do so. As a result, she is losing lots of muscle & putting on fat.

    She does 45 mins a day on an exercise bike and some abs exercises, but that seems to be the only thing she thinks she can do. Sometimes she tries to weightlift with 2 or 5lbs weights with elbow braces on but even that hurts her. I suggested swimming, but I don't think she wants anything to do with getting into a bathing suit lol. She is able to walk around the house, carry stuff, grocery shop, cook dinner every night & ride that bike so she isn't totally incapable of some physical activity.

    Ideas?


    Rebounding! It's super low impact. (Up to 80% less than running depending on the model you choose) the forct at your ankles is equal to the force at your head and neck so nothing gets "abused"

    Bonus- rebounding "shakes up" the lymphatic system, which helps flush out toxins and boosts immune system function. This can indirectly also boost thyroid function from what I am understanding! Feel free to research for your self! Its really interesting stuff and a super fun workout for all ages!

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