View Full Version : Exercise. What a challenge.
I am overweight. I also have a LOT of joint knee pain and ankle foot pain. I makes me not want to move, because moving hurts. A lot. But I make myself work at it. I bought a bike. Not a world class bike, just a bike, but boy do I get tired on it. And it hurts to pedal, my legs get sore, my arms get numb. I've been getting out on it nonetheless. I'm hopelessly out of shape. Sometimes I get off the bike and just walk it until I feel I can go again. I struggle with hills. I struggle with endurance. I have none. I've only been trying cycling as a form of exercise for 2 weeks now. I try and supplement that with moderate hikes with walking poles, or just walks. My newish expensive Reebok shoes that seemed fine at the store are killing my feet and knees. So painful. I cut my walk short tonight to get out of them. I keep spending money on shoes and can't seem to get the right relief. I did get a pair of Pronet that seem to be helping, but aside from that. My point is, with all this, I am very challenged to get some significant exercise in for strength and health. I get tired very easily and get out of breath, my heart beats very fast. My doctor has not prescribed any conditions other than high blood pressure. Of course the exercising is supposed to be me being proactive against it, but I just get worn out. I feel my heart thumping, my legs aching. If I am going to make anything work, I'll need to find a way to be comfortable in exercising and be able to continue exercising even in our constant raining weather. I can't really afford a private gym, the exercise classes are when I am working, and the pool, well I hate pools and wont go in them, so that's out. I do some work out tapes that I have, but struggle with being consistent with them, and still, the pain. Today I rode the bike around for about 25 minutes and then a 20 minute walk that was excruciatingly painful in the reeboks shoes. I might have gone for a 40 minute walk but turned back because of the pain. I don't know exactly what I'm saying other than that I am in pain, don't have the means for surgery and am getting worse and exercise is this really challenging issue of me! I guess this was a vent. If so, thanks for listening.
Ouch! That sounds frustrating. It's great though that you keep trying different things. I got a little boost last year just walking in short intervals (like 10-15 minutes) but I did that several times a day. Starting out w/ maybe twice and then getting up to at least 3-4, sometimes as many as six times. I'm alternating cardio and resistence training each day now. I was sooo tired, sore and fatigued yesterday that I just couldn't.... I didn't want to break my routine completely so I did some physical therapy excercises I had learned over a year ago instead. The writing had been on the wall though because I'd been feeling worse for several days and not adjusting my workouts. From what I've heard, excercise should be an overall lift to mood/energy etc. and if it isn't you are probably overdoing it. I think that's why the short intervals of walking worked so well. My routine now is pretty manageable. I think I just need to incorporate rest/recovery days. I've been reluctant to do that because I don't want to "break" the habit. More fine tuning...
Yer welcome! :)
Your venting could be my venting. Same for a lot of folk here. I often wonder, being old and all and not having that precise a memory, if my arthritis was a significant contributor to my weight or if I gained the weight and it made my joints worse and more painful. Well, the extra tonnage certainly puts strain on my knees and hips, but the whole getting moving and actually doing something that resembles regular exercise is a problem for me, as well.
I cannot see well enough to ride my bike any more, and am left with walking, with a cane, or two, for some measure of safety. This is not for everyone, and likely is a terrible idea anyway, but I used to start with four big ibuprofens about an hour before I was going to walk and/or before a full day of work. Then, I would keep myself at an effective dose for the remainder of the day.
In practicality, that worked just fine, but the theory behind it seemed sound, but was ultimately flawed, naturally. I thought that if I could keep ahead of the pain that it would be tolerable. The only problem is that taking such large amounts of over-the-counter pain meds is simply not so great for the old internal organs, I guess. However, it works, which makes it kind of tempting.
I have recently begun taking Aleve and it seems to be working. So far. I am hoping that once I am able to moderate the pain that I will be able to move more comfortably and that I will actually do that. I am not expecting to become a serious exerciser, but I do think that when I can move without my joints screaming in distress that this will be much easier.
There is significant arthritis in my feet, as well, and I finally just gave up on regular, even expensive, shoes and buy my shoes from the Walking Company. If you are in the US, you should be able to find one near you. They are stunningly expensive, but you are already in the zone where you are buying the best, and often most expensive, shoes anyway, so my thought is that you might as well go to a store that will fit you properly and find the best shoes for your sad and sore feet.
