Follow up to my original arthritic knees question – I wasn’t clear at all :)
I received wonderful answers from this community regarding my question of rehabing arthritic knees – but I was being so unclear in how I asked the question – and now I have a follow up question. So I’d like to try this again…
I’m a professional theatre actor and I just completed a long production run of an incredibly physical musical onstage – during which I did not participate in my regular workout routines (the kick boxing and HIIT kinds), simply to make sure I could get through the run without an unrelated injury – when I’m performing in a show that is this physical, I lay off of strenuous exercise.
Apparently a piece of choreography I was doing during the run of the show caused me to have an arthritic (osteo) flare-up. I experienced a flare up a year ago in a similar situation and was able to get back to my routines within about a week after resting and babying them. And, after that flare, throughout the year I was able to participate in heavier impact exercises without any problems – I didn’t even have any flare-ups during the winter, which is usually the worst time for me!
So, I don’t doubt that my form during my heavier impact routines is fine – I work very hard on that, because I tend to be a very clumsy woman :). If I lower the impact, the exercise itself doesn’t hurt, it’s just I am unable to speed it up and can’t do the jumping or bouncing right now. I think I’m just afraid that I won’t be able to get back to the workouts I enjoy – those big sweat-fests!!
Since I wrote this original question, I’ve healed quite a bit, but do not feel confident in returning to the routines I enjoy. I am walking and swimming and doing some strength exercises. My question now is, while I’m healing to get back to my normal state, how can I get as big of a calorie burn? While I enjoy the walking and swimming, and while I’m going as hard as I can, I’m not getting that same high and energy burst, or raised heart rate, and the time I set aside for exercise has become a bit of a drag while I wait this out.
If anyone has any ideas of wonderful no-impact trainings I can do, I’d love to hear them! What a wonderful supportive community!!
>>>>>>>>>>My original question is below – I can see why most folks read it the way they did! So sorry to be confusing!:
I just closed a long run of a musical and my knees somehow got very stressed during the run. Usually after a couple of days of laying off and RICE I am able to ease back in and within a week I’m back to kickboxing and plyo. This time it seems to be taking a while for the strength to come back. Is there something more than the RICE and PT strength exercises I can be doing? How do I know there may be something more serious going on? THANKS!!
Hey Sara,
I have two suggestions for you. However, I would prefer that you contact me to learn what the low impact options are. Please feel free to email me at [email protected] with your details and I’ll be sure to phone or email whichever you prefer.
Please know that I understand where you are coming from. From what I understand from your submission you love working out in an intense manner but don’t want the sweatfest to be at the expense of your knees as a consequence of the arthritis. At 46 years old I completely get it. You want to play hard but not feel it during the workout nor postworkout.
In closing Sara, I hope to hear from you.
In the meantime though,
Be well.