Thought the full-timers would be the people to ask. Do your bad knees etc...get worse at higher altitudes or lower? Or do you not notice a difference? I know dampness is a definite factor. But it seems like air pressure is lower at higher altitudes and injuries tend to be worse during times of low pressure in terms of the weather -- are they the same? I've been here a month at 8300 ft so I'm done "adjusting" but my knees aren't happy. But it does rain here almost daily.

When I lived in Washington state at essentially sea level I had arthritis pain in my wrists. When I went on the road I landed at 5500 feet (desert) for five months and had no pain at all. I moved on from there back to sea level for three months and didn't notice any pain then either. I went back to 5500 feet for four months and moved on to 8500 feet, where I've been since early June. No pain. I can't tell you if the lack of pain is due to mostly low humidity or the high elevation, though; I can just tell you what I experienced.

No difference in pain level for me.......sea level to rocky mtn high

Have moderate to severe RA. Live in OR and snowbird in AZ.Last winter I felt great in the dry heat and sun. Since returning to OR in May, my wrists, fingers and toes seem to ache like a toothache a good portion of time.I can predict some weather at least a week out. Pressure and humidity are crucial factors with RA.Not letting RA keep me from moving on with life!Go get em!!!dt

I found that the knee pain was more from the narrow MH steps. You don't even realize it but you have to twist your ankle as you exit the RV to fit your foot on the step as you go down. Which puts stress on the knee.For months I wrote it off and thought it was just bad knees and arthritis. Until I pulled off the road for a few months and the knees got better.Next time out I added different types of added steps that allowed me to walk straight out on real adult size steps to exit the MH instead of turning an twisting using those darn narrow stock RV steps and gone was all the pain. As we get older I think we tend to write everything off to old age instead of really looking at the whole picture of how and what we are doing and if it can be changed to assist us.Those RV steps are murder on the legs, ankles and knees! :B

rockhillmanor wrote:As we get older I think we tend to write everything off to old age instead of really looking at the whole picture of how and what we are doing and if it can be changed to assist us.Those RV steps are murder on the legs, ankles and knees! :B BOY, that's the truth!!!! I fell last winter and broke both elbows. Yes, I knew the knee was hurt, but it was the least of my problems. It started hurting more and more this summer. Went to ortho doc yesterday........hmmmmm all that popping and cracking is NOT old age (yes, I qualify), but it's serious arthritis!!!!! Do NOT ignore these things!OP --- I travel from 300 ft level to 4300 ft level and do NOT notice the difference. Have been at 7000 ft level and did not notice the difference. As another poster mentioned, COLD wind and rain does me in.......:) so I'll stay in AZ in the winter :) :)

Elevation and arthritis... | Good Sam Community

dtappy3353
Explorer
Aug 01, 2014
Have moderate to severe RA. Live in OR and snowbird in AZ.

Last winter I felt great in the dry heat and sun. Since returning to OR in May, my wrists, fingers and toes seem to ache like a toothache a good portion of time.

I can predict some weather at least a week out. Pressure and humidity are crucial factors with RA.

Not letting RA keep me from moving on with life!

Go get em!!!

dt
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Aug 01, 2014
No difference in pain level for me.......sea level to rocky mtn high
cruisingat60
Explorer
Aug 01, 2014
When I lived in Washington state at essentially sea level I had arthritis pain in my wrists. When I went on the road I landed at 5500 feet (desert) for five months and had no pain at all. I moved on from there back to sea level for three months and didn't notice any pain then either. I went back to 5500 feet for four months and moved on to 8500 feet, where I've been since early June. No pain. I can't tell you if the lack of pain is due to mostly low humidity or the high elevation, though; I can just tell you what I experienced.

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