Nearly 55 million adults in the United States are living with arthritis. For many people, arthritis causes pain and stiffness that’s significant enough to limit mobility. When your joints are stiff and painful, exercise is likely the last thing you want to do. Most people with arthritis report decreasing their activity level to avoid worsening arthritis symptoms. It may surprise you to know that exercise is crucial for people with arthritis for many reasons. Read on to learn how exercise benefits arthritis and what exercises are best for people with arthritis.
Exercise is vital for arthritis
Many people with arthritis assume that exercise will aggravate their joint pain. Lack of exercise can increase joint pain and stiffness. When you don’t move your body, the muscles and structures that support your joints weaken.
The thought of exercising when you have achy joints can seem overwhelming, but it’s essential to know that you don’t have to run a marathon or engage in high-intensity physical activity to reap the benefits of exercise for arthritis.
Exercise can:
Physical activity helps manage weight as well. Carrying excess weight puts stress on the joints, worsening arthritis.
At his private practice in El Centro, California, Dr. Prabhdeep Singh is dedicated to providing exceptional care, starting with improving patient awareness. Through his patient-centered approach. Dr. Singh can help you achieve and maintain wellness.
If you have arthritis, talk to Dr. Singh about recommended exercises. Certain types of exercise are safe and beneficial for arthritis. In general, here are some recommended types of exercises.
The goal of range-of-motion (ROM) exercise is to improve the movement of your joints. You may be familiar with these types of exercise if you’ve worked with a physical therapist in the past. ROM exercise relieves stiffness and helps your joints move through their full range of motion. Various exercises fall into this category. For example, raising your foot slightly off the floor and rotating your ankle in circles is a ROM exercise that relieves stiffness of the ankle joint.
Resistance exercises involve moving your body against resistance. This improves strength and helps build and maintain strong muscles. Because your muscles support and protect your joints, keeping your muscles strong is beneficial for arthritis. Weight training is an example of resistance exercise.
Aerobic exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness, reduces fatigue, improves sleep, and helps keep joints lubricated. Low-impact exercises are easy on the joints and beneficial for people with arthritis. Walking and swimming are excellent low-impact exercises that are safe for your joints.
It’s crucial to talk to your provider before starting a new exercise regimen of any kind. It’s also important to give your body time to adjust to more movement by starting gradually. You should not be in worse pain. If you find your pain worsening, it’s necessary to ease up to avoid overworking your muscles.
Keeping your physical activity low impact will help protect your joints. Be careful to take it slow and easy, and keep movements gentle. If you notice any pain, back off and take a break. Swimming and water aerobics are gentle on the joints.
Trust your instincts so that you avoid overdoing it. If you listen to your body, you’ll know when something is too much. Keep in mind that if you haven’t been active for a while, it’s normal to experience some muscle soreness as your body adjusts. Dr. Singh can talk to you about what pain is normal.
Physical activity is extremely beneficial and can improve your quality of life, enabling you to live a full, active life with arthritis. To learn more about what you can do to live well with arthritis, Contact our clinic in El Centro, California, to schedule an appointment. You can call our friendly staff or book your visit online.