I have a pair of Dansko clogs and some kind of German hiking sandal, cannot remember what brand. I bought them a bit more than eight years ago and they are both still looking like new. I wear the clogs when it is wet or cold and the sandals the rest of the time. Now, I have to share that they are not the teeniest bit fashionable, but they do have a kind of classic look, although the toe box (if that is what it is called) on the Danskos is kind of big, round and slightly clown-shoe in appearance, but without them I absolutely could not walk or do much of anything for more than a few minutes. My days of cool and groovy footwear are long behind me. Well, I just have a new kind of style.
And, I can walk. When my feet hurt, nothing feels well in my body. Oh, in addition to the arthritis in my feet, I have peripheral neuropathy in my feet from undiagnosed diabetes.
I tried exercise DVDs, borrowing lots from the library to test them out and, once again, the pain factor made most of them painful enough to take them out of consideration. I liked the Zumba ones, and I found a Tai Chi one that I went and bought. I use that DVD, but, in truth, it is not enough movement to really count for where I am in this process. When I have lost more weight, I plan to try some of them again, but for now walking when I can is the best that I can do. When I go into town, I try to park as far from the entrance of wherever as often as possible, although that is more of a gesture than an exercise plan. I write about this every day, hoping that one day or week or month that I will be writing about how I am doing some kind of regular exercise and not hating it too much.
When I bought the Tai Chi thing, I found a sitting yoga DVD that I do once a week. Frankly, I am not sure how much it helps in the whole fitness realm, but I do feel, or at least think that I feel, more flexible from it. Who really knows, though.
I have not given up on finding a place to exercise that is beyond my budget constraints. It would be nice to have a safe place to walk when the weather is icky. Like you, I cannot afford the knee replacement surgery that my doctor recommended three years ago. I am hoping that losing more weight will make that less of an issue.
The people in my life who do not have this kind of pain, the daily, nearly constant excruciating kind, have trouble understanding how just standing up and moving across the room can be difficult for me. There are moments when it seems that carrying the burden of their judgment, in addition to the physical and emotional distress that my pain creates, is a little too much, and becomes discouraging, but I try to rise above feeling sad and disheartened about it.
So, me just venting, too. Feels nice to get it out like this.
Hi, Tiam!
Tai Chi may not be what you're looking for, and if that's so, just disregard this post. However, it was what I immediately thought of when I read your vent. I've been a big, big girl, and I have MS, so I completely understand. (((hugs))) This is my man. I just *love* Dr. Paul Lam and his dvds. He has one called "Tai Chi for Arthritis" that's just lovely. Here are a couple of YouTube links. (There was another video that said it was "Part II," but it seemed more like an advertisement, so I used the one below.)
Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvN8oawFlXI)
Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAa84WsUmno&feature=related)
Those should give you a good idea of whether or not it would help. This is actually the video I started with. I don't have arthritis, but it was a gentle way to enter into the practice, and I just fell head-over-heels for Dr. Lam. Really, I have a hard time watching buffed-out people tell me how to exercise, lol! Sending healthy, healing vibes your way! :o)
Water aerobics are wonderful for those with joint pain or trouble moving. I just got the bad news that our lake beach a few miles from the house won't be able to open until after July 4th due to the damage from the flooding. Our Y doesn't have a pool and the local Rec Center is expensive and 13 miles away. I'm anxiously awaiting getting back on my kayak but my husband doesn't want me going out on the lake alone right now due to the debris along the shore line (guess he doesn't want me getting flipped over and hung up on a tree and drowned or anything). I have a bike but hate hills - they kill my knees (blew them out in my cave guiding years) - and all we have are hills. I'm a fair weather walker because I don't sweat and I end up with hives if it is warm/humid at all (why I love spending time in the water). I'd love to put an above ground pool in our yard so I can do water aerobics but my husband doesn't want the upkeep or expense.
Hi, Tiam!
Tai Chi Here are a couple of YouTube links. Those should give you a good idea of whether or not it would help. This is actually the video I started with. I don't have arthritis, but it was a gentle way to enter into the practice, and I just fell head-over-heels for Dr. Lam. Really, I have a hard time watching buffed-out people tell me how to exercise, lol! Sending healthy, healing vibes your way! :o)
Thanks for posting those links. I've always wanted to try Tai Chi. It seems to produce so much energy.
