Arthritis - Anyone Have Experience With It?

[jdtemple]

I have an arthritic right shoulder. Basically, it hurts most every day. I keep on lifting, fighting through the pain.

If I keep a steady flow of ibuprofen going, the pain is pretty manageable. Honestly, I don't want to have to constantly take drugs to have a workable shoulder.

The pain isn't unbearable, but it's constant. Think of it as constant discomfort.

I can live with the nagging pain. The problem comes when I lift, mainly on chest day.

Every lift, if feels as if I'm on the verge of really hurting something, tearing a ligament, etc. I work hard to keep my form flawless, but that feeling of "oh no, I'm about to hurt myself" never goes away, because of the arthritis. I guess it's kind of hard to explain.

Should I just work through it? It tends to make my form suffer, because other muscles are trying to compensate for the bad shoulder, and because of that sensation that I'm about to tear something in my shoulder.

The pain is the worst on dumbbell flys.

If anyone here has some knowledge on the subject, can you offer any input?

[Hey-Iwas51]

If I keep a steady flow of ibuprofen going, the pain is pretty manageable. Honestly, I don't want to have to constantly take drugs to have a workable shoulder.

Do it anyway... I know it sounds like you are being a wimp if you take something to help fight the pain, BUT... Ibuprofen not only helps with the pain, it is an "anti-inflamatory". What that means is that it keeps additional arthitis from forming. Ever see an old man or old lady with bent fingers? That is arthritis... my Uncle was too cheap to go buy any kind of anti-inflamatory, or visit the doc on the subject for years, and just toughed it out. So, now he is 79, and since he was 75 or so, he could hardly use his hands, and otherwise is in very good health. He loves to garden and can hardly hold on to the tools. Arthritis is not something you want to get behind on...

There are lots of NSAIDs out there which are easier on your body (stomach) than ibuprofen, might want to look into them, you might find one which really works for you. I really liked Lodine for a while, now using something a bit stronger, but ask your doc.

As far as your question, my unschooled opinion is that your body (the pain) will probably keep you out of trouble, but tell you what, it is your shoulder after all. Go see the doc and tell him what you do that causes the pain, make sure it is only arthritis, you don't want to mess up a shoulder.

Dan

[...Kennedy]

I agree with Hey-Iwas51.

I've dealt with it for almost ten years now. Ibuprofen can work, but not that well. I have it in my hips, lower back, and knees the worst. I used to take Vioxx for it, but that was taken off the market.

When I made the decision a couple of months ago to get back into lifting free weights, I knew that squatting and deadlifts were key movements to any potential success. So, I bit the bullet, visited my doctor, and got a prescription for meloxicam (Mobec). So far, it's working well.

Like you, I also do not like to take medication, but I take one of these before a quad/hams/glutes/lower back workout, and it's made all the difference.

[blastertech70]

I have an arthritic right shoulder. Basically, it hurts most every day. I keep on lifting, fighting through the pain.

If I keep a steady flow of ibuprofen going, the pain is pretty manageable. Honestly, I don't want to have to constantly take drugs to have a workable shoulder.

The pain isn't unbearable, but it's constant. Think of it as constant discomfort.

I can live with the nagging pain. The problem comes when I lift, mainly on chest day.

Every lift, if feels as if I'm on the verge of really hurting something, tearing a ligament, etc. I work hard to keep my form flawless, but that feeling of "oh no, I'm about to hurt myself" never goes away, because of the arthritis. I guess it's kind of hard to explain.

Should I just work through it? It tends to make my form suffer, because other muscles are trying to compensate for the bad shoulder, and because of that sensation that I'm about to tear something in my shoulder.

The pain is the worst on dumbbell flys.

If anyone here has some knowledge on the subject, can you offer any input?

You say you have arthritis, there are two diff types, Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. The biggest feat with arthritis is inflamation and lack of mobility/motion.

I have degenerative Osteoarthritis in both knees ( knee replacements) ankles and shoulder the best thing that works for me is "exercise" and " inflamitory medication" I use " Mobic" after the celebrex debate occurred and had to change when they took it off the market.

If IBProfin works for you I would take it. If not you probably need one of the arthritic meds to help keep the inflamation down.

The best medicine for me is "exercise" and keep active even though it hurts, setting and staying inactive takes away the immediate pain and discomfort but... usually results is lack of motion and stiffness with even more pain when you finally move again.

" hot water and heat" is your friend when dealing with arthritis and "cold" is your enemy. Many people sleep with electric wraps/blankets to keep the joint warm and it helps with the discomfort.

