Is walking aggravating hip arthritis?

[brendaelk65]

I need to exercise more to lose weight. I weigh 195 and am 5ft 4in tall. I have been diagnosed with hep c, fibro, arthritis in hips, as far as the arthritis I had a MRI and the left hip damage is more prominent, but also showed up in lower spine and right hip. As for the fibro, both conditions have alot of the same symptoms and that is confusing to treat. I can not do alot of pills due to liver damage that I do not want to happen. So far just in stage 2 fibrosis.
My question is when I try to walk sometimes it feels like it makes my lower back hurts more and I am wondering if this might aggravate the arthritis? Does anyone have trouble when walking for exercise? I would think it would help. These conditons are so baffling sometimes and I do not want to make things worse but I need to lose weight to help keep the inflamation and pressure on the joints down. Any Feedback?

[Tuckamore]

Thanks for updating and sharing your success with the community.

It's always great to hear what works for others as it encourages us to try it or spurs us on to find something that does work for us. Congrats!

~Tuck

[brendaelk65]

Just a quick update, I am using the advice you all gave me. I have 2 exercise balls to sit on, I had a larger one and I got the smaller one for exercise.I have a recumbent bike, and it has helped!t on it more than exercise by the way, LOL. also am supplementing with D ribose supplement powder and magnesium powder from Amazon. So I am more comfortable now. And Mollyadelaide did you have the baby yet? Hello to you both!

[carolanivey]

mollyadelaide, I've been wanting to try an elliptical machine! Keep checking on ebay or craigslist...maybe you'll find someone who's sick of hanging clothes on theirs. ;)  A couple weeks ago I walked through a gym (on a tour, long story) and saw what looked like a recumbent elliptical machine. I've been meaning to google it to see if my eyes were decieving me!

akreketa, you're welcome! Just make sure when you are sitting on the ball, it's not too low, which would put your shoulders and arms in an awkward position. I'm really short and use the smaller ball for exercise, but need the largest size for sitting. A great exercise for when you're just sitting on the ball (you probably know this if you have one) is to "write" the alphabet with your, um, rear end. :D  Upper case then lower case.

[brendaelk65]

Hi there, found your post as I was submitting my reply to mollyadelaide. You know you make a lot of sense about the bike and the weights, Sounds like something I could easily do.  I like your reply and thks for the feedback. I will be looking around for a recumbent bike. I can do the laptop while on the exercise ball, I have that right now.

[brendaelk65]

Hi yes I wondered if getting an elliptical machine to exercise on in the house, but of course there is a little money factor in that choice. I know if I do not exercise daily I can not lose weight. I watch what I eat mostly but I believe to actually lose weight and keep it off it needs both factors. The exercise machines are not cheap and I do not want something in the house that is just there to hang clothes on! I am not one to go to the gyms when a lot of people are there. I think I would feel inadequate having to take things slower than most there. But who knows? I can go to my hosptial physical therapy gym which is large and quite nice for a cheaper price since I have went through therapy for my back and pelvic floor there. Maybe I will get more serious about that. Also I might put a good machine in lay a way and pay that way while I go to the gym.

[carolanivey]

Hi arkeketa,

If walking causes hip pain (I've had both replaced so I know how much bad hips can hurt!), try water exercise or a recumbent stationary cycle. A "recumbent" cycle has you sitting down in a chair-like seat with back support, and with the pedals in front of the seat rather than below. It's much more comfortable. I set mine up in front of the TV and it's easy to get in 30 to 60 minutes while watching my favorite morning news show. Work with a couple of light hand weights while pedaling and voila, two for one exercise. :)

For low back pain that seems to get worse when walking or standing: very often, low back pain can be greatly lessened or even eliminated with proper toning and strengthening of your core/abdominal muscles. Ask your doctor for a series of simple exercises that stretch the low back and tone the belly. This does NOT mean you have to do sit-ups on the floor.

I do a lot of sitting at the computer all day and I find it helps a lot to set my laptop on a folding TV table and sit on a large size Swiss ball. This forces my core muscles - back, sides and belly - to engage in "microcontractions" to keep me balanced and upright.

I do a series of careful stretches and belly contracts while lying on my back on the floor or in my bed. They are easy and don't seem like they'd do much good, but if I slack off and don't do them for a week or two, my lower back reminds me!

Hope this helps.

[mollyadelaide]

I was running into this same problem! I do get pain in my hips when I jog (or attempt to:) ) and when I walk longer distances or more intensely. I asked my Primary doctor about this and she said yes probably better to avoid whatever is causing increasing pain. I did see a website speaking to people with RA who are are runners but try to do so wisely and safely. I was trying to lose wait too, but now I'm pregnant and so I won't really face this again for a few months. I was considering trying to bike or even swim for exercise instead if the walking pain continued.

I wish you the best!