I have tried a pair of Danskos clogs, in these parts they are actually considered fashionable in a yuppy/hippie kind of way. But they really hurt my feet. I think it's so frustrating to not be able to find a pair of shoes that actually helps alleviate the pain of pronation in both my arches and knees. It's frustrating to spend a lot of money on expensive shoes that in the end don't work. The reeboks are all wrong. I can feel it in my stride. I didn't notice it in the store where I walked in them a lot. I get the same effect with the Danskos. Same with Nike and new balance. A bit better with Avio. I did get a pair of used Propet which seem better than anything else. But I'm afraid to invest more. In the last year I've invested in hundreds of dollars of different shoes for walking and none seem to help. I've tried insoles that help some, but not enough. As I said, I really don't like water so I don't get in it really, so water excercise is out. But until I get this shoe thing figured out, I remain in pain. And I don't want to move.
Tiam - Oh wow, your post sent warning signs flashing all over for me. If you are in that much pain, you need to back off... please! I applaud you for your goals and for your effort. But remember that pain is your body warning you that you are doing yourself damage. My own personal mantra is "listen to your body." God knows it took me long enough to learn it, and in the mean time, I certainly managed to do myself enough damage!
My first suggestion is to visit a reputable podiatrist - a full medical doctor, not just some dude in a shoe store with so-called "certification." A podiatrist can recommend quality inserts that will help with pronation, etc., and also check to make sure there's no actual structural problems with your feet that might be fixable.
My second suggestion is to slow down. I completely understand your desire to get fit. I'm a "fitness freak" and have a hard time slowing down myself. But trust me, if you're working beyond your boundaries, you'll pay for it. It's good to push, but not that hard. For instance, stay away from those hills and just work on gradually building your endurance on flat ground first. You mentioned that you "don't have the means for surgery." Does that mean that you know you need some sort of surgery? If so, that's another reason to back off.
You also might want to think about investing in a set of lightweight dumbbells, and then start doing some basic strength-building exercises at home. This, along with some stretching and flexibility exercises, will build strength so your legs can more easily handle the biking and hiking. But again, be careful if you choose to start weight lifting because form is very important. There's so much to cover ... I could go on forever... but I'll spare you! Right now, I think the main thing is to back off until you feel comfortable, and then slowly and carefully work your way up.
More thoughts...
You might want to consider just doing one workout a day, like biking one day, then hiking the next. It's good to mix things up and give yourself some variety. If you feel compelled to do a second workout, then do some sort of stretching, tai chi, or yoga. Flexibility is very important for fitness.
If you want to do strength building exercises, you don't have to use weights. There are lots of body weight exercises that are very effective. I can give you some examples if you're interested.
For me, fitness is a very holistic concept. If my mind isn't in the game, I'm probably going to screw up and injure myself. And if I stick to just one type of exercise, my body rebels - variety is an absolute essential for me. It's taken me a long time to find out what works for me, and it's changed a lot over the years. Again, I guess what I'm trying to say is, "listen to your body." Sometimes the brain thinks it knows what it's doing, and you'll try to push where you shouldn't. But there are so many other ways the body talks - your emotions, whether you feel in balance, and so on.
Ok, I'll stop now.
Absolutely you need to back off on this. There is no reason for you to be in such pain. It will only sabotage your efforts to get healthy.
Each year, in the frozen winter, I have to start reconditioning myself. Everything hurts, I'm out of breath just going up ten steps, and I hate it all.
You have to start smaller. Not 25 minutes plus 20 more, just 10 MINUTES TOTAL TO START. No hills, no torture. Tomorrow, if that felt okay, you can do 11. Then 12. 13. 14. 15. Take a day off every third day. Do no-impact things: tai chi is wonderful, a lot of the beginning exercise videos at the library are terrific, stretch, use hand weights, dance. Google "no-impact exercise" and see what you find. SparkPeople.com has a great collection of short videos - 8, 10, 12 minutes - that you can do without ever putting ANY Painful shoes on. Try to get your weight down, and as you do that, the impact on your joints will lessen, and the whole adventure will begin to become more pleasant. But please take it more slowly. You will not gain anything by pushing yourself this hard - nada. There's no reason to hate being more active, and you will hurt yourself.
