Muscle strength

I have been able to work out and went from 1 to 2 lb weights to 3, 5 and 8. The only thing I have trouble with is planks, push ups and anything that uses the wrists. Start slow and do what you can.

If you do appropriate exercises - speak to a physiotherapist.

In short, I think so.

It wasn't until I got RA that I had real motivation to go to a gym. I took physical capacity for granted before RA, and didn't do anything very special to try to be stronger or fitter except get out and walk in my lunch break.

When things were really bad for me during the initial onset of RA a few years ago, I read a lot of stuff stressing the benefit of maintaining strength and fitness to help reduce the long-term damage that RA inflammation does to joints and ligaments. At that time I had a lot of pain, sensitivity and fatigue and even light daily activities were hardly manageable. However when symptoms eased up I aqua-jogged. This is extremely low impact, low pressure exercise, and yet if you push yourself and work in some variations in pace and movements, it will get your heart rate up and work a lot of big muscles. I built up to sessions of up to 40 minutes.

When I could handle more I needed help to find exercises that were not painful, with which the gym trainer was good. However it did take quite a bit of feedback from me to explain what I felt doing various things - too much pain, pressure etc. Tricky at times.

I have improved my strength. But I have also had times when I have needed to ease up or stop, as things flare up. From time to time my hands, wrists or feet are again sensitive, or I get a bad shoulder and I can't push it. I've had breaks of up to a couple of weeks from which I do notice a set-back. For me, regular is better and I feel more positive after exercise.