Exercise compatible with arthritis

[Howdoyoulikeyoureggsinthemornin]

Hello.
I have arthritis in both knees and find exercise very painful. I recently researched suitable exercises and found aquafit was suggested, low impact due to water, lots of upper body movement for core and arms- great I thought! I was excited to see our local swimming pool had several on a week. I researched it online and saw some fantastic class workouts.

Fast forward to this evening, attended and it was in the deeper end of the pool. This didn't bother me at first as I just thought it may be to warm us up against the pressure of the water. However, the class resulted in us swimming up and down the deepest end of the pool using a pool noodle and then swimming and pushing the pool noodle under the water. Nothing as advertised and seen on lots of other classes I'd seen online.

After 25 minutes my left knee was in bits from the swimming, I'd gone so slow as best I could that they were asking if I was able to actually swim. I felt so embarrassed and was already in so much pain. I explained I had arthritis and was instructed to do arm work outs but still wanted me to swim lengths up and down the pool. I got out after half hour and my knees are swelling up. I feel so embarrassed and disheartened.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for low impact exercises on the knees that could keep me in some form of shape please? They get worse this time of year due to cold weather so would also need to be indoors. Sorry for the waffle and thank you for reading.

Carolone Girvan Epic series. You may find it a struggle at first and it takes time, but focus on form rather than weights. Start with a couple of kilos or body weight. The best thing you can do for arthritic knees is strengthening the supporting muscle with lunges, step ups and squats. It is a slow process but the arthritis didn’t happen overnight and neither will the fix.

I have arthritis in both knees, wrists, feet, hands and spine. I swear by strength and functional fitness training.

How about pilates?

A good instructor will give you alternative options for any exercises you specifically can't manage.

Rebounding? You don’t need to do much for it to be effective (just a few minutes a day) and it’s good for lymphatic drainage. Google about good form to protect your knees.

That session is nothing like the aquafit sessions I attend at my gym. We have several non swimmers and no one is expected to go outside their depth.

Maybe see if you can find another session to try.

@Worldgonecrazy i will look into this, thank you. It's vigorous movement I really struggle with and suffer greatly in the days after.

@Wafffly I currently do Pilates, just have to avoid the reformers. Just wanted to give something new a try. Maybe a new instructor might make it feel fresh. I shall look into instructors in nearby areas, thank you.

Could you get an appointment with a physio and ask them ?

I know a few people who have got on well with Goodnick - online programme - so have a look at that and contact them to discuss your needs if if looks like it might work

@Hurumphh I will look into this. I have large fibroids so do struggle with bloating. Thank you for this suggestion.

@pandora206 no it wasn't anything like advertised online and classes I'd seen elsewhere. The warmup was the only thing that resembled it sadly. Yes I will perhaps ring and ask if they follow the same schedule and try again if not, thank you.

@theunbreakablecleopatrajones I actually asked my GP before attending, as I'd had an appointment for a separate health issue. They said it would be a great option for me. Obviously wasn't what the GP was expecting either!

Thank you for the suggestions here. I will look into them. Many thanks.

Functional exercises like squats, reverse lunges, sit ups, planks

I came on to say aquafit 😬.

I do it twice a week; I have never had a class like the one you describe though!

@NormasArse im honestly so disappointed. I used to love swimming but find the motion causes so many problems for days later, the constant kicking leaves me in agony. Wasn't expecting to be swimming laps. Was really looking forward to it.

@Howdoyoulikeyoureggsinthemornin is there a hydrotherapy pool anywhere near you?? It might help with the arthritis as the water is warmer and some do aqua aerobics x

@shellyleppard there isn't unfortunately. I used to go to a small floatation tank when I was pregnant, as I found that really helped. Partly that's the reason I thought the aquafit was a good idea. I just didn't realise it involved lots of swimming. Silly of me really.

Did the instructor ask at the beginning if anyone had any injuries or limitations? A good instructor of any type of exercise class will always do that, and then give you modifications of you need them. If this instructor didn’t do that, that’s not a great sign. Probably worth you explaining to the instructor at the start even if they don’t ask, though.

Really sorry you had that experience. Try a different class, or ask there if all the classes are the same type / level?

