Do You Exercise When You Have Psoriatic Arthritis?
We are all different, so this is not for everyone. I know for me getting out of bed can be a chore at times. Number one, listen to your body, if you having a flare - sit down.
There are things I can't do anymore, so I gave them up long ago. I'm 65 now, so I take things nice and slow, but I still want to stay in shape.
I do try an walk 20 minutes a day. I have added stretching a couple of times a week, which helps me with stiffness. I can't run a marathon, but I can still move.
What do you do to stay in shape? We would love to hear from you.
If I don't move, I get so stiff & in pain that I have to grit my teeth & power through. For me, my exercise program is daily warm water exercises in a therapy pool. I've always loved water, but warm water on my creaking joints really allows me to move and exercise. I think if a person can get excited about some form of exercise, he/she is more motivated to stick with an exercise regimen.
Hello
, Yes, that is the key, to getting excited about your exercise. You really have to find something that you enjoy. I loved what you said about this therapy pool, this sounds so relieving. I do walk a little each day, but I can remember walking 2 hours at a time. How long do you do water exercise each day? Thanks for sharing.
Hey, Diane! I exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Most days, I go for 45minutes to an hour, but it truly depends on what needs some additional time. Those first few minutes of stretching is when my muscles, joints, and tendons just need to warm up. Then I usually do some running in the pool & finish up with some exercises in areas that need attention. I really try not to think back to exercises past because it can bring down my spirit because I have always loved to be active & I can think, like you, of long walks, hikes, swimming, dancing, etc., but I will definitely say that I have learned that life is never static & although there are some activities that I cannot do, there have been times in my life where I was in far worse shape & had to fight to come back. I've had PsA for a long time & have had to get many surgeries & coming back after a surgery is tough, but the dividends are worth it. The joy of a walk or the ability to stretch and feel stress leave a muscle group is just lovely, mentally & physically. I look forward to chatting with you again.
Hello
, I love it!! I need to get to 45 minutes to an hour. You are right we have to be thankful for what we can do. No use in thinking about what we used to do. I used to run track, can't run to the next room right now.
Just being able to get up to walk is a blessing. When you have PsA, it knocks you on your butt and takes a lot out of you. My PsA messes with my upper body, there are days I can't lift my arms to comb my hair, but I can still take those steps.
Keep up that positive attitude, and thank you for being a part of this community and sharing some of your journey with us. We are all in this together.
Great topic,
! I appreciate that you mentioned that this is not for everyone. I remember when I was bedridden (and since then even), I got very upset about not being able to exercise, and almost jealous of people who were able to do it. You're so right that even just getting out of bed can take it out of us sometimes.
Now that I'm up to it, I'm similar to you - I like to try to walk every day. I usually do 25-30 minutes after my breakfast. I also do some light weights three times a week, just for 10 minutes or so. I really want to try to get back in to yoga but I haven't done that as of yet... I'm scared that my body won't cope and then I'll be so disappointed. Sometimes I feel like it's better to just not do something than risk being disappointed. Something I need to work on! I hope others will chime in here. I really enjoyed reading through yours and's comments! Warmly, -Catherine, Community Moderator
