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Arthritis Exercises
Should people do arthritis exercise?
Well damn right they should. Many arthritic patients believe that exercising would aggravate the situation since exertion generally causes stiffness and body aches as well as tenderness in joints. Exercise is one part of a comprehensive arthritis treatment plan. Treatment plans also may include rest and relaxation, proper diet, medication, and instruction about proper use of joints and ways to conserve energy (that is, not waste motion) as well as the use of pain relief methods.
Studies have shown that exercise helps people with arthritis in many ways. Exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility, muscle strength, cardiac fitness, and endurance. It also helps with weight reduction and contributes to an improved sense of well-being. There are in general three kinds of exercises that are recommended to arthritic patients.
The first of these being the Range-of-motion-exercise which helps in maintaining normal joint movement and therefore increases flexibility. This kind of exercise ensures that the next time you go for a walk you don't end up feeling older than you are by ending up with joint aches and stiffness. An excellent example of this range-of-motion exercise is dance. This exercise can be done everyday or at least once every day. If dancing requires too much of you then you can even try stretching exercises.
Aerobics are recommended very often since it improves cardio vascular conditions of patients as well having the bonus of helping to control weight and therefore ensuring overall fitness. Always remember that those extra pounds that you gain will be detrimental to your health and your arthritis condition.
Strengthening exercise like muscle toning helps in increasing muscle strength and therefore the capability of patients to bear weight better. Exercising about twenty to thirty minutes every day helps immensely.
- Arthritis patients should always discuss their exercise their regimen with their doctors. Of all the programs mentioned above different permutations and combinations can aid in different kinds of therapy.
- Efficient pain relief methods that your physical therapist assigns are supposed to be followed to the last t. Exercise are one part of a comprehensive arthritis treatment plan. Treatment plans also may include rest and relaxation, proper diet, medication, and instruction about proper use of joints.
Rationing it out:
- Don't forget to consult your therapist about exercise regimen.
- Apply heat to sore joints; this is an effective method of starting your exercise regimen.
- Consider appropriate recreational exercise (after doing range-of-motion, strengthening, and aerobic exercise). Fewer injuries to joints affected by arthritis occur during recreational exercise if it is preceded by range-of-motion, strengthening, and aerobic exercise that gets your body in the best condition possible.
- Always remember to use the cold packs after you finish exercising.
- To make it a habit, chose the exercise program that you like best.