Arthritis & exercise

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In osteoarthritis, the cushions on the ends of your bones, called cartilage, wear away.

That makes the bones rub against each other. You might feel pain in the affected area namely your fingers, knees, or hips. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints. It causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. This disease often occurs in more than one joint and can affect any joint in the body.

Arthritis mainly causes pain around your joints. The symptoms can be constant, or they may come and go. They can range from mild to severe. More-severe cases may lead to permanent joint damage. You may also experience: One or more joints that are swollen or stiff Joints that look red or feel warm to the touch Tenderness Trouble moving Problems doing everyday tasks There are several exercises that you can do in managing your arthritis. These include:

Gardening This is a fantastic method of exercise for people who enjoy recreational exercise. Gardening burns calories and boosts pleasure-enhancing endorphins, easing depression that can be associated with RA. However, you will have to pace yourself especially if you have RA in your wrists as you can experience a flare-up if you dig for hours at a time.

Cycling This form of exercise avoids putting weight on the knee joint, can help maintain knee joint mobility and strengthen leg muscles. Stationary cycling is a good option for persons who have less balance and are just starting. As your leg strength increases you can begin to ride a non-stationary bike which can be a good social activity that you and your friends can enjoy.

Swimming This will assist in maintaining your strength and stamina without putting too much pressure on your joints. Also in a lap pool (usually four-feet deep), you can walk from one side of the pool to the other at a brisk pace. The buoyancy of the water relieves pressure on your joints. This is an excellent exercise for persons with acute joint pain.

Strengthening exercises This is an excellent way to improve your mobility and flexibility by strengthening the muscles that support your joints. However, it is advisable to begin with a trained instructor. Ensure that you inform your instructor of your limitations and affliction, thereby enabling him/her to develop a workout plan specific to your needs.

There are some exercises you can do at home that will improve your muscle strength and flexibility. These include the following:

Chair stand This exercise is good for people who want to build leg muscles. Sit on a normal-height chair, stand up, and sit down gently. Focus on controlling the motion, using your arms to assist you if needed. Try doing ten to 15 reps, for added resistance or difficulty try a lower-height chair and control that motion more with your legs omitting the use of your arms.

Shoulder Bridge The basic bridge exercise primarily target your rectus abdominis and your gluteus maximus. As we get older it is important to tighten your abdominal muscles as it is the muscle that acts as a girdle assisting us in maintaining good posture.

Lay on your back, bend your knees and place your arms along each side of your body. Exhale through your mouth as you contract the abdominals and lift your pelvis. (Don’t arch your back or over flex your knees.) Inhale through the nose and hold the position. Exhale to lower your pelvis back to the ground and repeat the exercise.

Bicep-Curl This exercise will assist with the everyday activities such as lifting a mug of water or your laundry basket. You should start this exercise with one to two-pound weights and as you become stronger you can increase the weight.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet wide apart as your hips. Let your arms hang down at your sides with your palms forward. Pull your abdominals in, stand tall, and keep your knees slightly bent. Curl both arms upward until they’re in front of your shoulders. Slowly lower the dumbbells back down and repeat.

Exercise is a wonderful place to start when attempting to regain your mobility, although it may be the last option you choose to explore when you are in pain. Exercise is beneficial for managing arthritis and your overall health.

It can strengthen muscles that support your painful joints, preserve and increase joint range of motion, improve sleep quality, boost your mood and sense of well-being and help you lose excess pounds that add stress to painful joints.

Exercise can only add to the quality of your life so you should consider giving it a try.