Hi Sara,
I enjoyed reading about your yoga and Zumba endeavors. They sound wonderful. I have yet to be given the "green light" to exercise, even in a warm pool environment from my Rheumatologist, as I have "Very Aggressive, Very Severe RA," he diagnosed. I was told any exercise or stretching right now would tear tendons/ligaments, due to the aggressive state my RA is in, still trying to find a balance of meds to get the inflammation down, the deformity to halt and the mobility to improve.
Being recently diagnosed, and as a new Contributor to MyRACentral (ThriveWithRA.org is my own community), I'm trying to find some commonalities between us on MyRACentral (and wrote about it in my first article on MyRACentral: "The Quest for Commonalities: A Gathering of Lives and Evidence of Living" http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/892673/137288/co). Pardon me if this is too direct a question, but do you have Severe RA? Are there others with Severe RA that can do yoga, or perhaps even Zumba?
It would be a wonderful thing to look forward to...
Welcome! I"m so glad that you have joined us here! All of us have had different journeys with RA, and no doubt will continue to do so given how much the disease can vary. When mine first began, it was moderate to severe- most of the joints in my body were affected and swollen to varying degrees. My feet were disaster zones, I was not able to lift my arms much above rib-height, my jaw made opening my mouth very painful (and burgers were out), and I couldn't move my head from side to side as my cervical spine was very affected- not to mention my hands, fingers, wrists, knees, hips and ankles, and lesser known joints like where the collar bone meets the shoulder- that was a very painful one for me. Given all of the above, my mobility was greatly reduced. I limped and walked incredibly slowly, also had severe fatigue, fevers and the 'general feeling of malaise' they speak of. I was not able to really do any exercise at all for a period of several months- including yoga, other than sitting and breathing and calling that yoga. I couldn't open doors, jars, and other day-to-day tasks like brushing teeth, washing/drying hair and getting dressed took lots of creativy to accomplish, and a lot of time. Oh, and did I mention I was depressed?
I had very aggressive doctors, and was diagnosed very quickly, which is something I attribute my getting my RA under control to very much. I was started on enbrel within about four months after my diagnosis, and within about one month, or even a few weeks, I could tell a difference. I've continued, since then, to improve fairly steadily (knock on wood) to the point where my RA is being quite successfully managed and controlled through medications and, I also think, yoga and exercise and a mostly-healthy lifestyle.
So, hopefully that gives you a snapshot of my experience to date. I was diagnosed about 3.5 years ago, and my experience has run the gamut. I was definitely on my way to walking with a cane, but now have resumed a very active lifestyle.
I hope that your doctor will be able to help get you to a point where you can resume exercising in whatever way is possible and beneficial! In the meantime, I know people who are still battling very severe RA will benefit from you sharing your story here- welcome.
I am 68 years old and have had RA for 50 years, and my condition has varied from very severe to total remission when controlled with oral medications (as it is at present). My level of physical activity changed based on how I was feeling at the time. When my RA was most severe, my doctor encouraged me to exercise in a warn, therapeutic type pool, assisted by a physical therapist. It was felt that moving the joints through their full range of motion was important, and I always felt better afterwards. As I improved, I joined a gym that offered Arthritis Foundation sponsored water aerobics classes. Yoga was added after I progressed to regular water aerobics classes. The relaxation and deep breathing that goes along with Yoga has always been wonderful, but I often experienced some pain and stiffness from the Yoga the next day. Some positions, I was never able to do, such as the Sun Salutation, which calls for moving somewhat rapidly from one position to another. When RA and Osterarthritis affected my knees, I was not able to participate in a class anymore, but did do some of the positions at home on my own, with pads under my knees. There are some tapes and books out there now that have modifications in them. One is called Yoga for Inflexible People by body wisdom media. I have recently (last 2 years) discovered Pilates and that has been wonderful for me and not so much on the knees. The class at the gym that I take uses exercise bands. I wear padded gloves to protect my hands. Pilates is a gentle form of strength training and has become the mainstay of my exercise program along with water aerobics and occasionally walking on the treadmill for weight bearing exercise.
So, you see, there are many exercises someone with RA can do; it is just a matter of trying some things to see what works for you. Of course, getting the inflammation under control would be the first step.
I have had moderate to severe arthritis most of my life, and I finally joined a gym a little over 2 years ago. It's probably one of the most beneficial things I have done to help me. I do spin class 3-4 times a week and light weight lifting 1-2 times a week. I work at a computer all day so I always leave feeling a little sore and lethargic. After going to the gym in the evenings, I always have more energy and my joints feel less stiff. It makes me feel almost completely normal. I was even able to push out my Rituxan treatments from a 6 to 9 month interval after going to the gym for 6 months. If you have arthritis, doing any kind of exercise should be as mandatory as taking your medication.
Marshall- so great to hear how much this has helped you! I'm very glad I'm at a point where I can take advantage of a gym and exercise pretty aggressively. I remember back when I couldn't do hardly anything at all because the pain and immobility was too prohibitive and it reminds me to be very thanksful and grateful for all that I am able to do now. I have a date with the gym this afternoon!
Sara, thanks for your article. I was diagnosed with RA a year ago (a month before my 50th birthday), and even though my doc has categorized my RA as "mild," I find it extremely aggravating that I can't be as active as I used to be because of the deterioration that has happened in my hands and wrists, and the loss of my stamina in just this past year. Finding my new physical normal has been tough at times, as well as not being able to find a med that has worked for me yet - will find out what #4 will be next week. I'm not giving up though - I started an antidepressant to help with the depression, I eat healthy, try to do what weight-bearing exercise I can with light weights, am going to be getting a recumbent bike soon (that way I can read and get my cardio in at the same time!), and am starting a wellness Tai Chi class today. Besides, I'm going to the beach in 2 months for vacation and I want to feel good in whatever I choose to wear as my beach attire - just a little more motivation there!
and yesyes we do this, I was struck by how perfectly and utterly almost-normal this story is. Of how during most of my life with this disease, the idea of doing this kind of hard exercise with RA would be impossible. Because you'd never get out of the physical therapy into something more normal. We live in miraculous times.
Congratulations on having fun in a place you never thought you'd find it!
PS WHat on earth is a Zumba?
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Gyms are great, you just need to find that's right for you. Sounds like you have, congrats!
Thanks, Jeff!