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maybe water exercises might be something to consider. many ymca's offer these classes for both therapy and weight loss. it gives you the ability to be "weightless". this helps to alleviate stress on joints while exercising. hope this was helpful, as i don't know a lot about your condition. when i first started exercising, this was what i did to start. the step classes had too much 'impact' for my knees, so this was where i started, i could still get my heart rate up, and even doing jumping jacks in the pool was easier. good luck to you..
Thanks for the suggestion. That sounds great but I live in a small town and we don't have a YMCA. The only public pool we have is outdoor. This time of year we have temps of 30's and 40's. When it opens this summer I might give it a try. Right now I'm pretty much stuck in the house with a treadmill. Thanks for the help. 2B118
Hi 2B, I'm a 52 year old woman with scoleosis in both my lower back, and in my neck. I also have arthritis in my hips, back, and feet. I also live in a tiny town. (3000 people in town, and 1000 in the outlying farmlands.) I would also recommend the arthritis water aerobics if you can find a 'Y' near enough to attend. I used to go to one that is about 25 miles from me. I can't get there now, and I really miss doing the water aerobics. It was amazing how much it helped the pain of my arthritis, and my flexibility. We had people in the class with everything from degenerative bone problems, to joint problems, to cartlidge problems, etc. I would also recommend walking. Start out easy. Walk for 20-25 minutes, that's about a mile. and increase the time as you're able. It's a low impact exercise that doesn't cost anything, and that you can do just about anywhere, and that you can make more impactful simply by increasing your time and speed. Also, our little town has a tae-kwondo studio. Most small towns these days have some kind of martial arts studio. Give them a call to see if they give Tai-Chi classes. Tai Chi is wonderful. Easy on the back, the joints, etc., and increases flexibility. :D
Thank you for the reply. I'm gonna start walking on my treadmill as much as I can. I would love to be able to go to a pool every day. For now the walking will have to be enough. Thanks for the help. 2B118
good luck to you. walking is a place to start, for sure.. start slow, and let your body be your guide. if you feel pain or discomfort, slow down or stop. you might want to check to see if there any programs through your local hospital for water therapy anywhere close. i know that the Y i went to had a special arrangement with our local hospital, and rented the pool specifically for rehab of folks with arthritis, recovering from surgery etc.. just a thought.. :)
That's a great idea Pixie! Also, our little town has a 'community center' which is free to any members of the community. They have some exercize equipment, and an outside track for walking, that is well lit. Many of the people here in town go there, and the seniors are especially fond of it, and many plan to meet and exercise together there. I'd lived here for 2 years before I even knew of it's existence! Not knowing what it was when I drove by. So check around your little community 2B. They may have many things to offer that you're unaware of. Oh yeah, I also wanted to say that here in Northwest Indiana, the weather isn't always the best for walking, so the local grade school opens their doors to the community from 5am to 7am, and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm, and anyone can come in and use the hallways for walking during those times. If your school doesn't offer this, but you can get a small group of friends who would like to walk, but have no place to do so, you might consider going to the school and asking permission to walk there during similar hours.
those are some nice things that you mentioned.. sometimes we find out how very little we know about our communities :)
I personally have a bad back and fibromyalgia and thus walking is difficult for me as well as other excercises. What I got was a glide machine (QVC is evil! ;)) and it really makes it easy to get moving without the pounding on my joints. - IaGal
Thanks for all the replies. I will check around and make sure my little town don't have anything to help me. I know they have a fittness center but I can't afford to go. Mostly this town just worries about new buildings that we don't need. They tore down a beautiful courthouse just to make a fancy one. This is a very political town. I will double check and see if maybe I'm wrong. I might see if I can get my hands on a glider if the treadmill keeps giving me problems. Thanks for all the suggestions!!