Exercise Eases Difficulties of Arthritis
Debra James
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Arthritis can be an inconvenience, sometimes painfully debilitating, and is becoming more common. However, certain forms of exercise are encouraged for arthritis sufferers to offset the pain. Exercise is now considered a necessary tool for managing arthritis. It is a recommendation that anyone with arthritis consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program.
[read more]Exercise Eases Difficulties of Arthritis
Debra James
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
Arthritis can be an inconvenience, sometimes painfully debilitating, and is becoming more common. However, certain forms of exercise are encouraged for arthritis sufferers to offset the pain. Exercise is now considered a necessary tool for managing arthritis. It is a recommendation that anyone with arthritis consult with a physician before beginning an exercise program.
Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint to include possible redness, heat, and pain. Arthritis could be caused by injury to muscle tissue around a joint or disease in the joint, which could actually be hereditary. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis and is distinguished by the progressive loss of cartilage. Bone rubs on bone in most cases and is usually limited to specific areas like the hands, shoulders, hips, or knees. Rheumatoid arthritis causes the inner linings of the joint to become inflamed.
Depending on your fitness level, start slow and go at your own pace with your exercise program. You should begin with flexibility training to help improve range of motion and reduce some of the stiffness in the joints. Gentle yoga is beneficial and one form of exercise to increase flexibility. Yoga is especially good for people with arthritis because the disease tends to reduce confidence and yoga increases it," says Paul Howard, MD, a rheumatologist in Phoenix.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, here are a few things that yoga can do to improve your arthritic conditions:
- Improves mood
- Promotes relaxation
- Increases range of motion
- Strengthens muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the joints
- Contributes to pain relief
- Strengthens bones
- Improves blood circulation
- Enables deep concentration that promotes clearer thinking and reduces stress
- Enhances self-awareness
- Increases confidence
Other benefits of an exercise program include improved muscle strength, cardiac fitness and endurance, weight reduction, and overall enhanced sense of well being.
Flexibility exercises can be done every day. Again, take your time with stretching exercises. Never stretch to the point of pain or discomfort.
The next step would be to add strength training to your program. This can be done two to three times per week as long as the joints are not swelling. Take one day off between strength sessions to let your muscles recover and repair.
Finally comes the addition of cardiovascular exercise which is low or no impact on the joints. This should be done three to five times per week. Walking, swimming, or cycling are just a few recommended activities for those with arthritis.
According to the National Institute of Arthritis, you may be exercising too much if you observe or experience any of the following:
- Pain that lasts for more than one hour after exercising
- Increased weakness
- Decreased range of motion, prolonged swelling
If any of these occur, you may need to adjust your exercise program.
Improving your quality of life and learning to manage arthritis is an attainable goal. The results are greater mobility and better overall health.
(The ideas and information written are provided as guidelines and considered strictly informational and should not be construed as specific instructions for individuals. The publisher and author are not responsible for any injury resulting from any material contained herein. You should always consult with a physician before beginning any exercise program.)
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The Fitness Pyramid Plan
Debra James
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
It is very easy to feel overwhelmed about all the information regarding “how much exercise you need”. I have always stressed that exercise needs to become part of your daily lifestyle.
[read more]Exercise Eases Difficulties of Arthritis
Debra James
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
It is very easy to feel overwhelmed about all the information regarding “how much exercise you need”. I have always stressed that exercise needs to become part of your daily lifestyle. Exercise should not be something that you commit to for just 1 month or even 3 months, but every month and as many days as week as your schedule will allow.
Scheduling is another important aspect of exercise and sometimes the most challenging to deal with. You are in control of your schedule and what you do with your time. So, exactly how often should you exercise? The Physical Fitness Pyramid, put together by Fitness For Life authors Charles Corbin and Ruth Lindsey, stresses that living an active life over the long term is the best plan. Determine what activity you enjoy and find time to be a participant, not a spectator.
We have all seen the Food Pyramid, which some say needs some fine-tuning; nevertheless the Fitness Pyramid uses the same concept.
- At the bottom of the Pyramid is LIFESTYLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY that you should get most days of the week with moderate intensity for 30 minutes or more.
- The next level is AEROBIC ACTIIVTY AND SPORT that includes moderate to vigorous intensity exercise, 3 to 6 days a week for 20 minutes or more.
- The third level is divided into two parts. One part is EXERICSE FOR FLEXBILITY which includes one to three sets of stretches that you hold 10 to 60 seconds, 3 to 7 days a week. The second part of this level is EXERCISE FOR STRENGTH AND MUSCLUAR ENDURANCE performed 2 to 3 days a week. You should perform 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise and do 1 to 3 sets.
- Finally, at the top of the pyramid, which is the smallest section, is REST OR INACTIVITY. Rest is considered acceptable after a hard workout or if you are ill, but inactivity should be rare or done in moderation.
I believe the hardest step to beginning an exercise program or lifestyle CHANGE that includes daily activity is simply starting. So, start simple, but start! What motivation do you need? Get help from a qualified trainer or a doctor if you are unsure what do to first. A workout buddy is a great idea and makes the commitment to your exercise plan much easier. Success breeds success. When you achieve your fitness goals, your workout buddy will too!
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