Re: Re: Water Therapy (long)

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,

Weight has a *lot* to do with pain on swollen joints. When your knees are swollen, don't you think it makes a difference whether they're supporting 110 lbs or 210 lbs? People on this list frequently say they are unable to lift over 10 or 20 lbs; losing weight takes pressure off joints. It doesn't matter whether it's osteo or rheumatoid arthritis; joint pressure is painful when joints are swollen. Overweight doesn't make your RA "worse;" it makes it more painful. There is a big difference.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 10:50 AM

Subject: Re: Water Therapy (long)

Congratulations on starting the water therapy. I am of average weight, size 10 and before and while I got RA I was going to the gym 3 times a week. I don't think your weight has anything to do with your RA, I think that may be true of someone with Osteo Arthritis, which is more caused by wear and tear of the joints and excess weight on them. A lot of people have trouble understanding the difference.>> Hi all> > On Tuesday this week I began water therapy at my request. I practically > had to beg my doctor for a script to do this. But she did give me one > and my insurance will only cover 20 visits.> > I am at least 100 pounds overweight and due to pain haven't done much > but housework and walking in a long time. Since I can no longer work and > my DH, who has a terminal illness, volunteer drives to help with extra > income to add to our disability, I overcompensate out of my own guilt > because I feel like I am not contributing properly to the house, with > housework that would make Martha or any white gloved zealous > mother in law proud :-P> > My first interview with the (male) PT instructor was about what I > expected. He looked at my hands and feet, had me walk back and forth and > said that yes, it is very apparent that you have RA and you are in a lot > of pain but if you lose weight your pain will decrease and it will be > more comfortable for you to move. He also told me that I can no longer > be a land based exercise critter but that from here on out I will have > to be a water critter which I have no problem with. After all, even > though I can't swim a lick and I float like a stone I was in the Navy > and I do love the water.> > Tuesday was my first day in the water. 90 degree pool ahh wonderful!!!! > He warned me both before and after the session that I should expect to > be VERY sore that evening and the next day as I had been without real > exercise so long. I believed him and kept waiting for it to happen. I > did an hour of exercise, never felt my heart rate increase, or shortness > of breath, and it was sooooo easy and so much fun that I felt guilty > that I was having so much fun. Wednesday was my day off and still no > soreness, (except for some swelling in my hands from gripping the > dumbbells) in fact I felt better than I had in awhile. Thursday I > dreaded going back because I was still not sore and I was sure that he > was going to tell me that I wasn't working hard enough, or not doing the > exercises correctly or that I was doing something wrong.> > So I go back on Thursday and get in the water and start my exercises and > he adds a few extra ones including 3 sets of 12 step ups from the 4 foot > section of the pool to the 3 foot section that wasn't even hard for me > to do and 3 sets of 12 per leg of lunges. I told him that compared to > the way I do housework that these exercises are like a break/vacation > for me and that I felt better after doing them than after housework and > had more energy. I had my 12 year old with me and she said to him "yeah > if you want a workout come over and do housework with Mom and you'll > know what a workout really is, it keeps me in shape". She looks like a > 16 year old and is in great shape but that is another worry.> > Well I am again, not sore today but he assures me that if I stick to > this that within 9 months time I will notice a difference in my weight, > my pain level and my RA, which truthfully would make me very happy even > though I am not sure what and how it can make any difference in my RA. > Has anyone else done water therapy and had it help? I mean this is am > immune disorder and I don't see exercise halting its progression or > weight loss halting it though I do see weight loss lifting my self esteem.> > If you did water therapy were you sore? Did it do anything to help the > RA? Do you see any logic to this claim at all? He knows that I can not > afford to continue to see him.> > I have explained to him that since my insurance will only cover 20 > visits that I need him to teach me all that he can and then I am going > to apply for financial aid at the YMCA and continue on there and he is > cool with that.> > I can see less weight = less wear and tear on the joints which would > slow down the normal wear and tear of joints in any person but to say it > will slow the progression of RA or degenerative joint disease which I > also have just doesn't add up for me.> > Would appreciate any discussion on this at all.> > Ila in Maine mailto:sewcraftyila@...> > "I'm Halloween's answer to Santa Claus."> — King>