Osteoarthitis

Sandie

Sandie

New Member
Location
Fort Walton Beach, florida
Hi! Anyone have any ideas on how to lose weight when your knees hurt so badly that you can't walk for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time? My knees started "going bad" about three years ago. I've worked retail, or been on my feet, for twenty five years. Had major surgery three years ago and my weight has gone up and my ability to walk has gone down since then. I use a recumbent bike on good days. I am only 63 and hate being this way. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 

Gosh, Sandie, that is definitely not happy news. Are you still working, or retired?

Everything I've been able to gather along the lines of OA and RA, suggest that if at all tolerable, continuing to use and exercise the affected joints is the most important factor in slowing the worsening of the process. It hurts. I know, as today I barely made it up the 30 steps to the main level at a casino here.

It is possible to have both OA and RA, concurrently. I had hoped only OA was affecting my finger joints, and now RA seems to be screwing up the skin on my fingers. But, we came here to consider you, not me. I'm just an example.

Was your surgery related to the Arthritis, or something else? It need not be said, that the less weight carried by the joints, the easier is their "life". Might you be able to utilize therapy somewhere involving swimming? imp
 
Hubby and I have been on a program designed for people with osteoarthritis, diabetes and heart problems.

It is an 18 week program.

In the first 6 weeks breakfast and lunch are replaced by shakes - I chose a milkshake for breakfast and soup for lunch.
The evening is portion controlled - lean protein and carbohydrate each take up 1/4 of the dinner plate and are not piled high.
The other half of the plate can be piled high with free vegetables - steamed or salads.
Snacks to control hunger can be any amount of free vegetables of some very limited fruits - mostly berries - strawberries, blueberries, rasperries,

On this stage of the program I lost 4 kg in 4 weeks even though I could hardly move out of my chair due to advanced arthritis in my hip.

Then I went into hospital for a full hip replacement so I had to interrupt the program. I've picked it up since.

The second stage is similar to the first six weeks except that the midday shake is replaced with a normal lunch - a sandwich or a salad. In this stage you can eat a bit more carbohydrate - roughly equal to 3 slices of bread. Snacks can include a wider range of fruits. Exercise is encouraged in the form of walking.

During 6 of weeks at stage 2 I've lost 3.3 kilos.

The last 6 weeks allow you to substitute occasional meals with a shake but basically you are attempting to develop healthy eating habits through careful selection of food groups and portion control. Today I had a shake for breakfast, and for lunch a bowl of salad with some cold turkey meat. Snacks have been some wafer biscuits with low fat cheese. Tonight I will have more turkey (I bought a couple of turkey shanks on special recently) with some mashed potato and steamed carrots, baby peas and corn on the cob. I've had no bread today so if I'm hungry before going to bed I will have a slice of toast spread with fresh avocado and salt and pepper.

The best thing about this program is that it is medically approved and in our case supported by our health fund so we don't have to pay anything. There is also online and telephone support to help us understand the program and to talk over problems and difficulties.

This link will show you a bit about the program. The menu on the LHS gives details.

http://oa.hwfl.com.au/

You may be able to find something similar where you live.
 

Hi Imp, No my surgery was unrelated to the OA, but it did sideline me long enough that I put on 30 pounds and have put on another 20 in the last year. Unfortunately the pool at my complex is closed for the winter. I do try to walk but it seems to be getting more difficult. I am on the third floor, so I have to face steps most days. I guess I just have to force myself to walk more.
 
Thanks for the imput. I think part of my problem is that I don't have the patience to take things slowly. Probably how I injured my knees to begin with. I like the idea of the shakes. Simple,so I can't overthink it.
 
Weight loss is best done slowly. For a woman 2 lb per week if plenty and only likely at the beginning of a program.
My 7.3 kg over 12 weeks is actually 16 lb 1.5 oz and it has made a big difference to my energy levels and to my arthritic knees.
 
Sandie said:
Hi Imp, No my surgery was unrelated to the OA, but it did sideline me long enough that I put on 30 pounds and have put on another 20 in the last year. Unfortunately the pool at my complex is closed for the winter. I do try to walk but it seems to be getting more difficult. I am on the third floor, so I have to face steps most days. I guess I just have to force myself to walk more.
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Do you have to walk up three flights of stairs? I have OA (and had both hips replaced because of it). I have a bit of it in my knees, and I couldn't walk up three flights of stairs if my life depended on it. Any possibility of moving into a ground floor apartment? I bet that would help. My ortho doc said stairs stress knees so much because you are carrying the whole weight of your body on one knee as you step up or even down. I walk a lot now, mostly because I am so grateful to be able to do it again with my new hips. I find the walking does not bother the knees very much, but stairs? They are really painful and I avoid them like the plague.
 
I wish I could avoid the stairs, but when I think of all the effort it took to move in over five years ago, I feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to do it again. Did your pain in your hips come and go? Or was it constant. I know that walking for too long seems to make my knees worse (hurt worse) but there are times when mine don't feel unstable, locking, or grinding. I just don't know when they are going to be symptomatic.
 
Sandie said:
I wish I could avoid the stairs, but when I think of all the effort it took to move in over five years ago, I feel overwhelmed by the idea of trying to do it again. Did your pain in your hips come and go? Or was it constant. I know that walking for too long seems to make my knees worse (hurt worse) but there are times when mine don't feel unstable, locking, or grinding. I just don't know when they are going to be symptomatic.
Click to expand...

The hip pain initially sort of came and went, then became constant and increased until I could only walk for short stretches with a walker. It was awful. Getting them both replaced gave a whole new lease on life, truly. I was terrified of the surgeries, but it wasn't nearly the big scary deal I expected, and I had an uneventful recovery. Now I can walk all over the place and the only restrictions I have from the surgeon are no weird yoga positions, no bungee jumping, and no parachuting! None of those restrictions are a problem for me -HA!

My knees have actually gotten better after the hip surgeries (because I'm back to a normal gait again), but they still bother under some conditions. One thing you might check on -- my hip surgeon, who also does knees, told me to be sure I had good supportive footwear that did not allow my feet to pronate (ankles rolling inward) and with good arch support, because otherwise your knees become overstressed and cause damage to them or make them worse.

What kind of shoes are you walking in? NO flip flops or unsupportive shoes. If I walk very far in unsupportive shoes, my knees will bother for several days. Good shoes for walking are worth the investment -- you might also consider a trip to a podiatrist to see if orthotics might help.
 
Hi Sandie. Welcome to SF. I have OA in both hands and in my right knee which also causes problems in my right hip and ankle. I take 500mg PABA for my arthritis which helps a lot and buffered aspirin when needed.
They have "chair" yoga which is stretching and yoga moves while seated in a chair. Moving gets your blood flowing and helps the synovial fluid to lubricate your joints which brings about healing.

I think others here have already given you good advice on weight loss. Lots of lean protein, fewer carbs, sat fats and sugars, more fresh fruit and veggies.

Best luck.
 

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