I am 29 and have been working out intensly since my early teens and was wondering if any of you out there are starting to experience aches and pains in your joints from all the years of working out? I have never experienced a wrenching injury and I work hard to cross train and stretch, but lately I've been wondering if I will suffer in the future from all my jumping around? Thanks! Debi
arthritis
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Carol122201
Cathlete
On the contrary! I fell down the stairs five years ago and tore two ligaments in my left knee. Luckily, I did not need surgery, and have my flexibility and range of motion back in that knee, but at the time they did comparative x-rays and told me I had arthritic changes in both knees. I was 40 at the time. I will be 46 tomorrow. Not surprising, since my mom and maternal grandmother both had this. A smart-aleck orthopedic resident also told me I'd be lucky to be walking by the time I was 60! That pissed me off. Well, I ran in college, and since then have worked out inconsistently with first Kathy Smith, Jane Fonda, and others like them, then the Firm, then FitPrime, and now of course Cathe. Not only are the aches and pains of carrying around over 50 extra pounds of fat gone (I've lost over 50 pounds since last August!!), but I have my aerobic endurance back, and strength gains like I never believed possible! My knees no longer hurt when I work out! In fact, nothing hurts!! It's WAY cool!! There is plenty of medical evidence supporting the theory that the best way to combat arthritis is to move the joints. It's difficult to say if the aches and pains you are experiencing are from overtraining or something else. It's not unheard of to have arthritis at your age, although you are much younger than the average age at which it first shows up. Check with your physician if it continues to get worse, or interferes with your workouts. But usually people with arthritis benefit from exercise, not get worse with it. If you're asking if working out can give you arthritis, or cause you to have joint problems in the future, I don't believe it can cause arthritis. At least, I've never heard any theories to that effect. I suppose if you overtrain you can cause joint injury over time, but again I would wait and see if this gets worse or interferes with your workouts, and then check with your physician. Best of luck to you!!
Carol
Carol
Hi,
I agree with Carol. Exercises most definately helps you. I have arthritis both on my lower lumbar region and both of my knees but together with physical therapy that I am doing currently because of knee surgery and the workouts I incorporate with Cathe and others I am literally pain free. When your mucles are strong and healthy these muscles support the joints. Definately see your doctor to rule out any other type of injuries you may have and discuss the workouts you are currently doing. But most of all, listen to your body.
Take care and please let us know how you are doing.
Take care,
Iris
I agree with Carol. Exercises most definately helps you. I have arthritis both on my lower lumbar region and both of my knees but together with physical therapy that I am doing currently because of knee surgery and the workouts I incorporate with Cathe and others I am literally pain free. When your mucles are strong and healthy these muscles support the joints. Definately see your doctor to rule out any other type of injuries you may have and discuss the workouts you are currently doing. But most of all, listen to your body.
Take care and please let us know how you are doing.
Take care,
Iris
lesliemarie
Cathlete
I have an arthritis condition called Fibromyalgia and it makes all my joints and muscles hurt pretty bad, My doctor has been pushing me for years to exercise and I well you know poo-pooed him because I though how can I exercise when I hurt so much, well I started to take control and exercise and I found I am healthier and less aches and pains then when I was first diagnosed with it, My Rheumatologist always stresses exercise for his patients. It does help.
Hey Debi,
I have scoliosis and osteoarthritis in my spine. My main reason for getting into fitness is my curved back. My doctor told me that if my muscles are strong, my bones are better supported, and weight-bearing exercises also help build bone. I used to be on three different prescription medications pre-exercise. Now, I'm off of them.
My PT told me I don't have to use heavy weights to get stronger, and for a while I believed him. But when I discovered Cathe I just had to see how far I could take myself. I'm starting my sixth month with my Cathe workouts and the weight I use just keeps increasing. I do pause my DVD's a lot to stretch my back after every set, especially when I'm doing leg work, where I put a heavy barbell on my back. Sometimes I worry about using so much weight because I fear that doing so might make my back worse. But so far, I only feel good. Better, stronger, energized. I don't remember the last time I took a muscle relaxant or pain killer because my back was ailing me. If anything, I take ibuprofen usually after doing chest work or those plie squats. I think that STRETCHING a lot even on days when I'm not working out has helped me greatly. That's why I tack on 10-15 minutes of very basic yoga after my Cathe workouts.
Just remember to keep proper form while working out and to listen closely to your body and let it rest. This has worked very well for me.
Pinky
I have scoliosis and osteoarthritis in my spine. My main reason for getting into fitness is my curved back. My doctor told me that if my muscles are strong, my bones are better supported, and weight-bearing exercises also help build bone. I used to be on three different prescription medications pre-exercise. Now, I'm off of them.
My PT told me I don't have to use heavy weights to get stronger, and for a while I believed him. But when I discovered Cathe I just had to see how far I could take myself. I'm starting my sixth month with my Cathe workouts and the weight I use just keeps increasing. I do pause my DVD's a lot to stretch my back after every set, especially when I'm doing leg work, where I put a heavy barbell on my back. Sometimes I worry about using so much weight because I fear that doing so might make my back worse. But so far, I only feel good. Better, stronger, energized. I don't remember the last time I took a muscle relaxant or pain killer because my back was ailing me. If anything, I take ibuprofen usually after doing chest work or those plie squats. I think that STRETCHING a lot even on days when I'm not working out has helped me greatly. That's why I tack on 10-15 minutes of very basic yoga after my Cathe workouts.
Just remember to keep proper form while working out and to listen closely to your body and let it rest. This has worked very well for me.
Pinky
Runcrazy
Cathlete
Hi Debi,
I have been exercising and working out including several years of hardcore running for 25 years. I do lots of cross-training and stretching and it seems my body and joints are still fine. I have always listened to my body and got enough rest etc. Besides all the exercising, we do a lot of skiiing, hiking and biking so have always been very active.
I think a lot of it depends on you, how you take care of yourself, and hereditary factors etc.
I have been exercising and working out including several years of hardcore running for 25 years. I do lots of cross-training and stretching and it seems my body and joints are still fine. I have always listened to my body and got enough rest etc. Besides all the exercising, we do a lot of skiiing, hiking and biking so have always been very active.
I think a lot of it depends on you, how you take care of yourself, and hereditary factors etc.