Just interested to know has anyone improved their fitness level. I have RA a while its been reasonably under control a while now. However I have noticed that I have slowed down big time and my stamina is not great. Due to the fact I have done a lot less. I know I need to start exercise and regain this.

I would also love to know from anyone who has RA if they regained their fitness/stamina level when in remission. Or anyone that has RA for a very long time but have been able to remain active and feel they have not been disabled by the disease.

Thanks

I'm not in remission but I flare badly over the Winter months and am generally much better over the Summer months. My stamina and fitness declines sharply every single Winter (and I gain loads of weight) then I work hard to get my fitness back up and weight down before I flare again. It is of course extremely frustrating to be stuck in this perpetual loop but I think it's important to try not to lose too much ground over the long term for as long as I can.

Basically in about April when I start to finally come out of my flare I can only walk a very short way so I spend a month to six weeks methodically going for walks in the forest I live on the edge of. These start at at a very slow speed and sort distance, and I systematically increase this until I back to 'normal walking'. Then I start walking faster and further and my levels start to come right up. Eventually the joggers and squaddies all smile and wave and then I know I have entered the realm marked as 'doing something a normal person might consider exercise'

Then I get the pushbike out and repeat the whole process on the bike. It is exhausting but worth it (at least so I tell myself)

I also do salsa based exercise when I can which is great fun and you can tweak quite well round your joint issues.

Ideally I like to swim regularly more that anything else (I find it the form of exercise which is least jarring and shows results fastest) but I find it hard to get to the nearest pool very often. Swimming is a good option if viable though in my opinion.

Like Angie, I tried the gym but I struggled with gripping the equipment and things. It's also just not worth my getting membership because I can only use it half the year.

Totally agree about Pilates, I was too embarrassed to continue as I can't tolerate any pressure on my hands/wrists and always felt a bit odd doing different to everybody else. I'm a pretty self-conscious person.

Have you got a bicycle and cycle paths where you are? Apart from walking that's one exercise that helps and due to the hand issues, you can normally increase your core strength as you are using your abs to keep the pressure off and stabilise yourself.

Think your walking is still the best start though.

Angie

Hi
I'm not in remission but my RA is largely under control. Pre diagnosis I used to jog but that stopped pretty quickly! My sister was very encouraging in helping me find alternatives and I now do a mixture of swimming, deep water aqua aerobics (brilliant as your feet don't touch the floor so no impact), Pilates and walking. Agree about the Pilates, it is effective but you need to tell the teacher as some exercises will be difficult. Like the others I do what I can, and don't feel guilty when I can't.
One thing I found useful when very ill was a WiiFit. Even when leaving the house was difficult I could sway about on that a bit.
Sarah