How to train with arthritis?

[dspeters5]

Gentlemen,

If someone who is medically trained or a PT can give me some advice. I have a stainless steel hip joint, no cartilage in both knees, and no ACL in left knee. I have been training with very heavy weights for 40 years. I have been using static holds the past year with awesome results. I was doing twenty reps with 225 in bench. I now do 13 reps with 275. My legs, I stopped squatting years ago, but am now doing leg presses. I do one leg presses with 700 lbs, etc. But the orthopedic surgeon recommends no more running or jumping, what about my legs, should I continue with the heavy leg presses? What do you think? I do need tylenol for two days after a heavy leg workout.

Is there a way to keep strength in legs, without affecting the knee joint further. I am looking at a knee replacement very soon, after knee replacement what do you think about leg training with heavy weights?

 

[Exian]

I'm not a PT but I'm a trauma RN. And if you have that many issues with your Legs but you can still press 700lbs isolaterally that's impressive. Any medical professional will tell you it's a bad idea to train with heavy weights with that type of injury. You may end up hurting yourself more and more. I know it's a huge sacrifice and I know I wouldn't like to do this either but you may want to focus more on toning exercises, to try to keep what you have but putting less stress on your joints that are already torn up. Surgical implants aren't bionics unfortunately.

Make sure you are taking plenty of join support and other vitamins and such. You need lots of glucosamine, condroitin, fish oil, etc. also Tylonol can be liver toxic, so if you are taking anabolics I'd recommend avoiding it as much as you can. Tylonol,by the way, is not an anti-inflammatory. This is a common mistake but if you're having joint pain ibuprofen (Motrin,Advil) or aspirin may work better for you. Take them with food though, because they increase your risk for gastric and GI ulcers.

Good luck. I'd recommend training with lower weight because you may end up injuring yourself beyond repair. Most people with artificial joints still end up using assistive devices for walking and such. Idk if you want to do that....