Either way you go pain will be constant when dealing with arthritis, but there are a few things you can do to make it more comfortable and liveable.

hope this helps

[Arlecchino]

I have osteo myself.

In addition to the exercise recommendations, Animal Flex has worked wonders for me. Which really surprised me.

[jdtemple]

Just throwing in there that the doc has looked at it, and that's how I know what it is.

I haven't had them look close enough at it to tell me if it's Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis.

My mom has the same problem, in the same shoulder. I'm pretty certain it's inherited.

The Ibuprofen doesn't upset my stomach or anything. My only concern was becoming dependent on it.

[Whatanejit]

Fish Oils - Omega 3 is supposed to be beneficial from a natural supplement perspective.

However, I would definately keep taking the anti-inflammatory drugs.

Well done for not sitting on the couch feeling sorry for yourself.

[jdtemple]

I have osteo myself.

In addition to the exercise recommendations, Animal Flex has worked wonders for me. Which really surprised me.

I do take Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements. I recently heard about Animal Flex and might give it a try once my supply runs out.

I also get plenty of Omega 3's, through milled flaxseed.

[dungeonmistress]

I have an arthritic right shoulder. Basically, it hurts most every day. I keep on lifting, fighting through the pain.

If I keep a steady flow of ibuprofen going, the pain is pretty manageable. Honestly, I don't want to have to constantly take drugs to have a workable shoulder.

The pain isn't unbearable, but it's constant. Think of it as constant discomfort.

I can live with the nagging pain. The problem comes when I lift, mainly on chest day.

Every lift, if feels as if I'm on the verge of really hurting something, tearing a ligament, etc. I work hard to keep my form flawless, but that feeling of "oh no, I'm about to hurt myself" never goes away, because of the arthritis. I guess it's kind of hard to explain.

Should I just work through it? It tends to make my form suffer, because other muscles are trying to compensate for the bad shoulder, and because of that sensation that I'm about to tear something in my shoulder.

The pain is the worst on dumbbell flys.

If anyone here has some knowledge on the subject, can you offer any input?

i have bone on bone arthritis in my left knee, under the outer edge of the knee cap - due to uneven wear (genetically bad knees basically), which led to a torn meniscus. i've been getting synvisc shots in the joint every year. it's a series of 3 shots of hyaluronic acid. it helps. the shots suck but if i want to continue to lift and stuff i have to do it.

i cannot squat past parallel any more. but i can squat, so i look at it that way (glass half full way of thinking). you might have to take flyes out of rotation if it truly hurts that badly, or do partial movements if you can. working out shouldn't hurt like that. it is recommended that movement of the joint and strengthening the muscle around it is good for arthritis - ie, you shouldn't just sit and do nothing - and you aren't, you just need to modify and find what will work for you. i don't know where in your shoulder exercises you place the flyes, maybe try them at the end of your shoulder routine when your joint is good and warmed up. do them lighter if possible, for more reps if you have to. there is more than one way to beat a dead horse as they say. i really hate that saying but it applies here.

i take oral supplements as well but don't think they help me much. the shots do though. so i'd advise you to talk to your dr, then get in to see a sports med dr for mri, etc., then possibly talk synvisc. see, what you are feeling inside your joint is grinding - happens because as we age our joint fluid, which is viscuous when younger, starts to thin out to almost water-like consistency. synvisc thickens it back up again. sort of like a jiffy lube for the joints.

one other thing: the more you lift and move your shoulder thru the internal grinding, the possibility exists that eventually you will do some damage in there and need an mri to clean it up and worse. all the grinding in my knee led to the torn meniscus. i beat myself up pretty good in the gym tho, have recently cut out all the mad cardio and my knee is lots better. i save it for squatting. my strength curve has gone up a LOT lately.

[jdtemple]

I just talked to my mom; it's Osteoarthritis.

[DaddyR]

I had varying degrees of a rheumatoid-like arthritis due to Systemic Lupus in various joints but always, constantly both hands, for a period of a little more than 5 years. I tied getting back into working out a few times, but it seemed so futile pushing through the pain when I was taking a catabolic corticosteroid, prednisone, the whole time and weekly chemotherapy after the first year. The prednisone was awful - I gained at least 30 lbs and started losing bone.

Now that it has been in remission for several years I am happy and am working out regularly. But back when I was in constant pain and taking all sorts of drugs just to be able to dress myself and do my job each day, it was rare that I was even able to work out.

[jdtemple]

I had varying degrees of a rheumatoid-like arthritis due to Systemic Lupus in various joints but always, constantly both hands, for a period of a little more than 5 years. I tied getting back into working out a few times, but it seemed so futile pushing through the pain when I was taking a catabolic corticosteroid, prednisone, the whole time and weekly chemotherapy after the first year. The prednisone was awful - I gained at least 30 lbs and started losing bone.

