Arthritis and Uc?

Don't know about stats on that but I can tell you that I personally suffer from arthritis.  My hips and ankles, occasionally knees, and definitely my fingers.  In hindsight, I think pain in my fingers was my first symptom of UC.  I'm only 32 and I have trouble threading a kneedle on many days.  And I love to knit and most days I just can't more than a few minutes because it hurts my fingers.

The doc says exercise is the best thing for early arthritis - so that it what I do.  I'm pretty regular at the gym.  If it's really painful I take some tylenol - but otherwise - not much.  I guess if it gets really bad (or should I make that when it gets really bad) I'll have to further explore my options.  For now - I just keep on exercising!

p.s. my dad has osteoarthritis - 2 hip replacements - and his doc also told him he must exercise because it slows the progression.

Exercise is really the most important thing for arthritis.  My dad is extremely overweight, yet everyday he goes on his bike for at least 1/2 hour because it really helps.  Me too - if I am having a really painful day, I force myself to the gym.  I may walk a little slower on the treadmill or go low impact in the aerobics class - but I still go.  And the best side effect of all that exercise is that I'm really in shape.  Give it a shot!

tjf, my pain started in my right thumb, then the left, now the hips, knees, neck and feet.

They say about 25% of IBD patients also suffer from some sort of arthritis. There are many different types of arthritis.

http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/complications/arthritis (you may have to cut and paste)

--Keith

Shoulders, hips, elbows, knees, ankles, hands, sacro-iliac joints for me. The joint pains started a good ten years before the first UC symptoms. I was told it was like RA, but the wrong joints. RA rarely affects the larger joints like the shoulders and knees.

I haven't been to a rheumatologist, but my orthopedist tells me I have a combination of arthritis, ligament injuries and bursitis in multiple joints. Since I was never an athelete, the only explanation I can come up with is that it's related to the autoimmune disease my body has.

I've always exercised regularly except when I couldn't get out of the bathroom long enough to do so, or was too weak and exhausted. Back when the pains started, I was walking and riding my bike, also lifting and toting and walking a lot at work. Now I walk when my joints are good and do water exercise when they're inflamed. Exercise doesn't cure or prevent arthritis.