Regarding inserts - we had some custom inserts made for our 13 year old. Basically last year he was in so much pain from his feet up to his hips that walking was almost more than he could handle. The Dr made a mould of his feet and sent it off to have the inserts made. When we got the inserts I questioned if it would really make a difference. They didn't even look as cushy as the inserts you buy at the RX. What a difference. He saw an immediate improvement. So we had an extra pair made at a discount. He walks, jogs, plays golf, and is thrilled. Just 2 days ago he and a neighbor boy had a 1/2 mile race - he won.
The Dr said to never, ever, ever wear cheap flip flops.
I never could wear Reebox without foot pain - love asics (usually have to go up a shoe size). http://www.asicsamerica.com/ If you have a Khols store, they carry some Asics and Khols has a great return policy.
flowerseverywhere
6-1-11, 2:18pm
Take it slower is what your body is telling you.
I had tendonitis and saw an orthopaedic surgeon. He advised me to go to Fleet Feet shoe store. They fitted me properly and it was like a miracle, along with some PT.
Does your YMCA have an arthritis program? We have one called silver sneakers for the senior set and also rusty hinges for water work. They even have sit and be fit. My 84 yo MIL goes to a gently yoga class and that has really helped her along with swimming. They have Zumba gold that a lot of younger people attend that helps with getting moving and doesn't have jumping movements. Also, you could look to see if there were any gyms with personal trainers that specialize in the out of shape. Don't give up. I was in awful shape and due to yoga and persistence in swimming, biking and walking I am able to do almost anything besides running, which is probably not a great idea anyway when you are almost 60. I just got back from a 20 mile bike ride and if you had told me a few years ago I could do that I would not have believed you.
SRP's advice is excellent. You need to ease yourself into an exercise routine, but that should start only after you have seen a podiatrist and gotten yourself shoes that fit. WOuld you try to rollerskate on snowshoes? Or ballet dance in flippers? No, it isn't going to work and you are most likely just going to hurt yourself. You need to get the right tools on your feet that allow you to move without pain. Don't try to fit yourself. If your feet are as messed up as they sound, you need a solid professional working with you to get the fit right. That is the foundation on which you are going to build the rest of your exercise program, so it is really important to get it right. Get lots of referrals and interview people in advance before you pick one. YOu want a good one who is going to listen and really work with you.
Once you've gotten the shoe thing worked out, START SLOW. Like puglogic said, start with 10 (or 5, or 3 or whatever) minutes of easy movement at first. DO NOT PUSH YOURSELF TOO HARD. I was bragging about my new running habit on Facebook and one of my friends who has been a lifelong runner commented that many people start out too fast and get horrible feelings or even injuries and then stop. If you start exercising too vigorously before your body is ready the lactic acid builds up in your muscles and you will feel sore and awful. One of my pet peeves with the trainer I was (note, was) working with is that he was not willing to listen to me about what I knew my body needed and just wanted to push, push, push all the time. That doesn't work for me. but slow, gradual adjustments got me from couch potato to running 5 k. And now I like running and actually miss it when I skip a day.
So, start VERY slow. Walk around the block in your properly fitted shoes. Do that for a week. Then walk around two blocks the next week. The third week, try to walk around the two blocks 30 seconds faster than you did the week before. As your endurance builds and your aerobic capacity improves, maybe you can think about running for a minute or two (and this should be "barely faster than a walk more like shuffling rather than running").
Join the health challenge thread with us -- we'd love to support and encourage you as you work toward better health.
lhamo
Well, I agree with the idea of the podiatrist. I'll be seeing my doctor soon and will ask for a referral. I don't see myself EVER running. Way too much knee trouble. Right now, I can walk for an hour, ride a bike for half and hour. But it is all painful.
I second the opinion that you should see a podiatrist. I did and it was the smartest thing that I could have done. I had orthotics cast and made and now put them into my workout/walking shoes. It was not cheap, but it was money well spent. After 10 years, I had them recovered. Walking without them leads to heel and knee pain...walking with them doesn't make it easy (because I am very overweight), but it does make it painless!
