Can PMR be induced by Exercise

I am in my mid-70s and was unusually active for my age before diagnosed with PMR.
I agree with "do what you can when you can".
In fact my experience has been activity, even strenuous activity can be as much an assist to relieving PMR dis-ease as it can antagonize PMR flares.
To the specific activities and the extent obviously needs a balance. But personally I am willing to push the balance over the line occasionally if the overall effect is to incrementally increase the level of activity I can comfortably sustain.
I look at it as similar to why when I drop my Prednisone dose, I do so willing accepting that some difficult flares are likely, .... or that as is the case it may be so uncomfortable that I increase the dose back again.
But I do it to get better, healthier.
I workout, hike, go surfing ... knowing occasionally I'm going "to pay for it" in the short term, but in the long term, make my body stronger and more efficient..... more able to recover.
I also believe that a certain level of activity stimulates Cordisol production. And while I fully realize (now) that as long as my body is getting 4 mg of Prednisone (I'm at 6mg now) , my body will create no or very little Cordisol on its own. I still choose to believe that continuing to keep the Cordisol producing channels "open" , will assist the body in taking back over sooner.
This is just my perspective, gathered together from several info resources (or as my wife likes to say "the world according to Stevie").

Some folks never have been active, they may have other pre-existing conditions that kept them from exercise, even before PMR.
It's not the level of athleticism you achieve. And it's not how quick you build muscle or lose weight.
It's:
Did you walk a little longer than yesterday?
Did you do some soft stretching exercices before bed?
Did you weed your garden?
.... Just are you participating in your own recovery to help your body help you?
I strongly recommend yoga for those just starting or restarting to approach being more active than they have been. Legitimate Instructors can help you modify poses so that you don't injure yourself or overdo it. Keeping muscles supple is a great help for me in shortening the duration of flares.
And I say cautiously because everyone one responds differently to different herbs, there is a specific strain of Kratom (Mitra Speciosa) sold by the Mitragaia company, called Super Maylay Green that is the only thing I've found the quickly diminishes flares, without causing a lack of normal functions (other than the pain going away there is no "high" or "drunkenness".

So yes ... I believe activity can cause flares, and I believe ultimately activity is what the body needs to stay healthy enough to recover.

I will probably make enemies with this comment, but I refused the covid shot because I've always had an interest in health, and even moreso after I was diagnosed with PMR, which is an auto-immune disorder and I am certain stress contributed...I never thought that a one size fits all shot would be the answer and it bothered me that there was never mention of how we could strengthen our immune systems - just pushed the shot. I don't fault anyone that decided to take it - they really pushed fear (unreasonably so with false stats, etc. and models) so I understand. But, I am so grateful that I never took the shot. I know many, many people that now have weakened immune systems from it...I pray for all of them...and my suggestion Linda, is stay off the news. We don't need stress when we are already dealing with life's stresses (i.e. death of family members that cause dissention).

I do not regret getting the COVID vaccine because my main motivation was to help end the pandemic and protect other people by not being a carrier. The same with years of taking the flu shot as a health care provider even though I overreacted to it about 50% of the time. I worked with an elderly population and did not want to be responsible for someone's illness or death. That said, I am not going to even consider taking any vaccines until I get over PMR. My rheumatologist commented about the long list of vaccines that were due, but he totally understood my concerns and removed the list from my chart.

As I say, I do not fault those who took the vaccine and certainly not if they felt they were helping others. I'm just saying I wasn't convinced it was needed. All my family and the vast majority of my friends took it. Some have suffered consequences; however, I totally understand people believed they were helping others. It's all good no matter what decision a person made for him/herself.

I agree with you wholeheartedly, I was biking and swimming and running..at 71 and was hit by a car biking and not hurt terribly, some cracked ribs and HUGE adrenaline rush naturally.. then a few days later had an international flight and got some virus on plane and bang PMR. )that was 7.5 YEARS ago, During PMR I have been able to keep on teaching Yoga, granted now a very EASY style and walking a lot . At this point I dont know what is AGE related and what is PMR.. on 2mg. and cannot seem to get lower without flares... Anyway. I think age and then the hard exercise I was doing and trauma contributed to it. Grateful for prednisone but of course fearful for what it is doing. But carrying on as best I can!! Had osteoporosis when it all began so who knows where my bones are NOW!! yikes. But so many disease so much more dreadful than this. Happy to still be around!

Seems to me most everyone says how active they were before PMR. Same here. I go to the gym every day. So I think it would be just a coincidence that PMR started after some exercise event. Other unusual events like covid or the vaccine, extra stress, age? Something triggered a sleeping giant.

I have a theory, pure speculation of course, that relates to the age part of your list. I think that in our late 60's/early 70's the immune system declines and something similar to menopause happens . Cortisol levels fluctuate, much like hormones do during menopause. The system is fading but struggling to stay going at the same time. The levels of cortisol or some other body chemicals being out of whack is what causes the autoimmune response. It could also be that we exercisers have stronger immune systems that cause more havoc when disrupted.

I have not tried to go back yet. I still have pain, and in fact, today is worse than yesterday. Im surprised because I got my first post-prednisone blood test back and CRP went from 33 to 3 but I don't feel "normal".
I'm just wondering if I should go back to Orangetheory and go at my own pace. In the class, nobody makes you go fast or lift heavy. Each person determines what to do for themself. I am also wondering if I should give yoga a try or possibly join the Pilates studio. I'm just trying to find guidance on what to do. I also had the DEXA and have osteopenia. I have been told I must do some sort of weight-bearing and resistance work to avoid osteoporosis and decrease my risk of fractures. It gets so complicated, and I want a simple answer.

Yes, in my opinion, exercise can cause PMR flares. Exercise increases inflammation markers and PMR thrives off of high inflammatory markers. I have come to believe that elevated inflammatory markers create an environment where PMR can flare. I no longer believe that PMR causes elevated inflammatory markers. I have no scientific data to support this, it is strictly personal opinion. What I do know is if I do things that set off my inflammatory markers then PMR is never far behind.

I had some "coincidental" things happen too - but I think that's all they were - coincidental.

The research is dearly lacking on the causes of PMR. Some people think that vaccines cause it, some believe environmental factors cause it, processed foods, supplements, ETC. There are as many theories as there are people with it!

I've been doing as much research as a lay person can on the subject. The Brits and Aussies are ahead of us on studying the disease, I've learned a lot from their doctors and scientists.

At this point, there is no definitive answer or cure. Thankfully, there are treatments to alleviate the pain.

Good luck with your fight!