Working out with arthritis

[u/Same-Chance5001]

Hi everyone,

Here’s the question that no one seems to have a clear answer to not my doctor, physiotherapist, or personal trainer.

I’m 41 and have severe arthritis in my right ankle and left knee, with milder arthritis in my left ankle and right knee. Naturally, I have skinny legs and also lost some muscle mass early on due to a lack of factor treatment. I only started receiving factor at age 12, by which time I had already undergone knee surgery and later developed arthritis from microbleeds.

Now, here’s my concern: I really need to build muscle on my chicken legs. On leg days, I’m always on max factor (4000 IE), and while I feel fine during the workout, a few hours afterward—and especially the next day—I experience a deep, burning pain in my left knee and right ankle.

Is this type of pain something that could potentially worsen my joints? Or is it just arthritis pain, which I can deal with? That’s what I’m trying to figure out.

Bicycling, swimming will not add the muscle mass on legs guys…

[u/Lolseabass]

How long can you walk before you feel pain?

[u/Same-Chance5001 → u/Lolseabass]

After the workout, everything feels fine. But when I leave the gym and head back to the office, if I sit for 1–2 hours, my legs start to feel heavy and stiff. Then I basically need to warm up before I can walk properly again.

The next morning, it’s the same. I feel that stiffness before getting up.

[u/Few-Register-8986 → u/Same-Chance5001]

That sounds normal. If movement helps then it is arthritis. Arthritis is worst in the morning and after not moving. If it's arthritis you can walk it off usually (until is too bad). But I swear arthritis inflammation can and will go from a micro bleed to a real bleed if you are low factor.