Overweight with joint pain/injuries?

tiggerhammon · May 2013

I am very overweight and one of my hips has been giving me lots of hassle as of late. There has never been an injury there and I fully believe the pain is due entirely to strain from these many extra pounds.
I hear so many overweight people complain of joint pains, even know a couple of obese women personally that use it as an excuse to not do something. "I can't walk/workout/exercise I have a bad knee/hip."
I have just been pushing through the pain and continuing to hike, bike and walk.
Here is my question: has anyone experienced the same thing and done the same? What was the result? If you kept pushing through the pain and losing weight, did the joint eventually strengthen and did the pain go away when the weight did? Or did pushing your way through cause weakness/damage/injury in that joint? Am I hurting myself worse by ignoring the pain?
I have, by the way, gotten a semi professional opinion from my aunt who is a physical therapist. I went to her when the pain first started. She believed that I have torn a muscle somehow and that I just needed to stay off of it for awhile and let it heal. She did work on it for me several times as well. That was almost a year ago. I spoke to her again yesterday and she thinks I may be right in thinking the pain is not going to go away until I lose weight but she still wants me to stay off of it, only using diet as a means to lose weight and she wants me to let her work on it again.
I honestly don't believe there is any injury. I never did anything to it. It just started hurting when I got really fat. And, it does not hurt all the time. It only hurts if I go out walking or hiking for longer than a few minutes.
Please don't bother telling me to see a doctor or real professional. I won't do it.
Anyone?

janjanjanis · May 2013

HIya Tigger!
I am not a doctor. Neither is your aunt. I would highly recommend seeing one.

That being said, I broke both my legs last year and gained a substantial amount of weight from being sad and sedentary. I am trying to move more, but part of my injury requires another surgery. Therefore, I spend a lot of time taking water classes, and riding a RECUMBENT stationary bike

I know! I know! water classes are generally filled with older people, but it still kicks my *kitten* and I'm 34! It takes the weight off of the joints and still allows you to burn calories and get your muscles fired up.

A recumbent stationary bike keeps the pressure of the weight on your seat and not on your hips or knees.

I wish you luck. It's difficult losing weight especially with injuries.

tiggerhammon · May 2013

Working out in the water is a great idea! I am going to try that today!
I don't know about the stationary bike though, lol, I have attention span issues. The treadmill drives me bonkers, I have to be going somewhere /:p
Thank you so much for your opinion. It is appreciated.

hannahjames295 · May 2013

Hi, I'm a physiotherapist in the uk, I have seen a lot of larger people for joint pains and completely agree with. Janjanjanis, non-weight-bearing exercises like water based, static bike and even rowing machines can be good.
Out of personal curiosity I was just wondering how long your hip has been painful?
Do you remember ever having frequent pain in it as a child (may need to ask parents about this)? I only ask as you are very young to be having what sounds like pretty severe pain in your joints regardless of weight... If you don't want to answer on here feel free to send a message, if you don't want to answer at all cause I'm being nosey no worries!!!
Definitely go get it checked by a doctor, but go prepared to push for an actual assessment, a lot of doctors here make the mistake of just looking at you and saying it's your weight, possibly missing something key...

tiggerhammon · May 2013

I have never had pain in it before in my life. Parent says he has never heard of me complain of any pain of the sort.

It was about 10 months ago when it hurt the first time, after a hike. It does not hurt all the time. It "acts up." Like, if I go on a long walk or hike it will start to ache, like it id's telling me I have been on it too long now. I will go home and take it pretty easy the rest the day and it is totally gone again and never shows up again until I am "on it too long."

Pink_turnip · May 2013

I have bad knees, and if I do something strenuous, or if I push myself really hard my joints get sore, when that happens, I'll ice them, or take a bath and take it easy for my next couple work outs, and then I'm usually okay. Like everyone else has said though, get checked out by a doctor (not a chiropractor, not a physio therapist, A DOCTOR). You want to make sure it's nothing serious. Then after that, you can start pushing yourself. Just keep paying attention to it in case you actually DO injure yourself, you don't want to hurt yourself and ignore it because you think it's the same issues as before.

werneket · May 2013

I am very active and we like to spend time outdoors camping ect. Many years I pushed through the pain and now I need a total knee replacement, but have to wait another 12 years till I'm 50 to have it done. Now on bad days I have to stay home or use a cain just around my small house. Always talk to your Dr.

auntiebabs · May 2013

I just know that if I don't work out. I am in pain.
I kind of feel like getting toned keeps everything in place where it should be.

My gym membership accidentally lapsed (I get it thru work and can't re-up again until June)
My back is has been getting angry with me.
I've got to find something low-impact to do in the next couple of weeks,
before it "goes out" completely and I end-up on bed rest and pain pills.

