How am I supposed to exercise???
I have tried so many kinds of exercise for my PsA, and they all seem to lead to more pain! The only thing that didn't was doing water aerobics, but I'm done driving to the pool every day. How do you exercise? What are some of your tips?
Hi @another-sass, thanks for starting this discussion. We have several advocates who have written articles about what exercise helps them, however, I am hoping you hear back from our community members with their personal experiences. In the meantime, if you are looking for information, type exercise in our search key and see what our advocates have to say. Thanks for being here. Jill, Team Member
I walk, bike, swim, do some weights, kayak and paddle board a little. I stretch a lot, rest a lot, and eat well and hydrate. I exercise most days but I've built up to it. Movement definitely helps, it's not a magic cure but I want to be mobile for years to come so I keep at it - there is also some studies that say it helps prevent/reduce damage. It has to be in the morning for me - I'm pretty useless in the evening - it's just part of my day. Start walking with podcasts in your ear.
That sounds like a wonderful routine,
. I am glad you are so committed. It's an investment in your future, for sure. Best wishes! - Lori (Team Member)
Hi
. Have you ever asked your doctor for a referral to physical therapy so you can get some help figuring out which exercises are safest for you? Your doctor would need to be careful with the coding so insurance covers it, but one or two sessions might be enough to help you find some more targeted exercises that are beneficial to you as an individual. PsA is so different for everyone that it's hard to recommend any one specific exercise program that is good for all. I hope you get some good ideas from other members that you can draw from though. Thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member) I'm 74 and my rheum referred me to PT due to low back pain. I've been going twice a week for about a month, and after every session I am sick to my stomach and in moderate severe low back pain for the rest of the day and often the next day. I've tried to tell them that I don't think doing these exercises so much when I haven't been doing much exercising other than gardening, and some walking that it might trigger my PsA, but they seem to blow me off. I printed out an article from this sight today and took it in to them. I feel that they don't listen to me, they just tell me to do this or that exercise 20 times when I've not done any exercises to speak of and have lost a lot of weight from a recent flu bug. I feel that I get quite a bit from gardening, pushing the mower, weed eating, etc. What is a reasonable amount of exercise? 
, I hope you don't mind me jumping in here. As someone who was what can only be described as exercise intolerant for about 15 years, I can fully understand what you are saying. I'm sorry you're having to deal with PTs that won't listen to you on top of this terrible pain. I was fortunate that when I was sent for PT for my knee, the therapist was very understanding and really dialed down my therapy to match my ability. I wish more doctors and therapists were a bit more sensitive to this issue, and to the fact that we all have individual tolerances to activity.
With regards to exercise, I went on an arthritis self-management course and they advised thinking in terms of activity rather than exercise. It sounds like, as you say, you're doing quite a lot of activity with your gardening. For many people with PsA, that would be a reasonable amount. At the same time, physical therapy is an important tool. Is there an amount/frequency of these exercises that you think you could manage without suffering so much afterwards? I wonder if you went to your PTs with a proposed schedule that would suit you, whether they would be receptive to that. The good thing about PT exercises is that even when the course of PT is finished, you will have this knowledge of the exercises and can continue to do them at your own pace/when you're up to it.
I don't want to overwhelm you with too much to read, but we have a few articles that I think you might find helpful/relatable:
https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/physical-therapy-fatigue
https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/exercise-enough
https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/cannot-exercise
Please keep us posted if you can, and remember that you're not alone in this struggle. Gentle hugs! -Catherine, Community Moderator
I have the same trouble, often even what I consider to be very light exercise can cause me days of pain. One of the worst areas for me is my neck and it's extremely sensitive to any change in my routine so I have learned over time what I can do with low risk of causing an issue. My routine revolves around mainly gentle range of motion exercises, walking my dog, riding a stationary bike I have at home and using some exercise bands and modified body weight exercises for light resistance. I work from home (even before COVID) and get up often to walk around the house and stretch so I don't spend long periods sitting still. Another trick I learned over time is that if I have one or even multiple joints that are painful that moving the other joints in my body, even just a little, encourages blood flow and can reduce pain in the affected area even if you aren't directly moving that joint. PsA is so individual and as another reply mentioned a professional such as a physical therapist could offer some valuable advice for staying safe while exercising. I find movement does help reduce my overall pain some when I am consistent about it and it helps bring fluid into the joint spaces so every little bit really does count in the long run. Best of luck and hang in there! 
@heathrow thank you for sharing what tricks are working for you. Like you I work from home even before CoVid. I also get up and walk about so that I don't get stiff just sitting at my computer. You are so right in saying that PsA is so individual. We all have pain but it can be in different areas. Vickie W., Team Member
This was super helpful to hear, thank you!!
