Exercise To Manage Arthritis
August 18, 2009 by http://www.empoweredhealthfitness.com/You may think that exercise and arthritis do not go hand in hand. If so, you would be mistaken. It was thought for many years that if you had arthritis you should not exercise because it would damage your joints. Now, however, research has shown that exercise is an essential tool in managing your arthritis.
Regular, moderate exercise offers a whole host of benefits to people with arthritis. Mainly, exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness, builds strong muscle around the joints, and increases flexibility and endurance. But it also helps promote overall health and fitness by giving you more energy, helping you sleep better, controlling your weight, decreasing depression, and giving you more self-esteem. Furthermore, exercise can help stave off other health problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
Starting an exercise program can seem like a daunting proposition. The important thing to remember is to start slow and make it fun. It is always good to start with flexibility exercises, which are basically stretching exercises that will improve your range of motion and help you perform daily activities. Once you feel comfortable you can move on to weight training and endurance exercises such as bicycling. You may be reluctant to exercise because you are in such pain. If this is the case you may want to start with a water exercise program. In the water your body’s buoyancy reduces stress on your hips, knees, and spine.
An exercise program can include anything from walking around the block, taking a yoga class, or playing a round of golf. In this section we’ve attempted to give you all the information you will need on how to start exercising and the proper way to incorporate exercise into the management of your arthritis.
TYPES OF EXERCISES FOR ARTHRITIS
Exercise is an important component in staying healthy when you have arthritis. Moderate physical activity on a regular basis help decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bones, increase flexibility and stamina, and improve your general sense of well-being. Joint flexibility is especially important when you have arthritis because stiff joints means inability to do daily tasks, such as buttoning a shirt or starting the car.
You should commit yourself to regular exercise that includes three types of activity: flexibility (stretching, range-of-motion) exercises, strengthening (resistance) exercises, and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. That may sound like a lot, but if you incorporate it into your daily routine, you’ll find it gets easier to do without even thinking about it.
FLEXIBILITY (Stretching, Range-of-Motion) Exercises
These gentle stretching exercises should be done every day and are the most important of all your exercises. Flexibility exercises can help you protect your joints by reducing the risk of joint injury, help you warm-up for more strenuous exercise by getting your body moving, and help you relax and release tension from your body. These can be done on land or in water such as a pool, hot tub or warm bath. These exercises can be particularly useful for easing those stiff joints in the morning. Good range-of-motion exercises include tai chi and yoga. Work up to 15 minutes of flexibility exercises a day. Once you can do 15 continuous minutes, you should be able to add strengthening and aerobic exercises to your routine.
STRENGTHENING (Resistance) Exercises. When you have arthritis, you need strong muscles to lessen the stress on your joints. Strengthening exercises can help build your muscles so they can absorb shock and protect your joints from injury, as well as help you get around better. These exercises use weight or resistance to make your muscles work harder thereby helping them get stronger.
There are two types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric exercises are good for people with arthritis because they work by tightening the muscles without moving the joint. It is easy to target the muscles around the joints with isometric exercises, and that reduces stress on your joints. Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscles by moving the joint; for example, straightening your knee while sitting in a chair is an isotonic exercise that helps strengthen your thigh muscle. These exercises can also benefit people with arthritis because they can be made easier when you have an inflamed joint or you can make them more difficult when you are feeling better by adding weights or repetitions. Strengthening exercises should be done every other day after warming up with some flexibility exercises.
CARDIOVASCULAR (Aerobic) Exercises Cardiovascular (aerobic or endurance) exercise is any physical activity that uses the large muscles of the body in rhythmic, continuous motions. This includes walking, dancing, swimming and bicycling, among others. The purpose of these exercises is to make your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles work more efficiently. They also can result in improved endurance, stronger bones, improved sleep, controlled weight and reduced stress, depression and anxiety. Try to include aerobic activity in your fitness program three to four times each week, with a goal of working in your target heart rate for 30 minutes each session. You can work up to this goal slowly, starting with as little as 5 minutes and increasing as you get stronger and are able.
If you’ve tried exercising before, but were unsuccessful, don’t make a mistake by trying the same way this time. Do something new. Pick activities you can easily work into your day or find a buddy to exercise with. Sometimes this makes the exercise more a natural part of your day or gives you someone to encourage you when you need it. You can also join an exercise group. Check your local Arthritis Foundation office to learn about exercise programs in your area.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ~ WATER EXERCISE
Regular exercise helps keep joints moving, restores and preserves flexibility and strength, and protects joints against further damage. It improves your coordination, endurance and your ability to perform daily tasks (such as walking or writing). Exercise also can lead to mood enhancement, an improved sense of self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.
Why Water Exercise? Water is a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness. That’s why the Arthritis Foundation offers its Aquatic Program, designed to safely keep your joints moving and improve your sense of well-being.
* The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.
* Immersing in warm water raises your body temperature, causing your blood vessels to dilate and increasing circulation.
* Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles.
* Water supports joints to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength.
* Using a spa adds a component to the therapy – massage. Jet nozzles release warm water and air, massaging your body and helping you relax tight muscles.
FIND YOUR LOCAL ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION:http://www.arthritis.org/chaptermap.php
–
Blessed for your highest good!
