i WANT to exercise. really. (long)

Ok, I finally joined the Y. It's all of two miles from my house and
has any number of pool classes and everything else imaginable. my plan
was/is to alternate an easy pool class with the recumbent bike. so
last week i went to my first pool class. i am still recovering from
the experience. I should note that i haven't exercised in about a
decade. My RA is mostly in my hands/wrists, feet/ankles and my left
foot and ankle are totally auto-fused and very deformed. I have a
very gimpy gait. also my wrists are auto fused, tho more flexible than
my ankle. i've had no wrist pain (or very little, anway) in years.

i took it very easy in the class. i felt as though i was hardly doing
a thing. i did use the styrofoam barbells, and in retrospect, i
shouldn't have since my wrist did hurt for a couple of days after, but
that was the only thing that was even slightly stressful on my joints.
when i climbed out of the pool, i felt like i weighed about a thousand
pounds. i took a shower, and then had to figure out how/where to put
up my feet for ten minutes to let the blood drain so i could put on my
attractive knee high support stockings. I finally managed to wedge
myself onto this little bench in a changing cubby and put my feet up
on the wall (ok, i know this isn't a pretty image. sorry). I think
this is when i did damage to my lower back.

anyhow, the upshot is that since my little foray into the pool class,
i've been in pain. not the wonderful "i excercised and my muscles hurt
in that healthy way." but rather my wrists. my back. my hip.
ironically, my ankle's not bad, or at least no worse than usual, and
that was my biggest worry.

can any of you who are severely screwed up physically (sorry) share
with me how you've managed to exercise without doing further damage? i
guess that even tho i felt as though i was doing very little in the
class, it was still too much. i think the showering and trying to
dress away from my usual comfortable bathroom and bedroom routine
caused me even more problems. i want to go back tomorrow and i need
some encouragement!

thanks,

diane

I know that when I started using the exercise videos I only did about
5 minutes the first day, and then added a minute or two each day. For
pool exercises I think just walking in the water a bit for the first
few times may be enough. When you are in the water, you don't feel the
stress to the joints until you come out.
I believe that you can do it, just really do a tiny bit in the
beginnng phase, and add more time as you get stronger. It does not
take that long, if you add five minutes at a time.

On Sun, 4 May 2008 10:50:48 -0700 (PDT), Diane <dcham@aol.com> wrote:

>Ok, I finally joined the Y.
Rose @}->--
Being educated means that rather than fearing the unknown,
one seeks to understand it.

Please remove "Ima" to reply.

Diane ask if they have a pool class for arthritics. I joined one last
July and love it. Mine is designed and approved by the Arthritis
Foundation (and underwritten by them!) To make the requirements the
pool has to be a certain temperature and have steps!

As far as dressing, It's preeety dismal. I sometimes just give up
the changing booth for socks and shoes. Do those in the wallway in
the ladies room.

I haven't been in a while due to my back but I'd love to get back!

Take care,

Vickie B.

first of all talk to the instructor about your physical issues she should be
able to provide you with alternates. Start slowly...so when others are
jumping you are marching. If they are jogging you are walking. don't use
the dumbbells yet. believe me you can get a workout with just the
resistance of the water. You need to build up your stamina first then go
for more intensity. if you can only do part of the class at first that's
ok too. Make sure that even in the water you are doing a warm up and cool
down including stretching. It should be incorporated into the class. but
if its not stay a bit later to make sure you get some in. If possible post
pool hop into a hot tub or sauna...its great for warming back up and letting
those muscles relax And for the locker room...I live about the same 2 miles
form my gym. I throw on a pair a sweat pants and sweat shirt over the swim
suit and come home to shower and change. 10 minutes more in the suit won't
make a big difference and I am much more comfortable using my dressing stick
and reachers at home than I would be in public

Karen

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:d7bc84a5-462c-44a0-8895-a86f55d22600@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...

