When you are in pain, the last thing you want to do is
workout. But people with different conditions are more likely to keep symptoms
under control if they exercise at least for a few minutes every day. Here are
some types of exercise which can help you move and feel better:
Slow it down
When you are in the middle of a painful flare, you obviously do not want to do
anything that will increase your inflammation. Generally, physicians recommend
to continue any exercises you can, perhaps substituting motion of range and
stretching for more rigorous strengthening. On the other hand you can
concentrate on an area of your body that does not have the flare. In some
cases, it is appropriate to discontinue exercises for a short period of time,
but not for long as it may become a vicious cycle, leading to stiff and weak
joints.
Swimming
If your joints are painful, getting into the water might be the good way to let
the aching go. The buoyancy takes weight off of the joints. Swimming is also
good for the upper joints as it helps to keep your elbows flexible. Water
training can take the form of regular water aerobics, lap-lengths, or even
walking in the pool. A 2011 study found that aquatic workouts conferred small
to moderate benefit on various forms of pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, back pain and osteoarthritis.
Biking
It has no difference whether you bike stationary in your living room or ride
outdoors, biking provides not only weight loosing benefit, but can also release
the feel good hormones such as endorphins.People with arthritis of the knees
have some difficulty with biking so be sure the seat is at the right height. In
this situation, a recumbent bike is your best choice. It is good because the
seats are anatomic and help support your spine.
Weight lifting
Weight lifting seems to be useful for those who are in pain, including people
with rheumatoid arthritis, but program like this needs to be practiced in
moderation. Think of weight lifting as taking a daily vitamin. When you are
younger, you want to look good in a bathing suit or have big biceps. As you get
older you have to look at exercise as a kind of medicine.
Walking
Walking can be difficult if you have knee and foot pain, but if you can walk,
this type of exercise will strengthen the muscles around your knee and help
protect the joint.If your thigh muscles or the quadriceps are in good
condition, loading in the legs gets deflected away from your knee.If the
muscle is in poor state, it can’t absorb the shock and it gets transmitted to
the joint and causes inflammation. But just walking from your car to the front
door might not be enough to reap the benefits of this particular exercise, as
you are unlikely to get any cardiovascular benefit.
Jogging and running
High impact activities such as jogging and running can be hard with the aching
joints, not just for those suffering from chronic pain. If your physical
therapist decides this is an appropriate workout for you, reduce your stress on
the joints by using special sports shoes, the ones that have 5 toes like a
glove. They are much safer on the knees and other joints. The good thing about
aerobic activities like swimming, biking and running is that over time they
will increase blood flow throughout your body. Improved circulation decreases
cytokines, molecules that are prone to inflammation.
