High Blood Pressure, Arthritis, and Exercise

C

cleome

New member
I don't see too many posts concerning blood pressure here, so I'm starting a trend as this is my particular health problem and it is the impetus for going on a low-sodium, low-fat eating program.

Okay, here's my problem: I am spooked about the blood pressure and feel like any ache and pain is my heart failing. Silly I know. I have been walking and getting some cardio but I don't push it, just get a bit breathless and walk at more intense intervals and such, and then slow it down.

Years ago when I lost weight, I put CDs on and danced for 30 minutes to an hour. I also rode my bike to and from work for about 12 kms or more per week.

The bike broke and had to be thrown out, and I hurt my back and now have slight arthritis. Not a big problem but the dancing hurts. I'm been switching back and forth from walking to dancing but some days I can't do anything due to back and leg pain, so I take a break.

This will go away eventually, but it's hard at the beginning to get the exercise. My new strategy will be to go and walk in the cemetery which is safe from cars and exhaust fumes and like a pleasant garden. I'm thinking of walking at variable speed up and down the rows and along the gravel road in there.

I feel kind of silly though. Lifting weights is not a good idea when you have bp problems, so I'm not up to that yet, and I don't have the money this year to buy a bike. I thought stair climbing inside or stair-stepping might be good but I'm worried about pushing the bp up.

Anyone else have blood pressure or arthritic concerns? How do you handle exercise?

Thanks
 
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hey cleome,
it's good to see your making good progress with the exercise.

i started eating healthy 3 months ago and have been exercising for 2 months now. on my first day at the gym they took my blood pressure and told me it was on the high side, i wasn't surprised because for many many months i'd been having really bad headaches that would ran for like 3-4days every single week and had swollen ankles and just generally feeling like my body was going to give up on me any minute. when i started health eating the headaches started to reduce but once i started to exercise they went completely, till today i'm amazed because i stopped having those headaches.

i haven't seen a doctor in years because i knew i'd just be told to loose weight and i never was ready, but i'm now down to 332pounds from 350pounds and still going strong...i still have a long way to go but healthwise i feel good on the inside and i've never looked back at the change i made.

i haven't been diagnosed as having high blood pressure by a doctor (since i havent been to see one in forever), so i'm not sure what your doctor has told you about what kind of exercise your body can be able to handle or not handle. But i think your off to a great start and as you continue with the exercise and ensuring your eating right, you'll definitely start to feel some changes.

i workout at the gym and for now do between 90-120mins of cardio and thereafter do weights every session....i'm now averaging 5 times per week....and still eating healthy.

wow, so you'll be walking in the cemetary...i guess that's a good a place as any, and it would be private too. i once read that a cemetary is one of the richest places on earth because it's filled with people's dreams, dreams and ideas that were never realised or lived or pursued when they were alive...or it sort of said something like that anyway.

and thats why we're doing what we're doing now right? so that we can live our life to the fullest and never look back and say i wanted to do this but couldn't because of my weight.

okay, sorry to ramble on, i seem to never know when to stop myself. just wanted to wish you all the best with your weight loss. xoxo
 
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My body used to have high BP. Extreme high BP. re: 142 over 122. Approx 14 months ago, my body was on 2 different meds to help control it. Luckily, I found the real secret to lower my own high BP.

Today, my body does 3+ hours of cardio a day. TM to Glider to stationary bike to peddle bike to jogging. Always keep the body moving. My doctor told me to always "push" my body. Push, push, push. If I can talk and exercise at the same time, then its a good pace to hold. If I try to talk and cannot catch my breath, then I need to slow down. But as long as I can exercise and talk at the same time, my body is NOT being over stressed.

List of my yesterday's exercises (which was cardio build day):
- After breakfast: Completed non-impact Glider (1st session) - 55 minutes.
- After lunch: NO available time to exercise. Needed to buy parts for van.
- Before dinner: Completed non-impact Glider (2nd session) - 55 minutes.
- After dinner: Completed 15 mile peddle bike ride - 55 minutes.
- Evening time: Completed Stationary Bike - 400 calories burn (45 minutes).
- Before bed time: Completed TM 6% incline at 3.6 mph speed walk for 38 minutes.
- While brushing teeth, completed 100 Raised Calves (standing on tippy toes).

Today, my BP is now much better. A few days ago, my BP was 113 over 73 - just where my doctor wants it. Especially for my diabetec body.

Never be afraid to "push" your body. As long as one can exercise, talk, doesn't have that "head rush" feeling or dizziness, then "keep on going". For some (like my body), it needs to exercise. Just like some vehicle engines run best on the cruising hiways speeds as well...

