Importance of exercise in arthritis

“Activity” in arthritis

Arthritis patients are less physically active.  This is simply because of the factors involved with the disease.  Many arthritis patients are under the misconception that exercise will cause further damage to their joints.  However, this is not so, as exercising regularly helps to strengthen the muscles and to protect the joints.  Appropriate exercise helps to ease pain, keep you mobile and to help control weight.  Your chances of developing chronic diseases are increased when you are not physically active.  Over half the adults living with heart disease or diabetes also have arthritis.  Experts have revealed that lack of information on how to exercise properly, fear of worsening symptoms or damaging joints, fear of pain and pain prevent people living with arthritis from being physically active.

The good news!

Over 40 million persons live with arthritis and the good news for these 40 million people is that a regiment of moderate exercise can improve mobility and reduce pain.  For those living with arthritis physical activities such as swimming, bicycling and walking have shown to improve physical function, reduce pain, and improve the quality of life.  The risk of developing Osteoarthritis is reduced when weight control and injury prevention measures are taken.  Weight loss and control is also helpful to reduce symptoms of patients that are suffering with knee Osteoarthritis.

The following tips will help you to understand how to effectively and safely enhance your physical activity in arthritis:

Rest: When our bodies rest or sleep, they are restoring energy.  Balancing rest with exercise is effective to help reduce arthritis symptoms.  Balance exercise with rest and pace yourself. However, it is important to remember, that too much rest can make your joints stiff. 

Activity: Keep yourself active.  Stronger muscles help to reduce fatigue.  Good activities for arthritic patients include exercises and swimming in a heated pool.

Gentleness: Be gentle in your daily life.  Start slow and gradually build doing a little more each day.  Avoid contact sports and other high impact activities.

Convenience: When you are in the least amount of pain, tired or stiff, exercise.  And, exercise during the time that your medication is most effective.

Variety:  Motion exercises should be done at least once a day.  When waking in the morning exercising first will help to ease the stiffness felt upon rising.  Exercising prior to bedtime will help stop the stiffness from developing during your sleep.  Only do a range of movement exercises when you experience a flare up.  .

People with arthritis can manage chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes by finding help to overcome the barriers that often limit their physical activity. 

To effectively manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, people with arthritis need help finding ways to over­come arthritis-specific barriers to physical activity. Using natural anti-arthritis herbal supplements may significantly reduce swelling, stiffness and tenderness of the affected joints and provides the much-needed muscular boost to carry on healthy physical activity in people with arthritis.