Now that it has been in remission for several years I am happy and am working out regularly. But back when I was in constant pain and taking all sorts of drugs just to be able to dress myself and do my job each day, it was rare that I was even able to work out.

Man, that's terrible. Glad to hear you're doing better!

[jdtemple]

I might have to suck it up and go to a sports medicine doc.

[EggSuckingLeech]

I might have to suck it up and go to a sports medicine doc.

This is a good idea. I have had shoulder issues since my college days when I dislocated it once during a skiing accident. This was 20 years ago. Since then, I have had both arthroscopic surgery as well as a full-blown repair. I had a labral tear. Unfortunately neither surgery really fixed it.

About a year ago, I wanted to get back into lifting and my left shoulder was really limiting me. So I sought out the sports medicine doc who deals with the Seattle Seahawks. I drove up to Seattle and he did some Xrays and shot my shoulder up with a steroid. Man, I forgot what it was like to have a normal shoulder. Unfortunately, the steroid only lasted a couple weeks.

He scheduled me for an out-patient arthroscopic surgery to "clean it up" and discovered I have alot of arthritis in there. After some shaving down in the joint, I was initially told to ease up on the weight. I was pretty disappointed. Only heavy weights build muscle right?

I went to my doc and he actually told me not to worry about it too much. As long as it doesn't hurt. He felt the benefits of training far outweighed the risks and didn't want to tell me something that might make me stop.

So now, I can lift pretty heavy but over time I have had to learn approaches which are easy on my shoulder. For example, I can't benchpress with a straight bar but for some reason I can go heavy with dumbells (especially if I twist my wrist in at the top). For pulldowns, I can't let my arms go all the way up. For bar dips, I need a narrow width. Stuff like that.

I would very much recommend you see a doc because I bet he really can help. And don't get discouraged with training because you definitely can work around it if you take your time and try to figure it out. Good luck.

[67fastback]

I have RA (systemic)

I'd have to say, figure out for yourself "good pain" vs "bad pain"

Bad pain = stop

Good pain = plod along

Try playing with reps on the affected areas. Very low reps with heavy weights, or very high reps with really light weights. Change things up.

Most importantly keep mobility and range of motion.

Learn to swim or go swimming. Best exercise for inflamation. Cools the affected area and allows for a low stress movement.
I still take AI's. Vitamins, glucosomine etc, did nothing for me except lighten my wallet. Best drug is swimming.

Ostio might be different for you, maybe those things will help.

Other thing that helped me a lot was going cold turkey on red meat. Eliminated drive-thru, fast foods, greasy foods. Clean diet helped a lot.


Best thing I did for my RA was start going to the gym and start lifting 1 1/2 - 2 years ago

[Klayfish]

I just talked to my mom; it's Osteoarthritis.

Don't be so sure without getting medical input. The doctor is definitely a good idea. We can give you all the advice in the world, but until you really know what's going on, it's a shot in the dark. Once you really understand the problem, then you can find an effective solution.

I've had knee troubles since the age of about 12. Had arthroscopic on them both in 1996. My mother had knee troubles, as did her father. So sure, the genetic disposition is there. However, my sister has had no troubles. Turns out I also have Crohns' disease. It's an autoimmune disease that attacks my digestive system. But it's common for people with Crohn's to also have symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis, which I do. I have pain in a lot of my joints like you describe...more of an ache than flat out "pain". I'm not trying to say or imply you have Crohn's or rheumatoid, as they have a host of other symptoms, but my point is that you should find the root cause of the issue first. For me, now that I know the cause of my issues, I'm doing great with the right medications and now even better diet and exercise routines thanks to bb.com

As for exercising with it, again, get some good medical advice first as to what you should and shouldn't do. Up until 18 months ago, I hadn't run at all in probably 15+ years because of my knees and the fear I'd damage them. But I've taken it slow and steady and made incredible progress. Sure, they hurt (more like burn) a good bit, but they always have. However, I've found that as I stengthen the muscles around the joint, it feels more stable than it used to. You may find the same thing. With the right exercises, you can strengthen the muscles around the joint and actually improve your symptoms, not make them worse.

Best of luck.

Steve

[jdtemple]

Thanks everyone. It looks like a trip to the doc is definitely in order.

[Hey-Iwas51]

I do take Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements. I recently heard about Animal Flex and might give it a try once my supply runs out.

I also get plenty of Omega 3's, through milled flaxseed.