Hope this helps....

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Yes, it all helps, thanks so much Spike99.

The headache thing--I started taking acetaminophen instead of aspirin for it--seemed to be the only medication that alleviated the pain. Then I started getting the swollen feet and ankles and breathing problems and I recently found that acetaminophen is not good for the kidneys and probably not the liver either. It may also exacerbate asthma.


Cherry Garcia: the doctor I went to when I had my breathing emergency wasn't interested in giving me anything but pills. He is quite convinced that people *never* change and lose weight and they must be on medication.

I'm a bit wary of being given more poisonous pharmaceuticals when I'm trying to get healthy.
 
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Upon further browsing and reading about people's workouts, I get the impression that no one has to cope with arthritis.

No one has arthritis and has to try and find an exercise that doesn't hurt?

I am convinced this will get better with weight loss, but how do you lose weight if you can't move without pain?
 
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hey cleome, i think give it a bit of time for more people to read the thread then hopefully you'll find some people who have suggestions for exercising when one has arthritis.

i know how you feel about not wanting to be on medication and feeling like pills are now poisonous whereas once upon a time it's like they were the cure for everything. i feel the same way and don't take meds anymore. everyday i come home from my workout and every inch of my body aches and the first week or two i took painkillers because it was just too much and an adjustment period, but these days my body still aches after a workout but i do without the painkillers now, and after going to bed wake up refreshed...and the cycle goes on. sometimes i just want to wake up thin....but as i read somewhere weightloss is a journey not a race, so i'm taking one day at a time.

the longer you stay on a good health eating plan and exercising, the better you'll start to feel, but i guess for now in your situation it's difficult because as you asked, how are you supposed to exercise if your in pain.

i really hope you'll get more posters on here in a similar situation, i'd also suggest checking peoples diaries as well just in case. all the best xoxo
 
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I don't have arthritis, but have you tried using an elliptical trainer? I find it much easier on me than cycling or the tread mill.
 
I saw on the TV show X-Weighted that Paul recommends a treadmill rather than an elliptical, as it gives a better workout. However, I see your point, perhaps the elliptical would be gentler for someone like me? Something to keep in mind should my circumstances change.
 
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one doesn't give a better workout than another -the workout that works is the one that you will do for the rest of your l ife... walk - dance... get up and move... and also do weight training - building muscle helps protect the joints (and no, you won't bulk up)
 
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The best work-out is doing many different indoor machines and out-door machines. TM works one set of muscles, elliptical works different muscles, walking is slightly different then TM and jogging is slightly different then TM. Stationary bike uses different muscles and non-impact glider uses different muscles as well. If you use a different machines amd different out-door tasks each daily session, many different body parts are being worked. And, less chance of falling into a weight loss plateau as well - because the body does NOT get too comfortable with one specific exercise. Also... Do include some weights, floor mat, ball and swimming exercises as well. Thus, working the body's core muscles as well. "Mixing it up" works best in the long run...

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cleome said:
Upon further browsing and reading about people's workouts, I get the impression that no one has to cope with arthritis.

No one has arthritis and has to try and find an exercise that doesn't hurt?

I am convinced this will get better with weight loss, but how do you lose weight if you can't move without pain?
Click to expand...
I have the early signs of hip arthritis. My father was crippled by it and it ruined the last 25 years of his life so I want to do my best to minimise the chances of it happening to me.

I really used to like running but I can't do more than a mile or so now before my hips start to ache and they stay like that for days. I dare not risk it any more. I can still walk fairly vigorously on the local hills, as long as I don't clamber over boulders, that kind of thing.

The best exercise for me is cycling. I can do very long distances without joint problems as long as I'm careful mounting and dismounting. I can't throw my leg over the sadlle the way I used to - I have to lower the bike a little and do it carefully.

If you get a bike that fits you properly and use nice low gears so that you aren't straining to get the pedals round, you might well be okay.

I also think that cod liver oil and glucosamine sulphate supplements help me. I don't have definitive proof, but I started getting aches and pains about 15 years ago and started the supplements straight away and the degeneration since then has been pretty slow.

Getting your weight down is the best thing you can do to protect your joints. I was really slim 5 or 6 years back and the strain on my joints was much less.

As you say, it's tricky if the pain is stopping you moving about so much. Good luck!

PS I found elliptical trainers the worst thing of the lot! One of my legs is significantly longer than the other and I found that my hips were rocking about and that caused bad aching pretty quickly.
 
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