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Exercise helps ease arthritis pain and stiffness

As you consider starting an arthritis exercise program, understand what's within your limits and what level of exercise is likely to give you results. By Tina Lloyd   www.fit4lifeover50.co.uk


Exercise is crucial for people with arthritis. It increases strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain, and helps combat fatigue. Of course, when stiff and painful joints are already bogging you down, the thought of walking around the block or swimming a few laps might seem overwhelming.

But you don't need to run a marathon or swim as fast as an Olympic competitor to help reduce the symptoms of your arthritis. Gentle exercise and Tai chi can ease your pain and help you maintain a healthy weight. When arthritis threatens to immobilise you, exercise keeps you moving.

Why exercise is vital

Exercise can help you improve your health and fitness without hurting your joints. Along with your current treatment or medication, exercise can:

Though you might think exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness, that's not the case. Lack of exercise actually can make your joints even more painful and stiff. That's because keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is crucial to maintaining support for your bones. Not exercising weakens those supporting muscles, creating more stress on your joints.

Check with your doctor first

Talk to your doctor about how exercise can fit into your current treatment plan. What types of exercises are best for you depends on your type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Your doctor or a FIT4LIFE TEACHER can work with you to find the best exercise plan to give you the most benefit with the least aggravation of your joint pain.

Exercises for arthritis

Your doctor or FIT4LIFETEACHER can recommend exercises that are best for you, which might include range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercises, aerobic exercise and other activities.

Range-of-motion exercises
These exercises relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion which. Range-of-motion exercises involve moving your joints through their normal range of movement, such as raising your arms over your head or rolling your shoulders forward and backward. These exercises can be done daily or at least every other day.

Strengthening exercises
These exercises help you build strong muscles that help support and protect your joints. Weight training is an example of a strengthening exercise that can help you maintain your current muscle strength or increase it. Do your strengthening exercises every other day — but take an extra day off if your joints are painful or if you notice any swelling.

Gentle Aerobic exercise
Aerobic or endurance exercises help with your overall fitness. They can improve your cardiovascular health, help you control your weight and give you more stamina. That way you'll have more energy to get through your day. Examples of low-impact aerobic exercises that are easier on your joints include walking, riding a bike and swimming. Try to work your way up to 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week. You can split up that time into 10-minute blocks if that's easier on your joints.

Tai Chi
Tai chi is highly recommended for arthritis. This activity improves mobility and increased lower body and joint strength which can lead to reduced pain and stifness. Tai chi may improve posture, balance and help prevent falls. It aids sleep and improves well-beign.

If you participate in our local class be sure to tell your instructor about your condition and avoid positions or movements that can cause pain.

If you would like to participate in a local FIT4LIFEOVER50 EXERCISE CLASS, we have local classes running at WOLVERHAMPTON CRICKET CLUB, THE NEWMAN CENTRE and SUNRISE OF TETTENHALL.

Please get in touch with Tina Lloyd on 07850117321 or visit www.fit4lifeover50.co.uk for further information.

 

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