><> Sherry Perkins
Personal Fitness Training and Certified Raindrop Therapy Practitioner
Empowered Fitness and Holistic Health
Website: www.EmpoweredHealthFitness.com
Website: www.raindroptherapy.net
PH: 734-646-5582
Regular, moderate exercise offers a whole host of benefits to people with arthritis. Mainly, exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness, builds strong muscle around the joints, and increases flexibility and endurance. But it also helps promote overall health and fitness by giving you more energy, helping you sleep better, controlling your weight, decreasing depression, and giving you more self-esteem. Furthermore, exercise can help stave off other health problems such as osteoporosis and heart disease.
Starting an exercise program can seem like a daunting proposition. The important thing to remember is to start slow and make it fun. It is always good to start with flexibility exercises, which are basically stretching exercises that will improve your range of motion and help you perform daily activities. Once you feel comfortable you can move on to weight training and endurance exercises such as bicycling. You may be reluctant to exercise because you are in such pain. If this is the case you may want to start with a water exercise program. In the water your body’s buoyancy reduces stress on your hips, knees, and spine.
An exercise program can include anything from walking around the block, taking a yoga class, or playing a round of golf. In this section we’ve attempted to give you all the information you will need on how to start exercising and the proper way to incorporate exercise into the management of your arthritis.
TYPES OF EXERCISES FOR ARTHRITIS
Exercise is an important component in staying healthy when you have arthritis. Moderate physical activity on a regular basis help decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bones, increase flexibility and stamina, and improve your general sense of well-being. Joint flexibility is especially important when you have arthritis because stiff joints means inability to do daily tasks, such as buttoning a shirt or starting the car.
You should commit yourself to regular exercise that includes three types of activity: flexibility (stretching, range-of-motion) exercises, strengthening (resistance) exercises, and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise. That may sound like a lot, but if you incorporate it into your daily routine, you’ll find it gets easier to do without even thinking about it.
FLEXIBILITY (Stretching, Range-of-Motion) Exercises
These gentle stretching exercises should be done every day and are the most important of all your exercises. Flexibility exercises can help you protect your joints by reducing the risk of joint injury, help you warm-up for more strenuous exercise by getting your body moving, and help you relax and release tension from your body. These can be done on land or in water such as a pool, hot tub or warm bath. These exercises can be particularly useful for easing those stiff joints in the morning. Good range-of-motion exercises include tai chi and yoga. Work up to 15 minutes of flexibility exercises a day. Once you can do 15 continuous minutes, you should be able to add strengthening and aerobic exercises to your routine.
STRENGTHENING (Resistance) Exercises. When you have arthritis, you need strong muscles to lessen the stress on your joints. Strengthening exercises can help build your muscles so they can absorb shock and protect your joints from injury, as well as help you get around better. These exercises use weight or resistance to make your muscles work harder thereby helping them get stronger.
There are two types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric exercises are good for people with arthritis because they work by tightening the muscles without moving the joint. It is easy to target the muscles around the joints with isometric exercises, and that reduces stress on your joints. Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscles by moving the joint; for example, straightening your knee while sitting in a chair is an isotonic exercise that helps strengthen your thigh muscle. These exercises can also benefit people with arthritis because they can be made easier when you have an inflamed joint or you can make them more difficult when you are feeling better by adding weights or repetitions. Strengthening exercises should be done every other day after warming up with some flexibility exercises.
CARDIOVASCULAR (Aerobic) Exercises Cardiovascular (aerobic or endurance) exercise is any physical activity that uses the large muscles of the body in rhythmic, continuous motions. This includes walking, dancing, swimming and bicycling, among others. The purpose of these exercises is to make your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles work more efficiently. They also can result in improved endurance, stronger bones, improved sleep, controlled weight and reduced stress, depression and anxiety. Try to include aerobic activity in your fitness program three to four times each week, with a goal of working in your target heart rate for 30 minutes each session. You can work up to this goal slowly, starting with as little as 5 minutes and increasing as you get stronger and are able.
If you’ve tried exercising before, but were unsuccessful, don’t make a mistake by trying the same way this time. Do something new. Pick activities you can easily work into your day or find a buddy to exercise with. Sometimes this makes the exercise more a natural part of your day or gives you someone to encourage you when you need it. You can also join an exercise group. Check your local Arthritis Foundation office to learn about exercise programs in your area.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ~ WATER EXERCISE
Regular exercise helps keep joints moving, restores and preserves flexibility and strength, and protects joints against further damage. It improves your coordination, endurance and your ability to perform daily tasks (such as walking or writing). Exercise also can lead to mood enhancement, an improved sense of self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.
Why Water Exercise? Water is a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness. That’s why the Arthritis Foundation offers its Aquatic Program, designed to safely keep your joints moving and improve your sense of well-being.
* The soothing warmth and buoyancy of warm water make it a safe, ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.
* Immersing in warm water raises your body temperature, causing your blood vessels to dilate and increasing circulation.
* Water exercise is a gentle way to exercise joints and muscles.
* Water supports joints to encourage free movement, and may also act as resistance to help build muscle strength.
* Using a spa adds a component to the therapy – massage. Jet nozzles release warm water and air, massaging your body and helping you relax tight muscles.
FIND YOUR LOCAL ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION:http://www.arthritis.org/chaptermap.php
–
Blessed for your highest good!
><> Sherry Perkins
Personal Fitness Training and Certified Raindrop Therapy Practitioner
Empowered Fitness and Holistic Health
Website: www.EmpoweredHealthFitness.com
Website: www.raindroptherapy.net
PH: 734-646-5582
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