Weight-lifting with Rheumatoid Arthritis: I Dropped it For Awhile, But Returned to Lifting

When I first noticed I was getting rheumatoid arthritis, with my fingers curling and I couldn't move him well, I thought there was something wrong with how I was moving them, especially with regards to barbells and/or dumbbells, that it was somehow negatively affecting my hands and fingers, so I decided I would stop. However, once I went to see a rheumatologist who told me what was going on and had me on medicine, I returned to lifting weights.

lifting weights with rheumatoid arthritis

However, when one of the medicines I was taking was reduced to small doses,* I began noticing further deterioration of my joints, particularly my elbows and shoulders, causing me to have reduced physical abilities, which were quite noticeable (to me) particularly when lifting weights. At some point, due to this frustration of not being able to lift as much and having a general feeling of less strength in those joints, I felt the whole endeavor was fruitless. So, I stopped lifting weights only a few months after having returned to it.

Nearly a year later, though, I realized it wasn’t tenable for me, so I returned to it a little over a year ago. I realized I enjoy lifting weights and it is a part of who I am and, without it, I just am not as happy - physically, mentally, nor emotionally. Moreover, I've realized it is been beneficial in at least two ways: 1) just simply being able to lift up my children. It was a lot harder to lift up my kids when I was not lifting, as well as picking up other things around. 2) Another way in which it has positively benefited me has been specifically with regard to my rheumatoid arthritis. Going to the gym and lifting weights (as well as ellipticalling) gets my blood flowing and it helps especially my fingers to move more easily than without going to the gym and lifting weights. 

It has been greatly helpful and I hope to continuing to go to the gym and lifting weights, as well as ellipticalling to get in some cardio. For those of you who are despairing about lifting weights while experiencing your rheumatoid arthritis, it may be well worth considering, as I have found it to be beneficial for me.

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* The medicine was prednisone, which was fantastic, in general, and wonderful for weight-lifting, in particular. However, due to the dosage schedule getting gradually reduced, the effects for weight-lifting became negligible.