No answers, just sympathies. I have SO been there! Unfortunately, I have to
go to the Y Monday and put my membership on hold (if they won't, we'll
cancel it) until after my surgery and recovery. It means yet another summer
without swimming. Sigh. Hang in there, Kiddo.

DeeTee

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:d7bc84a5-462c-44a0-8895-a86f55d22600@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
> Ok, I finally joined the Y. It's all of two miles from my house and
> has any number of pool classes and everything else imaginable. my plan
> was/is to alternate an easy pool class with the recumbent bike. so
> last week i went to my first pool class. i am still recovering from
> the experience. I should note that i haven't exercised in about a
> decade. My RA is mostly in my hands/wrists, feet/ankles and my left
> foot and ankle are totally auto-fused and very deformed. I have a
> very gimpy gait. also my wrists are auto fused, tho more flexible than
> my ankle. i've had no wrist pain (or very little, anway) in years.
>
> i took it very easy in the class. i felt as though i was hardly doing
> a thing. i did use the styrofoam barbells, and in retrospect, i
> shouldn't have since my wrist did hurt for a couple of days after, but
> that was the only thing that was even slightly stressful on my joints.
> when i climbed out of the pool, i felt like i weighed about a thousand
> pounds. i took a shower, and then had to figure out how/where to put
> up my feet for ten minutes to let the blood drain so i could put on my
> attractive knee high support stockings. I finally managed to wedge
> myself onto this little bench in a changing cubby and put my feet up
> on the wall (ok, i know this isn't a pretty image. sorry). I think
> this is when i did damage to my lower back.
>
> anyhow, the upshot is that since my little foray into the pool class,
> i've been in pain. not the wonderful "i excercised and my muscles hurt
> in that healthy way." but rather my wrists. my back. my hip.
> ironically, my ankle's not bad, or at least no worse than usual, and
> that was my biggest worry.
>
> can any of you who are severely screwed up physically (sorry) share
> with me how you've managed to exercise without doing further damage? i
> guess that even tho i felt as though i was doing very little in the
> class, it was still too much. i think the showering and trying to
> dress away from my usual comfortable bathroom and bedroom routine
> caused me even more problems. i want to go back tomorrow and i need
> some encouragement!
>
> thanks,
>
> diane

> can any of you who are severely screwed up physically (sorry) share
> with me how you've managed to exercise without doing further damage?

Oh my, good question,,,, because everyone is a little different on what
they can do and not do. The general rule is that a joint that is swollen
should not be exercised,,,, some people can stretch that joint for
improvement while not exercising at any stress level.

i
> guess that even tho i felt as though i was doing very little in the
> class, it was still too much. i think the showering and trying to
> dress away from my usual comfortable bathroom and bedroom routine
> caused me even more problems. i want to go back tomorrow and i need
> some encouragement!
>
> thanks,
>
> diane

Go back and do the same or a litttttle less but do some kind of general
stretching. It tunes the tendons up and helps the muscles. Never stretch
until there is pain. You know you have gone too far when that happens. We
loose our muscle tone and it does not happen overnight. Wellll, coming back
is not over night either.
You are moving in the right direction.

Harv

"Karen P" <kplamer3nospam@cinci.rr.com> wrote in message
news:481e19d0$0$30202$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
first of all talk to the instructor about your physical issues she should be
able to provide you with alternates. Start slowly...so when others are
jumping you are marching. If they are jogging you are walking. don't use
the dumbbells yet. believe me you can get a workout with just the
resistance of the water. You need to build up your stamina first then go
for more intensity. if you can only do part of the class at first that's
ok too. Make sure that even in the water you are doing a warm up and cool
down including stretching. It should be incorporated into the class. but
if its not stay a bit later to make sure you get some in. If possible post
pool hop into a hot tub or sauna...its great for warming back up and letting
those muscles relax And for the locker room...I live about the same 2 miles
form my gym. I throw on a pair a sweat pants and sweat shirt over the swim
suit and come home to shower and change. 10 minutes more in the suit won't
make a big difference and I am much more comfortable using my dressing stick
and reachers at home than I would be in public

