Getting arthritis in my joints...especially my knees

Do any of you have exercise stategies?  I really can do more than walking on a treadmill.  I tried jogging but that really hurts my knees.  Now I'm trying slower walking but increasing the incline.

I'd like to hear any other strategies anyone uses to get exercise that is more gentle on the joints.

Taking glucosamine is essential! You need to take all three pills a day, and it will take a month or even two to notice a difference.

As you've discovered, high impact exercise  such as jogging is not good at all!  Same with jumping jacks, jumping rope, and other similar exercises.  Whatever exercise you do needs to be low impact. 

I think a treadmill with an incline is great.  You can crank it up to the point where you are really getting your heart rate up.  The elliptical trainer is also very easy on the knees.  A bicycle is good too.

You also need to build up the muscles around your knees with some strength training exercises.  This will minimize the effect of the arthritis.  Going up and down stairs is very good for this.  But you have to make sure when coming down the stairs that you tighten up your muscles around the knee and make each step a soft landing with minimum impact.

Other exercises to strengthen the knee muscles:  Forward and backward lunges are great, and especially when you can hold weights while doing them.  Step-ups (and downs) are excellent.  You will get the most benefit by increasing the height of the step.  Walking up and especially DOWN hills will build up your knee muscles, too.  As with stairs, keep those knee muscles tight when walking downhill to minimize impact. 

Your knees might be a little sore at first with some of these exercises, but they will get better in a hurry.  And I'll say it again - take that glucosamine!!  It also improves your skin tone, so it is doubly good.

Do I need to see a doctor about the glucosamine?  Any scary side effects?

You don't need to see a doctor about glucosamine.  You can get it at Wal-mart or order online from Puritan's Pride or wherever.  My husband and I take this.

The only side effect I have ever heard of is for some diabetics.  If you are diabetic, it may or may not affect your blood sugar level and you should monitor carefully at first.

My knees and elbows still get sore if I abuse them (hike 20+ miles, etc), but they quickly go back to normal within a few days.  It's probably the combination of glucosamine and exercise, but I have almost no aches and pains compared to 5 years ago. 

Let us know what results you get!

if you are under the care of a doctor for arthritis, then you need to tell him/her that you are taking glucosamine also condroitin and msm. If they ever add pain meds it greatly matters what you are already taking. If you are feeling relief from that and don't go to an arthritis doc, then I doubt if you would need to consult one about taking the supplement.

I hope the glucosamine works for you. It did not work for me, but certain dietary additions (regularly consuming dark cherries and pineapple in particular) yoga, walking, taking the stairs, weight loss, and pain meds from my arthritis doc finally did the trick for me.

Moonduster is very right, never do high impact exercises with arthritis. Strength exercises are critical, you just may have to build up slower depending on the severity of your condition. Strengthening the connective tissues and muscles surrounding the joint greatly reduces pain. Also each pound lost makes a more dramatic change in your knees than you'd believe.

Glad you are here!

Jannid, do you remember what kind of glucosamine supplement you tried?  Was it glucosamine sulfate or glucosamine hydrochloride?  Did you take the recommended dosage and how long did you take it before giving up on it?  I am asking all these nosy questions because I know a lot of people who say it doesn't work, but they didn't try for very long and they never took the entire dosage.

yup, took the entire dosage and did so for over a year. Don't remember which type I used. My husband started taking the ones I did and they helped him tremendously. Which is best and I'll make sure my husband is using the right stuff.

Ask away! That's one thing I love about this place. Experiences vary so much from person to person and there's always someone that has a great idea that helps!

If I tried the wrong type, I could do it again, but I will not give up eating my dark cherries and pineapple! I also take flax oil. My rheumatologist is supportive when I try supplements. If it works, he likes it - he just wants to know in case there's something that would not work w/my meds. I lost the world's best med when they banned it. Am still looking for a black market with some guy in a trench coat and low hat selling Bextra.

