Resistance Training and PMR

Day by day.

I use kettlebells and exercise bands for strength training 3x a week on our home patio. It keeps me strong, plus some of the exercises also help tremendously with aerobic conditioning. I also sleep well afterwards.

I'm not sure if it has any impact on PMR, but it hasn't hurt. I'm 64 and developed an extraordinarily severe case of PMR/non-cranial GCA in January 2023. My CRP peaked at 347 mg/L. The disease is now in complete remission due to therapy with Actemra.

I've had some new small aches sneaking in lately as I reduce, but I tried the bands earlier when I had zero aches. The muscle pains the day after using the bands for only a few minutes were definitely from the bands as the pain was gone in a few days and it happened both times I tried. I don't want any extra aches or pains that I can avoid right now. Dealing with minor reduction aches is enough.

I am 77 and tapering slowly since my diagnosis lat May (4 mg now). I do believe that an intense bout snow shoeing in Jan 2023 caused my body to overreact, hence PMR reared its ugly head. Prednisone has been a miracle drug, but I am hoping to be done with it soon. With that said, exercise has been a lifesaver. At first I was only walking 3-4 miles 5x per week (a shoulder surgery prevented other exercises). Now I can finally use the gym so I am doing resistance training 2x per week. I have also been doing yoga 2x per week since September. All this is to say that my exercising has not caused any flare ups. Do my muscles feel sore? Yes, but it’s not the same kind of debilitating soreness that I experienced with PMR. So I would concur the the above comments and start exercising slowly and know that you body will thank you. Keep the faith. Liz Ward

@christopherc and all...My doctor several years ago, my neurologist, ordered a PT therapy pool for me 2X weekly for the rest of my life. I suggest it's the best advice I've ever received! The pool has 95-degree temp water that relieves every ounce of pain in my entire body from the moment my toe hits the first drop. It's an amazing therapy for my entire body, physically and mentally and emotionally!

Since developing PMR and GCA following Covid in July 2023, I've been taking varying amounts of prednisone. I see my rheumatologist on Tuesday this week after another round of Covid in January, with Covid pneumonia. I think I'll test negative tomorrow, although not sure. Was positive last Friday, so we'll see. At any rate, as soon as I test negative and am allowed to go back to the therapy pool, I will go and not stop until the next shoe drops. And they do keep dropping...

I highly recommend this therapy exercise for all our pain-related illnesses, especially autoimmune and neurological. It's a wonder method of strengthening the body and relieving pain gently.

Blessings to all...Elizabeth

If you are out of shape, which we are, you will always have a small degree of pain the next day after working out. Extreme pain is a problem but some pain means you are building muscle. At least that has been my experience.

Yes that's generally true, except the exercise was very light and the pain was in the soft tissue near joints rather than the larger arm muscles I was aiming to affect. I've not yet tried working muscles hard enough to get normal muscle-building aches. Maybe starting on leg muscles rather than arms might be better as my legs are less affected by PMR.

Diagnosed 4 weeks ago. Have always exercised, bikes and weight training. At 75 I think it’s important to have muscle tone. I find that areas with previous injuries tend to hurt more in the morning. Prednisone hasn’t taken away all the pain. My rotator cuff tear is especially sore until mid afternoon. Doing limited expertises with small weights, 10-15 lbs. Bench Presses 65 lbs yesterday, 3 sets of 15 reps. Shouldn’t have done it, very sore today.
Going to keep it up, but very conservative.

My rheumatologist said NOT to exercise when I was diagnosed with PMR. I was in a lot of pain in my arms/shoulders/neck areas and am still on a low dose of prednisone. My pain has lessened but it still there. I like the idea of exercising and wonder if any of you have felt that the exercise makes the PMR worse or if most feel it doesn’t have much impact on the pain and just improves muscle strength?

Thanks so much for your story.
Jean