Q: I have fibromyalgia as well as osteoarthritis (OA). I would like to do some osteoarthritis exercises to regain muscle mass and improve flexibility, but weight-training leaves me with worse pain. What do you recommend in terms of osteoarthritis exercises?
A: Many of my fibromyalgia patients tell me their pain worsens when they exercise – particularly if they are just starting an exercise program. The truth is that you will have to stick with an osteoarthritis exercise program for about six weeks, exercising two or three times per week, to start feeling or seeing any benefit.
Don't start a program while your fibromyalgia is flaring – wait until you're at your usual baseline. Then start slowly, giving yourself a day or two between workouts. If you can stick it out, I think you'll find the benefits of exercise worth the temporary increase in discomfort.
Exercising with osteoarthritis Start with lots of range of motion work, taking each joint through its full range of motion five to eight times. Continue your osteoarthritis exercise session by walking in a warm pool, if you have access to one. If you don't have access to a pool, walking on land is acceptable, as is using an exercise bicycle or elliptical trainer. I don't recommend stairclimbers or running at this stage. The goal is to get your heart and lungs in shape and get the blood flowing to your muscles and joints.
After three to four weeks, add weight training, but instead of doing a lot of repetitions (reps) with a low weight, consider doing fewer reps (no more than six to eight at a time) with a higher weight. Aim for three sets of reps two to three times a week for each muscle group. How fast you progress depends on how you feel, and you have to judge for yourself if you feel you've overdone it.
In general, if it hurts when you do the exercise, you should back off on the intensity or the number of reps. However, feeling sore a day or two after exercise is often the normal response to muscles being challenged; as your muscles become conditioned to exercise, the soreness should diminish. A prolonged increase in pain, however, could be a sign you've done too much too soon and you should cut back to just range-of-motion and stretching exercises.
Ronenn Roubenoff, MD, Rheumatologist
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Please come prepared with a 60 minute workout for this client. Have the exercise movements, sets, reps, tempo, and rest time outlined. Be ready to demonstrate 4-5 exercises.
Be ready to discuss your long term intentions and how you would incorporate the following factors into their results.
Nutrition
Lifestyle factors
Cardiovascular conditions
Client Profile
Vivian is a 64 year old retired nurse. She is new the gym and is looking to gain strength and energy to keep up with her 2 grandchildren. She is new to the gym but has been walking 45 minutes a day consistently for a year. She suffers from osteo-arthritis in both hips. Her current body fat is 32%. She is very excited for her trip in 6 months to Italy and wants to look her best.
can any one help me plan out a work out for this nice lady thank you email me
The heat and stretching will help. Try it. Works for me. If you take pain meds, take one before you start.
If you can't walk or run go to a pool or ride a bike or stationary bike. Internet has all kinds of places you can go for stretching examples, exercises you can do in a chair, etc. Sparkpeople.com is a great place to start.
Tylenol has a great pain lotion now but remember not to use pain lotions around your heart if you are on heart meds!!
Every once in awhile my SCIATICA kringingicks in and I'm miserable for about 10 days. What's the solution to this terrible pain, other than lying on an ice pack and bringing your bent legs to your stomach?
Thank you for your response.
D.Griffin
Can anybody give any information on this problem.
Thank-You any information is grealtly appreciated.
The pain is in my neck area.
Massage feels good and YOGA!
Is there anything else I should know
or do? I appreciate any info. Thanks
JoAnn Bassett
Thank you for your attention.
My right side is not too bad my left side is bad.
Where can I get some medication that will help me
I'll appreciate any help I can get. I also have a bad knee and use a brass also use a walker. Thank you for any information I can get..
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