Karen

((((((((((((((((diane))))))))))))) i know where you are coming from,
sweetie. i agree with karen's and rose's suggestions.

since my twenties, i have always had a health club membership to one
facility or another. (my son has 2 personal trainer certifications. his
mama got him into family oriented health clubs since his toddlerhood.<smile>
he still loves them and he now helps me with my physical issues.) of
course, there have been lonnnng gaps in my use of my memberships, usually
because of broken bones. whenever i begin again, and i often do, i start
with pool walking and arm swirling (without my resistance paddles or webbed
gloves) and leg kicks while holding onto the edge of the pool, hot tub and
sauna afterwards.

i don't get into a more formal aqua exercise programs, until i know my body
is a little better conditioned for it and my stamina has modestly improved.
for me, my clue used to be the number of laps i could comfortabley swim
without stopping (though my shoulders preclude that indication now.) but
the number of laps you can comfortably walk could be just as good an
indicator. and you'll know when you can comfortably last the length of time
it takes for a class.

sooooo, next time you go back, tomorrow, just use the hot tub and sauna to
start out with--should help the current owies. when the owies have gotten
better in a day or two hopefully, then just walk around the pool for awhile
and stop when you are "just beginning" to unpleasantly feel it. and swirl
your arms a bit until that "just becomes" a little unpleasant and stop. then
finish it off by hitting the hot tub and sauna. eventually each time you go,
you'll be able to do a little more with less discomfort. (don't be
frustrated with only being able to last for 3 to 5 minutes in the
beginning--remember that is just your starting point. and don't push
yourself past what your body is gently telling you.)

when you notice improvement at those exercises, add doing some leg
kicks--stop when that "begins" to feel unpleasant. the idea is to increase
very gradually, without injuring yourself, because of your physical issues.
when you get to the point (how long it takes to get to that point is an
individual thing), where these 3 things are getting easy for you, then add
"a little" (incremental baby steps) resistance--stay at each level for as
long as it takes to still be comfortable. when all of that gets easy and
your stamina, without pain, allows you to go for the time length of a class
doing these things, then consider signing up for the half-hour or hour aqua
class.

also, if you don't already have them, get yourself a pair of aqua-shoes
(some people call them aqua-socks--it's regional), cheapies about $6-$10.
these are slip-ons, usually with a stretchy fabric upper and non-skid soles.
a good fit will not come off in the pool. these will save the bottoms of
your feet from tender-making abrasions caused by the gunnite used in pools;
they will give your feet more traction; and give you more control in the
pool. they also help you walk safely on slick wet surfaces (like in tiled
shower rooms), preventing falls.

hope that helps.

kate

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:d7bc84a5-462c-44a0-8895-a86f55d22600@56g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...

thanks for all the suggestions! i'm going to take bits and pieces of
all of them and give it another go tomorrow morning.

diane

{{{{{{{{{{{ Diane }}}}}}}}}}}}


Sorry to hear your first visit to the Y left you hurting so badly!
Hope things get a whole lot less sore for you quickly!

Like the others have shared, the key is to take it all very slowly.
Definitely talk to the instructor as they usually are pretty good about
making suggestions of things to do that won't end up making you so sore,
whether it be just walking or marching in place, no using any resistance
until your body gets used to things, etc. The last thing they want is
for you to be in pain. If they can't give you any suggestions, try to
really pay attention to the things you do while in the water to see if
you can perhaps pinpoint anything that may be adding to your back pain
and such and then modify accordingly. Like others have suggested, if
possible, get there early and stay a few minutes later to warm up a bit
and cool down a bit.