What about just using your arms? You don't have to bend your knees and kick hard when you're pulling yourself through the water with a slow, modified front crawl. And then once you're warmed up from the upper body and torso work, you could work on slow, controlled movements to increase the strength of your leg muscles - such as just moving into a lunge position at the side and gently moving back up with the assistance of the sides of the pool.

Then there's using resistance machines - they can work your back, shoulders, pectorals, obliques, arms, etc, without needing to do anything that puts pressure on your knees - unlike free weights, there's no need to weightbear at all if you aren't able to without extreme pain.

A good physio would also be able to advise things that don't cause a worsening of knee pain whilst increasing leg strength, too. And they can assess your posture to see if there's anything that could help, such as orthotics to prevent overpronation putting further pressure on them.

My mother has arthritis, and she attends a water aerobics/aquafit class twice a week. She loves it! It is not at all like the class you described. In my mother's class they do aerobic movements to music, and they can stand wherever they want in the pool. Some taller people prefer to stand in the deeper end, but my mother stands in the more shallow part of the pool. She also wants to stand next to the edge of the pool, so she can hold on to it if she wants to. It's all fine, and the lovely instructor wants everyone to be comfortable. The movements they do are very varied, both legs and arms and balance, and they have lots of fun

My mother has always disliked most types of exercise, until she found water aerobics 10 years ago. She think it's so much fun, and the water allows her to move easily.

I hope you can find a class that works better for you!

@SummerInSun no she didn't ask. It was only when I was begging to struggle with the pain that she asked what was wrong. I then told her the class was not as advertised and the swimming was causing my knees to swell. She told me to just go slow and keep using my arms. I'm 42 and had arthritis since I was 19. I know what makes it worse as I've had it for so long. Constant, repetitive movement unfortunately causes severe swelling and so I try to avoid this form of exercise. I do participate in weight bearing, as I can do it at a pace that suits me. I also do Pilates as again I can control the movement to a pace that isn't as hard hitting.

@NeverDropYourMooncup I've been back and forth to physio on and off since I was 20. I've managed it well and know what makes me worse. I've had it for 23 years.

@SkaneTos there would be no standing in the deep end of our pool unless they were 7ft tall! All these lovely posters talking about the fab classes they attend, nothing like the one I attended this evening. I'm going to ring tomorrow and see if all instructors follow the same routine. Hopefully not. I love keeping fit, it's just finding things that don't leave me struggling to walk days later. So glad to hear this works well for your mum 💐

I agree. I go to Aqua Aerobics several times a week and none of the classes involve swimming. I'd look for a different class.

Just trying to help as I've had it for 52.

Still get a lot of benefit from seeing physios for particular issues - currently, the most useful physical things are custom orthotics (absolute lifesaver, tbh) and acupuncture. Oh, and biologics for the causative autoimmune disease.

I do aqua physio due to arthritis and shattering my leg which had to be re-built. Its 34 degrees in the pool, involves working with a physio for a couple sessions to decide which exercises are appropriate for you, which are then put on a card so you can work by yourself. NO SWIMMING. When I started I had been told my accident was life changing and I walked slowly with 2 sticks. After a year going once a week, I could walk without sticks, slight limp but I could cope with most things. I still go every week for pleasure and it helps with the arthritis. There are never more than 4 people in the pool 2 physios and 2 clients, often just 2 of us, reasonably priced, they ask for your medical records to be supplied by your GP, all very professional but friendly. Hope this helps you

I had knee replacement surgery earlier this year. I was advised pre operation to cycle in the gym . In a pool walk up and down forwards backwards and sideways. Swim but not breast stroke, I used to hold on to the side of the pool and kick away ( straight legs)

Versus Arthritis have a lot of information and videos.
NRAS may be able to direct you to a better class in your area.

I have had an aqua class like that in the past. She seemed to do several classes locally. Check out that it isn't the same instructor elsewhere

When I used to do Aqua Aerobics in the shallow end of the pool, water up to chest high, it was about exercising in the water which supports your painful joints. At the other end of the pool was Deep Water Aerobics where they were doing more like your experience with pool noodles. Maybe you just joined the wrong class.

Have you tried Yin yoga, its very gentle?