CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT 1-727-388-0966
Why Exercise Is Important If You Have Arthritis
Dec 04, 2019
Exercise is so important for people with arthritis. It can increase strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain, and helps combat fatigue. Understandably, 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.
The good news is that it isn't necessary to run a marathon or compete like an Olympic competitor to help reduce arthritis symptoms. The truth moderate exercise can ease your pain and help you maintain a healthy weight. When arthritis menaces and threatens to immobilize you, exercise keeps you moving.
Reasons Why Exercises Is Important When You Have Arthritis
Though you might consider that exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness, that's not the case. Truthfully, the lack of exercise actually can make your joints even more painful and stiff. Keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is crucial to maintaining support for your bones. Not exercising weakens those supporting muscles, thus, creating more stress on your joints.
Exercise can assist you in improving your health and fitness without hurting your joints. With your current treatment program, exercise can:
- Give you more energy to get through the day.
- Make it easier to get a good night's sleep.
- Help you control your weight.
- Strengthen the muscles around your joints.
- Help you maintain bone strength.
- Enhance your quality of life.
- Improve your balance.
- Lowers stress levels.
- Aids joint lubrication.
- Improves flexibility.
- Improves posture.
Tips to protect your joints
As a rule, start slowly to ease your joints into exercise if you haven't been active for a while. If you push yourself too hard, you can overwork your muscles and worsen your joint pain. Trust your instincts and don't exert more energy than you think your joints can handle. Take it easy and slowly increase your exercise length and intensity as you progress.
Tips as you get started:
- Time of day. Be mindful of your body and schedule workouts for times of the day when you are least likely to experience inflammation and pain. Avoid exercising when stiffness is at its worst.
- If you have rheumatoid arthritis, balance rest and exercise carefully. Rest more often to reduce inflammation, pain, and fatigue when your condition flares up, and exercise more when it calms down. Short rest breaks help more than long periods in bed.
- Keep the impact low. Low impact exercises such as stationary or recumbent bicycles, elliptical trainers, or exercise in the water can help keep joint stress low while you move.
- Apply heat. Heat relaxes your joints and muscles and helps to relieve any pain you have before you begin. Heat treatments such as warm towels, hot packs or a shower, should be warm (not painfully hot) and should be applied for about 20 minutes.
- Move gently. Try to move your joints gently at first to warm up. Begin with range-of-motion exercises for five to 10 minutes before you move on to strengthening or aerobic exercises.
- Go slowly. Exercise with slow and easy movements and remember that pain equals stop. Sharp pain and pain that is stronger than your usual joint pain might indicate something is wrong. Slow down if you notice swelling or redness in your joints.
- Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids during and after exercising.
- Dress properly. Wear appropriate clothing and footwear when exercising.
- Ice afterward. Apply ice to your joints for up to 20 minutes as needed after activity, especially after an activity that causes joint swelling.
4 Types Of Exercise You Can Do With Arthritis
- Walking. Walking is an easy, low-impact aerobic exercise that nearly anyone can do regardless of fitness level.
- Yoga. Yoga is another low-impact exercise that can help you build strength, improve joint function, reduce joint inflammation, and minimize arthritis-related pain.
- Workout In Water. Water exercises can help minimize pain and reduce stress on the joints since water supports the body’s full weight.
- Strength Training. Strength training exercises like weightlifting, push-ups, and squats help you strengthen bones and muscles to support joints, while also reducing pain, stiffness, and swelling.
The Takeaway
When you hurt, it's hard to persuade yourself to move. However, regular exercise not only helps maintain joint function but also relieves stiffness and decreases pain and fatigue.
Physically active individuals are often healthier, happier and live longer than those who are inactive and unfit. This is especially true for people with arthritis. However, arthritis is one of the most common reasons people give for limiting physical activity. Follow these tips tho help you learn how exercising with arthritis can improve your overall quality of life.
Contact us
today! Family Chiropractic Plus
is dedicated to your overall health and well-being. Which is why we offer regular chiropractic adjustments in order to restore your body’s natural state of optimal health, while also providing it with the support it needs to heal from any injury, big or small.
Are you suffering from back pain or seeking relief from muscle tension? If so, chiropractic combined with inversion table therapy might be the solution you've been searching for.
In this sports chiropractic guide, we will explore the various aspects of sports chiropractic, including its benefits, techniques, and the role it plays in promoting optimal athletic function.
Myofascial trigger points, often simply called trigger points, are localized, tender spots in muscles that can cause significant pain and discomfort. These spots are sensitive and can produce sharp, shooting pain or a dull ache in the muscle and even in seemingly unrelated parts of the body, a phenomenon known as referred pain.
At Family Chiropractic Plus, we understand that rehabilitation is essential not only for recovery from injuries but also for preventing recurring issues and enhancing overall physical function. This comprehensive guide explores the depths of chiropractic rehabilitation and how it can significantly impact your health and well-being.
Heartburn, a common symptom of acid reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), affects millions of people worldwide. While chiropractic therapy and acid reflux may seem unrelated, there is a surprising connection between the two. In this article, we will explore how chiropractic care can help alleviate acid reflux symptoms and improve overall digestive health.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While traditional medical treatments for diabetes focus on insulin therapy and lifestyle modifications, there is a revolutionary approach that is gaining recognition - chiropractic care. In this article, we will explore the connection between chiropractic care and diabetes management, and how chiropractic treatment can improve the quality of life for individuals with diabetes.
Are you an athlete looking to enhance your performance on the field? If so, you may be surprised to learn that chiropractic care can be a game-changer. In this article, we explore the powerful benefits of chiropractic treatment for prep sports athletes.
Are you looking for ways to incorporate self-checks into your regular health routine? Look no further! In this article, we will explore how self-checks can be a valuable addition to your overall well-being, especially when combined with chiropractic care.
Discover 'How Chiropractic Care Supports the Body's Natural Healing Process' blog for expert insights into holistic health, spinal alignment, and wellness.
Explore 'The Power of Gratitude: Elevating Your Vibrational Frequency' blog for insights on how gratitude transforms lives, boosts positivity, and elevates energy.
