Strengthening and Stretching

I googled 'exercises for osteo arthritis' and got some good tips - perhaps they may help you too.

Our local hospital has a clinic for people with OP.  I wonder if they would have something similar for people with issues like yours?  Here it is free.  

Because of my hips and my lower back being tight and painful at times, I have a habit of doing stretching exercises at night and in the morning before I get out of bed.  I did get these instructions from Physical Therapy sessions I had a while ago.  They do help to ease joint pain, and my walking has improved.

 

I'vew been seeing a chiropractor for several weeks and in the begining

it helped but then I made the mistake of telling him that my legs were

"stiff" and while I was laying on my stomach he took both legs and

bent them at the knees and pushed them all the way over my

back...........well, I've been in pain ever  since.   He told me I have rotated my right pelvis????  Not sure

what that means but I will have a talk with him next appt about what

he can't do to my legs.  Anyone have any experience with

chiro?  Problem is I never know what the pain is.....PMR or

back problem....

PMR (Doctor not sure) affects my arms, shoulders, neck, and back, particularly arms.   I can do no exercise whatsover involving my arms, including riding my bicycle so I do core exercises: variations on sit ups, hyperextensions and some Swiss Ball exercises and longish walks in the afternoon.   With the higher prednisone does I'm currently on I've changed my bicycle handlebars and can now cycle short distances.   I've noticed in the short time I've had this condition my arms and shoulders have atrophied substantially, they now look like spaghetti, funny really I used to be a body builder and my arms were my best bodypart.

Before I started taking pred, I was mostly immobilized, couldn't even push a vacuum cleaner, had trouble getting out of a car, and couldn't put things up ona shelf.

But there were things I could do!  I couldn't lift my leg to get ona bike, but I could lay a bike on the ground, climb over it, then pick it up and go riding, which I did every day.

So there was this one form of exercise I found I could do, and I did it.  I believe this has improved my prognosis, and the more time I spend riding, the less severe that my symptoms are for any given daily dosage of pred.

Make it your hobby to find the very best way that you can maintain the greatest duration of exercise.  Experiment as needed to fine-tune your efforts for greatest comfort over the months you will be dealing with pmr.

Symptoms from pmr seem to be ever-changing, so also be ready to take advantage of each little improvement in any part of your body.

a plan for what

As I start to get the hang of tai chi the more sure I am that it is helpful.  I can feel my body being "worked" by the various movements, but never with any strain (unless I'm doing it wrong, which of course happens to any novice).  I also know that qi gong has proven helpful for people, some of whom were suffering from very serious illnesses.