Like several of the others, I don't shower or change at the facility. I
usually fold a large beach towl and put it on the front seat of my car
and then either just take a pull over type moo moo or lounger to throw
on over my suit, sometimes just a big thick terry robe and throw it on,
or sometimes in the heat of the summer, just run out to the car with my
suit on and then back into my home where I can shower and dress in much
more comfort and at a pace as fast or as slow as I want! Often times,
those dressing rooms and such are just too cramped for gimps to change
comfortably or without hurting themselves with contortions just to get
dressed or etc. Besides, I like coming home and taking a nice long hot
shower to help the old muscles relax a bit after a workout. It is so
much harder to tell in a pool how much things truly are impacting your
joints and muscles and you always feel like you way 10 times more when
you come out of the pool! Best wishes to you and hope each visit gets
more and more enjoyable and less painful for you!


Hugs,

..
..
..
..

Donna
..
..
..
..
1.) ANGELS EXIST, but some times, since they don't all have wings, we
call them FRIENDS......


2.) J.K.M.A.

I finally gave up on the arthritis pool exercise program as it was
killing me. I think it was the fact that I could do more in the pool and
didn't feel things twing while there like I might have on dry land.
Anyway, I see a specialist pilates lady who works me out on a reformer
[think the rack] and that works well for me. If I am having a bad ankle
day, she works my arms more and vice versa. Lately I have had trouble
with my breathing so we are leaving off some of the things I do on my
back. Anyway, all of it works my core which has done remarkable things
for my back.
Hope you don't overdo.
Duckie

Diane wrote:
> Ok, I finally joined the Y. It's all of two miles from my house and
> has any number of pool classes and everything else imaginable. my plan
> was/is to alternate an easy pool class with the recumbent bike. so
> last week i went to my first pool class. i am still recovering from
> the experience. I should note that i haven't exercised in about a
> decade. My RA is mostly in my hands/wrists, feet/ankles and my left
> foot and ankle are totally auto-fused and very deformed. I have a
> very gimpy gait. also my wrists are auto fused, tho more flexible than
> my ankle. i've had no wrist pain (or very little, anway) in years.
>
> i took it very easy in the class. i felt as though i was hardly doing
> a thing. i did use the styrofoam barbells, and in retrospect, i
> shouldn't have since my wrist did hurt for a couple of days after, but
> that was the only thing that was even slightly stressful on my joints.
> when i climbed out of the pool, i felt like i weighed about a thousand
> pounds. i took a shower, and then had to figure out how/where to put
> up my feet for ten minutes to let the blood drain so i could put on my
> attractive knee high support stockings. I finally managed to wedge
> myself onto this little bench in a changing cubby and put my feet up
> on the wall (ok, i know this isn't a pretty image. sorry). I think
> this is when i did damage to my lower back.
>
> anyhow, the upshot is that since my little foray into the pool class,
> i've been in pain. not the wonderful "i excercised and my muscles hurt
> in that healthy way." but rather my wrists. my back. my hip.
> ironically, my ankle's not bad, or at least no worse than usual, and
> that was my biggest worry.
>
> can any of you who are severely screwed up physically (sorry) share
> with me how you've managed to exercise without doing further damage? i
> guess that even tho i felt as though i was doing very little in the
> class, it was still too much. i think the showering and trying to
> dress away from my usual comfortable bathroom and bedroom routine
> caused me even more problems. i want to go back tomorrow and i need
> some encouragement!
>
> thanks,
>
> diane

duckie, it's always good to hear from you! when i get into the groove
at the Y, i'll check out the specialized pilates class. meanwhile, i
went back to the pool yesterday and took it VERY easy, and i've had no
problems from it. seriously, tho, i just kinda hung out in the water,
but it was a start. then i skipped dealing with the support stockings
etc until i got home. i think this will work. now if i can just get up
early enough for the class so i actually make it there. that's the
really hard part for me.

whoever mentioned the water shoes--definitely! i can't walk barefoot
at all, and my feet always get torn up in a pool. the water shoes (k-
mart, 4 bucks) are perfect.

diane

For me the classes are worse than doing my thing once I figured out how to
do the exercises right. I was pushing myself to do 1/2 of what everyone
else could do and it was still too much. So while they were continuing I
was standing and in some cases fighting the water. When I started going on
my own and doing the routine myself (my small amount of reps) it worked
better. I need to start again now that I think I can actually make it into
the pool area and out of it on my own. I have asked my husband to come with
me just to help me into the pool with my balance and such and out - then he
can do some lengths.