Couple more thoughts... I think there is actually something in fish oil which somehow "lubes" the joints... lots of people at one point were spraying WD40 on themselves for arthritis, which I highly advise against (it is full of various additives, which have to be toxic), but it's base, believe it or not, is fish oil. So, you might want to try switching over to fish oil as a test source for omega 3's...

Also, Animal Flex has lots of stuff in it which alternative medicinal folks use. Has to be something to that. But remember, those kinds of meds are not really meds at all... supplements are just that, "nutritional" supplements. They work slowly, by filling deficiencies in your body. So, figure a couple months for a trial.

I have been trying a couple other things, including vitamin D, found out I have a D deficiency.

Dan

[jdtemple]

I did use fish oil for a little while. When that ran out, I switched to the flaxseed. I figured the extra fiber would do me some good.

[jdtemple]

I did use fish oil for a little while. When that ran out, I switched to the flaxseed. I figured the extra fiber would do me some good. Maybe I'll switch back.

[jdtemple]

You can thank my 2 year old for the double post. He was getting a little friendly with my mouse.

[blastertech70]

You can thank my 2 year old for the double post. He was getting a little friendly with my mouse.

LMAO

Gotta love them, don't blink the next thing you know they will be graduating. Man I miss my kid's all the time. But as young adults they got alot of iron's in the fire....enjoy it now.

[jdtemple]

LMAO

Gotta love them, don't blink the next thing you know they will be graduating. Man I miss my kid's all the time. But as young adults they got alot of iron's in the fire....enjoy it now.

Oh, he's great. I love the little turd.

[jdtemple]

I just got back from another trip from the doctor.

He sent my xrays to a radiologist who said that there is no arthritis. Good news!

My shoulder blew out again today doing deadlifts, which is why I went back.

I also have had this nagging back muscle (maybe my right rhomboid) that has been constantly knotted up for the last week or so. It may be something trying to compensate for the shoulder pain.

He's sending me to a sports doctor and will contact their office on Monday.

In the meantime, I have some prescription ibuprofen (I was taking OTC stuff) and some muscle relaxers. I'll be picking those up in about 30 minutes.

[mikeloft@yahoo.com]

I was diaognose with Bursis & Ostio Arthritis in my right shoulder by Dr. & MRI. I Recently started using ANIMAL FLEX & ANIMAL OMEGA in conjuction with Aleive & Exercise. That supplementation has worked wonders. I don't work for Universal, but I heavily recommend those two supplements!

[jdtemple]

I don't work for Universal, but I heavily recommend those two supplements!

You sure? This is your first post, and it's an Ad for a supplement. I find both of your claims hard to believe.

[jtroster]

My wife has arthritis in her right knee. Her Doctor put her on Celebrex (low dosage). Now she has no trouble and can exercise again.

[theKurp]

I've got degenerative arthritis in places I know about, and in other places I don't know about. E.g., I didn't know I had arthritis in my back until I had it x-rayed after hurting it doing (bad form) deadlifts. I definitely have it in my knees and shoulders and perhaps in my hips as well.

As mentioned earlier, I've found the best relief to be lifting weights. I rarely take any NSAIDs, saving it for times when, for whatever reason or another, it's really bothering me. I will add that as I've gotten older my tolerance for pain has increased significantly. Case in point, I broke my little finger at the distal inter-phalengeal joint playing softball a couple of nights ago and I haven't taken any pain medication for it. It bothered me some the first night, but now I'm hardly aware of it unless I place a load on the finger.

[Wayne Evans]

I just got back from another trip from the doctor.

He sent my xrays to a radiologist who said that there is no arthritis. Good news!

My shoulder blew out again today doing deadlifts, which is why I went back.

I also have had this nagging back muscle (maybe my right rhomboid) that has been constantly knotted up for the last week or so. It may be something trying to compensate for the shoulder pain.

He's sending me to a sports doctor and will contact their office on Monday.

In the meantime, I have some prescription ibuprofen (I was taking OTC stuff) and some muscle relaxers. I'll be picking those up in about 30 minutes.

I didn't read every post but my wife just had shoulder surgery due to a bone spur.
I was with her when the 'specialist' (the one who also did the operation) stated that it is not common to get arthritis in the shoulder area so I was thinking it could be something different.
I'm no doc so was unable to comment further.

Hope things get fixed for you.

[jdtemple]

I'm back lifting again, just into the end of week 2 of easing into it. It ended up being a sterno-clavicular joint sprain and a pulled rhomboid. There's still some stiffness in the joint. But, now that I've taken some time off, lifting is making it feel better, not worse.