Fellow arthritis sufferer and (please don't laugh) I've gone from being a too-skinny size 0 to a size 4-6. Mostly because it hurts to exercise much. I used to be a runner - gave up on that 6-7 years ago - after that was a big, big walker (as in 8-10 miles/day if I could). Now I'm a 4-miles-if-it-doesn't-hurt-too-much walker and it shows in my weight. I also feel it in my feet, knees, hips: like you I have arthritis in my feet.
Do absolutely get to a podiatrist for custom orthotics. Expensive, but worth it. Also look into Mephisto shoes (I find their arch support pretty good). Merrells are wonderfully comfortable, but need inserts for proper arch support I've found. Any good running store (the ones that have people that look like runners working there, and who have their own 5K running clubs) should be able to help fit you properly for walking/running shoes. I have chronic achilles tendonitis (a symptom of my particular brand of arthritis) so can't wear any shoe with a back, so I haven't been fitted for good sneakers in a while, but the best stores should get you up on a treadmill and check your gait, look at current shoes for wear patterns, bring out several pairs for you to try, etc.
And I second everyone that's said to back off on how much you're doing. Shoot for 10-15 minutes of some sort of exercise every day for now. In a week or two, increase it by 1-2 minutes. Increase again after another couple of weeks. You have to give your body chance to build muscle and endurance and it takes time. Also stretch - it can make a surprising amount of difference in how you feel, especially if some of that joint pain is exacerbated by muscle aches (speaking from my own experience here).
Also incorporate "lifestyle" exercise. Park a little further away when you go to the store/work/wherever. Deliberately "forget" something in another room so you have to go back in there to get it. Carry your water and your lunch in two separate trips from the lunchroom. Drop your bags inside and then go back out to fetch your mail. It all adds up - just a little here and there and you'll be surprised at how much it helps when you go to do "real" exercise.
You might want to consider just doing one workout a day, like biking one day, then hiking the next. It's good to mix things up and give yourself some variety.
Good stuff! All the way through this thread.
Tiam - Oh wow, your post sent warning signs flashing all over for me. If you are in that much pain, you need to back off... please!
<snip>
My first suggestion is to visit a reputable podiatrist - a full medical doctor, not just some dude in a shoe store with so-called "certification." A podiatrist can recommend quality inserts that will help with pronation, etc., and also check to make sure there's no actual structural problems with your feet that might be fixable.
<snip>
Right now, I think the main thing is to back off until you feel comfortable, and then slowly and carefully work your way up.
If you can't immediately see the podiatrist, you might try some Superfeet insoles, about $35.
http://www.superfeet.com/
Water aerobics are wonderful for those with joint pain or trouble moving.
My wife, who has several health issues, says that water aerobics are the only exercise she really enjoys doing. She's made several new friends in the process.
There's no reason to hate being more active, and you will hurt yourself.
Be careful and work into it, your health issues didn't start in a day, and won't improve in a day. Best to avoid a setback due to being hurt.
I definitely second the ideas for tai chi and yoga.
Do try a class if you can. Alignment in both is important, and you'll see faster results. A lot of gyms have very good yoga teachers.
Are you stretching before you exercise? After? That will help. Definitely see a podiatrist. I have arthritis in my big toe. I have found Brooks to be the best shoes for me. The doc also told me I have to wear stiff bottomed shoes. They help a lot. Not saying that is the right solution for you, I am simply saying that a podiatrist gave me advice for my condition. If I would have gotten shoes according to what the shoe salesperson said, I would have gone for extremely flexible soles, which is the worst for me!
Do you have a local YMCA? They have pretty good rates and if you are low-income, they have scholarships. My family of five used to go for $15 a month.
Tiam: my 2 cents worth. You need something that gets you moving but takes the stress off your joints. You need something that allows you to go at your own pace. Advice: find a health club/ymca that has a Concept 2 rowing machine. You don't have to be a member. Maybe at the club you have to suffer through a sales pitch, or at a Y you'd have to pay a daily guest fee. But try the machine, with the help of a knowledgeable staff person to show you how.
Then if you like it, find one used. Currently there's one on ebay, a Concept 2 Model D, asking $600. A bit steep for a used one, IMO, but you can bid on it. There are 3 days left for bidding. You can bid $200 and get a really good deal. Or if you can find one, a Model C is just fine.
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