Arthritis is inflammation or swelling of one or more joints that affects movement. When your joints hurt, you tend to stop exercise, despite the fact that everyone suggests that you should.
The urban lifestyle has become increasingly sedentary and this results in poor muscle and bone strength. This is why it is very essential to do some regular exercise that keeps your joints flexible and strong. It will also give you some relief from pain caused by a host of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and fibromyalgia.
But this doesn’t mean that you need to do rigorous exercise like marathon running or swim as fast as Olympic competitors. Even some moderate form of exercise can give you much-needed relief from your pain and help you maintain a healthy weight.
However, it is always advisable to seek medical advice before you start any exercise program. So let’s have a look at some easy exercises that can keep you going.
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Stretching: It can reduce stiffness, improve flexibility and increase range of motion. Stretching, ideally in the morning, can relieve RA symptoms. The stretching routine will be different from person to person depending on the joints which are affected. But the routine will often include slow and gentle movement of joints of the hands, knees, and elbows.
Walking: It’s a low-impact form of exercise. But one should be careful that he or she is wearing proper shoes, even if you are walking on a plane ground. Also, it is very important to stay hydrated. The most sensible way of walking is to start slowly and then increase the pace gradually.
Tai Chi & Yoga: Both of them involve deep breathing, gentle poses, flowing movements, and mediation. Apart from reducing stress, they increase balance, flexibility, and range of motion. There are various tai chi and yoga workouts, especially for arthritis.
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Pilates: This is one of the low-impact activities that stabilize the joints and also strengthens the muscle around them. It is better to use a mat at the beginning rather than a machine to build muscle strength.
Water Exercise: As we all that water support bodyweight and therefore water exercises don’t impact joints. Swimming or any other gentle exercises can increase flexibility and reduce joint stiffness.
Cycling: It can increase leg strength and improve aerobic conditioning. One can also choose to ride a stationary bike to get the joints moving.