As you say take it really easy and if all you can do is stand and move your
arms and legs at the beginning that is a good start. The ideas on the
housedresses etc to get home with are excellent. Don't plan on stopping for
groceries or anything but getting home for a rest. It will get easier.
Hanging out in the water is harder than people think it is - all that
pressure that your body fights against.

I would like to find a pilates teacher now that we are settled and the RA
has settled down a little too. Glad you found a good one Duckie.

Kelly

"Diane" <dcham@aol.com> wrote in message
news:2ada69f2-19b0-4499-b4f2-358cab67f3c4@p25g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> duckie, it's always good to hear from you! when i get into the groove
> at the Y, i'll check out the specialized pilates class. meanwhile, i
> went back to the pool yesterday and took it VERY easy, and i've had no
> problems from it. seriously, tho, i just kinda hung out in the water,
> but it was a start. then i skipped dealing with the support stockings
> etc until i got home. i think this will work. now if i can just get up
> early enough for the class so i actually make it there. that's the
> really hard part for me.
>
> whoever mentioned the water shoes--definitely! i can't walk barefoot
> at all, and my feet always get torn up in a pool. the water shoes (k-
> mart, 4 bucks) are perfect.
>
> diane

On Tue, 6 May 2008 4:05:03 -0400, Duckie wrote
(in message <68ahpjF2r4f6pU1@mid.individual.net>):

> day, she works my arms more and vice versa. Lately I have had trouble
> with my breathing so we are leaving off some of the things I do on my
> back.

OK, what's with the breathing problems? Is it just residue of all the
virsues and pneumonia you had?

--
Nann
remove the Gator cheer to email me
Change everything. Love & forgive.

Yep and this week I am stilllllll waiting for Medco to send my asthma
thing. Been without for 4 days. Wound up using the emergency one today
before my dance lesson. Didn't have much trouble after that. I will have
to remember to use is before Pilates on Thursday. I hate Medco. I so
wouldn't use them at all if they weren't cheaper on the non generics.
The pneumonia really kicked me sideways though and I am still building
the breathing back from that.
Always something.
Duckie

Nann Bell wrote:

> On Tue, 6 May 2008 4:05:03 -0400, Duckie wrote
> (in message <68ahpjF2r4f6pU1@mid.individual.net>):
>
>
>>day, she works my arms more and vice versa. Lately I have had trouble
>>with my breathing so we are leaving off some of the things I do on my
>>back.
>
>
> OK, what's with the breathing problems? Is it just residue of all the
> virsues and pneumonia you had?
>

Yippee === guess what finally came today.
Duckie

Duckie wrote:

> Yep and this week I am stilllllll waiting for Medco to send my asthma
> thing. Been without for 4 days. Wound up using the emergency one today
> before my dance lesson. Didn't have much trouble after that. I will have
> to remember to use is before Pilates on Thursday. I hate Medco. I so
> wouldn't use them at all if they weren't cheaper on the non generics.
> The pneumonia really kicked me sideways though and I am still building
> the breathing back from that.
> Always something.
> Duckie
>
> Nann Bell wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 6 May 2008 4:05:03 -0400, Duckie wrote
>> (in message <68ahpjF2r4f6pU1@mid.individual.net>):
>>
>>
>>> day, she works my arms more and vice versa. Lately I have had trouble
>>> with my breathing so we are leaving off some of the things I do on my
>>> back.
>>
>>
>>
>> OK, what's with the breathing problems? Is it just residue of all the
>> virsues and pneumonia you had?
>>
>