I am in the military and that requires me to do pushups and sit ups on a constants bases. I noticed that even with my RA being somewhat under control I struggle every day with my wrists, thumbs elbow and finger joints. This makes it difficult if not impossible to use weights or do common push ups. I have been on prednisone for almost a year 15mg and even tho I somewhat maintained weight I feel I actually lost a lot of muscle mass and it was replaced by fat. I can defiantly see it on my face. Does anybody have good tips of upper body strength training that does not require you to use your hands by chance, or anything in that matter? It would be greatly appreciated.

I lose grip strength very easily. However, I use weights machines at the gym purely because they are more forgiving than a barbell - I know all the stuff about body weight exercises or squats being the 'only' way for success and, quite frankly, if they want to lie at my feet and trust me not to drop something on their face, then I'll listen to them. Until then, they can get lost up inside themselves.

I also do a lot of water based exercise, as you get resistance from the water, especially if you're in relatively deep (up to shoulders) and the water cools inflammation.



Other than that, my rheumatologist switched me initially from oral pred. to an injection of another, more powerful steroid into a muscle so that it lasts longer, is better absorbed and doesn't cause the same - well, great fat blobbiness - that the oral steroid did. After a few years on that (and the feeling of relief a couple of hours after a shot, following a flare where I can't even open my front door or do up shoelaces is great) - she switched onto DMARDs - methotrexate injections. After 6 months, I didn't have steroids at all - I only need have them in the future if the MTX stops working, in the gap between that and waiting for an alternative DMARD, such as lefo, to work.

You might want to look into indoor rowing classes...you use your wrists and hands but you're not putting all of your weight on them like you do during push-ups and the like. I hope you find something that works for you. Hang in there.

I don't actually know yet what is causing my joint problems. I'm waiting for test results and worrying about it. It's encouraging to see that it's possible to be in the military and be active with RA, even if it isn't easy. Thank you.

My experience with years of chronic hand pain is that the exercises in yoga that call for spreading the fingers wide apart give me a lot of relief. I do some of these too: http://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/features/hand-exercises-rheumatoid-arthritis

I'm not currently having problems in my elbows or arms, or even my wrists, which is a change. I hope you find a solution for upper body training.