Reactive Arthritis :: Swimming And Cycling Best Excercises

Like others here, I've had periodic reactive arthritis since the age of 10. I'm now 33. If you're not into swimming then cycling is in my opinion the best alternative exercise for joints, probably because you're not jarring the joint, or causing undue stress, the same as with swimming. I cycle to work every day, ten mins each way, and it really helps the early morning pain in my knee. The docs say to me 'if it's not causing more pain or swelling then do it.'

My left knee has always been the problem joint and the swelling always impresses even the most experienced orthopaedic specialists. In the past I regularly defied doctors advice and played football once the swelling had subsided enough to make movement comfortable, though the knee is always huge again the next day and has taken a week or so to reduce in size.

I'm now in the middle of another bout of Reactive Arthritis (from food poisoning abroad, which is nearly always the trigger for mine). I was on crutches for 2 weeks, though not hospitalised this time and am not going to risk a set back in recovery so am resisting the urge to play football this season. This arthritis started in April and from experience I'm hoping to see the swelling settle down in the Spring. Takes around a year for me each time. For me the key to getting through is to keep as active as I can with a gradual increase in sports until the swelling reduces completely, while not pushing too hard too soon.