Arthritis Exercises
A recommended 30-minute minimum of daily activity
is the norm. Before starting any exercise program,
it is vital that one speak to their doctor to
ensure there are no unseen risks, however you
will find that most doctors recommend exercise
for their arthritis patients either on their own
initiative or when asked.The types of exercises
suggested vary; however, with all types of exercise
the warm-up is the starting point. Warming up
is best started with applying warm compresses
to the joints, followed by mild stretching. Range
of motion exercises, such as dance, are a very
good start, as are low-impact aerobics. These
can relieve stiffness and increase flexibility.
Never discount the effectiveness of walking as
an exercise. Walking is a great exercise to improve
the arthritic condition, and carrying weights
as light as one pound and using your arms as you
walk can involve the whole body. The "trick" is
to make walking interesting enough as an exercise
to stay motivated. Try walking in different settings,
alternating walking with dance on different days,
and of course including a partner can be much
more interesting than going at it alone.Using
aquatics: exercising in a pool-is a great way
to exercise as well. Water is an excellent aid
because it provides resistance that builds muscle
in the entire body while reducing shock to the
joints at the same time.
Additionally, because the whole body tends to
become involved in aquatic exercise the added
benefit of cardiovascular exercise is enjoyed.
If at all possible, find a heated pool to work
out in. Warm water is soothing to the joints and
will cause the blood vessels to dilate, increasing
circulation. With that in mind, it is often beneficial
to add using a spa to your regimen, perhaps after
your workout, in order to provide some soothing
jets of water to your muscles and even more help
with increased circulation, which is always vital
when dealing with arthritis.If you still want
more variety, you may want to try yoga. Yoga is
a general term for several stretching, and pose-oriented
exercises originating in India, and is extremely
beneficial toward achieving flexibility and reducing
stress physically and mentally. There are gentle
forms of yoga such as Hatha Yoga that are excellent
to start with. Hatha Yoga comprises of gentle
stretches and simple poses that help flexibility
and balance, and are easy to learn and enjoy.
Check your local activities paper or section of
your local paper to see if there are any yoga
classes near you.Even when you cannot make it
out to walk or to an aquatics or yoga class, there
are exercises you can do daily to improve flexibility,
strength and conditioning.
You can flex your legs while sitting in a chair
facing forward, simply by moving your leg outward
while keeping your foot on the floor and holding
it there for a few seconds, then retracting it
until your foot is behind you, then alternating
to the other leg. Interlocking your fingers and
slowly flexing your wrists to the left and the
right for a few minutes a day can help tremendously
to increase flexibility and reduce pain in the
wrist area.For your upper back, you can stand
upright in front of a table, then lean over and
place your hands on the table and tuck your chin
back toward your collarbone. Once positioned as
such, lift your upper back upward and simultaneously
take a deep breath. Hold that position for 5-10
seconds and then relax while exhaling.
While doing this, lower your spine slowly as
you move both shoulder blades forward as if toward
each other. Repeat this exercise for 10-15 repetitions.For
the shoulders and middle back, start again from
an upright position standing as straight as you
can, reach back and lock the fingers of both hands
together. Breathe slowly and deeply and lift upward
with your shoulders while at the same time, exhaling.
Be sure to keep your chest up and your chin in.
Repeat this for about 10-15 sets.For the shoulders
and upper chest, choose a free corner of the room
to stand in and place your hands on the opposite
sides of the corner. Take a step back about 18
inches from the corner. You now should be facing
the corner directly with your hands on both of
the walls with your body some distance from the
wall itself. Keeping your chest up after inhaling,
lean in toward the corner while exhaling. Repeat
this exercise for 10-15 sets.Whatever exercise
program you choose, be sure to breathe properly
when exercising. Oxygenation is important to any
exercise regimen as it promotes a healthy heart
rate and reduces fatigue; additionally oxygenation
helps circulation, which is vital to achieving
the flexibility and strength that you are trying
to achieve in battling arthritis.
Also, listen to your body. It is natural to
feel a little fatigue and soreness when starting
a new exercise regimen, However if the pain of
soreness persists for more than one hour, or you
have a decrease in mobility that lasts longer
than an hour, then the regimen should be reduced
until the soreness desists.Also, look for signs
of increased swelling of joints or any persistent
increase of weakness; these are signs of activities
that are too strenuous and a reduction in activity
will be necessary. Just remember to take all new
exercise regimens slowly at the start. The idea
is to increase flexibility not train for the Olympics.There
are three main types of exercises to include in
a basic exercise program:Range-of-motion exercises
- These lessen stiffness and help with improving
flexibility. "Range of motion" refers to the area
within which the joints move naturally or on a
daily basis. Although these range-of-motion exercises
can be performed every day, it is recommended
that they be done at least every other day.Strengthening
exercises - There are two types of strengthening
exercises; isometric or tightening the muscles
without moving the joints, and isotonic, moving
of the joints for strengthening muscle movements.
It is recommended to do these sets of exercises
every other day, unless you are suffering from
more than mild joint pain or swelling.ndurance
exercises - The objective of these is to increase
stamina. They also help with improving your inner
personal / mental strength and with improving
weight control and sleep. Some of the most popular
endurance exercises are stationary bike riding,
walking and water exercising. And unless you are
suffering from more than mild joint pain or swelling,
a 20- to 30-minute workout or two to three short
10-minute bouts during the day is what is recommended,
an average of three times each week. Be kind to
your body, and it will be kind to you.Arthritis
Exercise TipsLet's sum up arthritis exercise with
a few tips for all:- Establish your own unique,
exercise program so that it meets you personal
health needs, budget and environment.
Make sure it is safe by checking with your own
professional healthcare advisor and workout trainer.
And take it slow and steady like Aesop's turtle
in the race.- Be kind to yourself. Stop if something
hurts. And experiment with applying heat before
exercising and warming up. Then cool off afterwards
with cold packs.- Enjoy exercising by making it
a real part of your life during the week. Include
range-of-motion, strengthening and endurance exercises
in your routines. And vary your activities; try
a new class at a health club one quarter. Next
time, go elsewhere or join a naturalist group
for weekly hikes in local parks. Keep an active
folder with pockets of gyms and health clubs near
you with their schedules and up-dated classes
and coupon specials. And check newspapers, local
bulletin boards, postings at the gyms and clubs,
etc. for healthy activities like walk-a-thons
and bike-a-thons for nonprofits and evening /
weekend hikes in which you can participate. You'll
meet new friends, have fun, get out more and exercise
all at the same time.- Exercise activities are
available all around you, too.
No need to spend time and money elsewhere. You
can borrow exercise videos, cassettes, DVDs and
books from public libraries. You can get active
by washing windows, cleaning your house, car,
pet, children's closets, your closets, anything.You
can even earn money doing activities like walking
and distributing flyers, local newspapers
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