It sounds like you gave the glucosamine a more than adequate try.  I'm glad your other remedies are working for you.  The best kind is supposed to be the glucosamine sulfate.  Some say taking a small amount of Vit C with it is a good idea too. 

The glucosamine is supposed to help with cartilege rebuilding.  Perhaps your arthritis is not due to the wearing out of cartilege.  Mine definitely is.  Osteo-arthritis is rampant in my family.  My mother, aunts and uncles have had knee and hip replacements.  I feel lucky that my joints are doing as well as they are!

I just looked, it's the glucosamine hydrochloride and condroitin sulfate w/msm. When he's done with these I'll get the SU the other kind and give it a go myself.

I am doing more hand pressure yoga these days - more downward dogs etc and I am noticing it more. My worst arthritis is hands and feet. The bill always calls it osteo as I've never checked positive for rheumatoid although it sometimes behaves in that way (equal on both sides etc) on the other hand sometimes it's more like osteo! I usually just call it Funky Osteo.

Thanks for all the info, I'll let you know if it works!

For knee strengthening, forward/backward lunges, with or without weights, and steps, as recommended by Moonduster, are included in my PT home exercise program.  If you don't have the weights, you can use canned veggies or soda.  You can also do the lunges with a balance ball, or even a large children's ball, held out in front of you.  When my knee pain was making it harder to walk, my daughter said to make sure that I was pushing firmly off with my big toes.  Apparently, this helps keep things in alignment.  It did help!  My therapists were big on the bike and treadmill; I am too coordination challenged to manage the elliptical  Resistence bands and balance ball are great for strength training. 

I, too, have osteo in my hands, and a few years ago my rheumatologist sent me for OT and hand and wrist splints.  They have been a Godsend when the pain causes inability to open a milk bottle or hold my toothbrush.  Sometimes I just use them at night, so I don't hold my hands in some accommodative position and wake up screaming and scare my husband!  I have aspirin and shellfish allergies, so NSAIDs and glucosamine are out of the question.  Tylenol arthritis strength does take the edge off. 

thank you thank you for the push off with the big toe hint - and the lunge while holding a ball idea!

I've never tried splints at night but I have put rolled socks in my hands so I don't close them tight cuz that sure does hurt come morning.

  My 80 year old mother was having such bad knee pain 4-5 years ago that she was having trouble walking.  To help the pain, I had her get a stationary bike (which she set up next to her computer so she could play Freecell), and set the resistance to the lowest level.  Within several weeks she was noticing a major decrease in pain.  She gradually increased the amount until she was riding 20 miles a day.  Things were great until a power surge fried her computer a couple years ago, and she quit riding the bike.  Within a couple weeks her knee pain returned and she was limping again.  When she started riding the bike again, the pain left again.

  Stationary bikes (cheap  and easy to find at garage sales, Craig's List, etc--we got one for $10) are great because they produce non-weight-bearing motion of the knee joint.  This motion of the joint is vital because it helps circulate the synovial fluid inside the knee joint that helps to nourish the inside of the joint.  A bike is better than a treadmill because it takes the weightbearing stress off the joint.  Riding the bike also strengthens the muscle surrounding the knee which helps to stabilize the knee, and eliminate or at least greatly decrease the popping sounds that are common in arthritic knees.

Too often when people's knees starting bothering them, they decrease their activity level, which just further complicates things as the muscles weaken.

Good luck!

I've had great luck with  weight training with a personal trainer that focused on strenghtening  my quads  and other legs muscles to help keep my knees strong. I also do water aerobics 3 times a week and that is amazing. It takes the stress off your joints , yet gives you a great workout I have also gotten Euflexxa shots in my knees for 3 years.It lubricates the knees and lasts about  9months to a year.

Hope this helps

One suggestion from my chiropractor was to drink jello (either the unflavored mixed in my coffee, or the sugar free flavored).  I like to drink the dark cherry flavored jello.  I mix 5g in about 1 cup hot water and call it my "tea".  I did not find that the pills did me much good.  I am hoping the weight loss will also help.