24yrs old male. I have hip pain and shoulder pain

[daggerpains]

when i was 18 i started lifting weights, and i slowly built myself up. I used to be skinny and then i kept lifting and got to 210, really muscular. This lasted for a couple of years while i was lifting 4 to 6 days a week. Then i got a reccuring pain in my shoulder that only came when i worked out. It never swelled up but it hurt when i started working out. then it got worse and hurt when i was working and stuff as an electrician. It never went away untill i stopped working as an electrician and started working in a call center. I first gave it 5 months then i went back to the gym, the pain came right back so i stopped. then i gave it 11 months and went back the pain came right back. i then stopped all physical activity for a year and a half and then went to the gym. The pain in my shoulder was gone but then hurt my knee. IT got really stiff the day after one of my workouts and continued to get stiff in morn. and hurt so i stopped working out. I then waited another year and i started muay thai classes, soon after my hips started hurting becasue you lift your knee up high alot using your hips, that went away soon but then i hurt both my shoulder after a hard bag workout. They were both sore and felt like they were going to pop out of the socket. They are getting better now since i quit. My hips and my shoulders and back seem irritated now and anytime i use them a little more than usualy they hurt. There is no way this is normal i must have loose joints or something causeing this type or arthritis type pain.
Btw. my mother has ruhumatoid arthritis and has had lots of problems with her joints. what is wrong with me? is there any cure for this or am i done doing anything physical for the rest of my life? also i lifted heavy weights for years like 4 years without any injury or pain, why is this all coming now?

[John Kenyon, CNA]

Hello -

If this is rheumatic in origin it can start at any time, and usually doesn't start until adulthood. What may be a factor in the way yours has presented is that you built your body up way beyond what it had been used to carrying. Even though it is likely mostly muscle you've added, it's still a great deal more bulk than your skeleton and joints were used to bearing as a load. Even though big muscles can help stabilize the overall structure, if you have a rheumatic problem you're probably not "natural" for your body type and the underlying disease, which would seem very likely to be arthritis. Does this mean you can't work out anymore? No, but it may mean you'll need to change your style of fitness and athletecism to something more aerobic and less bulking up. We do what we have to do, and the good news is you wouldn't have to give up being active and athletic, but may have to change your approach. But first you need to have this diagnosed and treated. Seeing a rheumatologist would probably be a good starting place.

I hope this is helpful. Best of luck to you.