Cassea7 · May 2013

I had really sore knees for several months and my ankles were sore as well . I thought it must have been due to the extra weight i was carrying. Anyway, i started working out and just modified the moves..the main thing for me was to move more. I had seen a doctor and they couldnt find any serious problem. i went to an acupuncturist and she said it was muscular. I agreed as it felt that way to me.

So I started MFP in march and have lost bout 10 pounds and wow the difference in my joints is huge..I contribute it to strengthening and believe the weakness was straining the joints..also starting eating way less sugar and doing some pressure point therapy on myself and more stretching and yoga. Kepp it up and if its extremely painful, I wouldnt pus it too hard..Try some pressure point therapy..It works great and yoga if you like it.

I can finally go upstairs without being in agony! YAY. You are doing great!:flowerforyou:

Markguns · May 2013

Lose some weight, exercise in the pool. Water supports your joints and you lose body heat 1000x faster in water than in air. Which means your body has to burn more calories to maintain temperature in water vs in air. I have knees that bother me if I run too much, but as I lose weight it is less of a problem. Also joints need to move around sitting around is actually not good for them. The old adage; Use it or Lose it applies. I would also say start talking Glucosamine + MSN 1-2 X a day. ( I do and it helps me) You should notice a difference in about a month.

mylittletribe · May 2013

I agree with whomever suggested seeing a doctor... Just to be sure and prevent further pain/injury. That said, I've had hip and knee pain in the past few years, which was definitely more painful 20 pounds ago. My knee is still problematic if I push too hard, and I'm still recovering from a very severe double ankle sprain... Yup, both! However, the hip pain is rare now!

I also second the suggestion of using water! I've added that to a few of my workouts and I've burned up to 500 calories just doing freestyle laps... Casually. It's a fantastic upper body workout for me.

Off topic... And i dont intend to threadjack... It's not a joint, but I've noticed that the elliptical REALLY bothers my right thigh. And using an adduction machine clearly highlights uneven strength; left is Popeye, right is Olive Oyl, which I think traces back to a very serious skiing injury from 25 years ago where I shredded ligaments and tendons, narrowly escaped surgery, and spent 12 weeks in a cast from toes to hip. Weird, I never noticed before! Suggestions?

tiggerhammon · May 2013

I am very active and we like to spend time outdoors camping ect. Many years I pushed through the pain and now I need a total knee replacement, but have to wait another 12 years till I'm 50 to have it done. Now on bad days I have to stay home or use a cain just around my small house. Always talk to your Dr.

This here was my fear and this the reason hoping to seek any opinions from others.

I already know that seeing a doctor is what everyone would suggest. But, I am afraid that is not an option at this point.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I did go work out in a local swimming pool last night, the water felt good and there was no pain at all after an hour and a half swim.

tiggerhammon · May 2013

Off topic... And i dont intend to threadjack... It's not a joint, but I've noticed that the elliptical REALLY bothers my right thigh. And using an adduction machine clearly highlights uneven strength; left is Popeye, right is Olive Oyl, which I think traces back to a very serious skiing injury from 25 years ago where I shredded ligaments and tendons, narrowly escaped surgery, and spent 12 weeks in a cast from toes to hip. Weird, I never noticed before! Suggestions?

I have heard of this happening before, (not that hearing 'you are not alone' is supposed to make you feel a ton better) but the only advice I have is actually from my aunt, the physical therapist. She says she sees tons of people who makes things worse trying to overcompensate for it. Meaning, because one arm or leg is smaller than the other people will try working the smaller arm by itself, pushing it too hard or doing exercises that are supposed to be done with both arms with only one, and the hurt themselves. If you are going to attempt to compensate for the size difference by working out the smaller leg alone please do so with extreme care.

tiggerhammon · May 2013

Lose some weight, exercise in the pool. I have knees that bother me if I run too much, but as I lose weight it is less of a problem. Also joints need to move around sitting around is actually not good for them. The old adage; Use it or Lose it applies. I would also say start talking Glucosamine + MSN 1-2 X a day. ( I do and it helps me) You should notice a difference in about a month.

And this here is the opinion I was hoping to hear - that it gets better as the pounds go away.

ChangingAmanda · May 2013

That's great to hear that a water workout didn't aggrivate your injury.

I have bad knees partly due to an injury and mostly due to my weight. As I've lost weight and strengthened my leg muscles, my knees are better. I still have discomfort and find some exercises painful, but over all I perceive them getting better. For exercises that are painful (mainly involving jumping), I ask for a modification so them so they don't hurt me.

If it's an option, you could seek out a personal trainer that can guide you in exercises that will help strengthen your hip/back/leg muscles while not casuing too much pain. When I used a PT, I was very upfront about what hurt and didn't. If she had me do an exercise that cause paid, either immediately or in the following days, I let her know so she could either modify or nix it.

Overweight with joint pain/injuries?

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