Suggested Light Exercises for Arthritis Sufferers
Just because you are suffering from the painful joints that are associated with the various forms of arthritis, it doesn't mean you should stay motionless in an attempt to prevent further pain.
If anything, restricting movement actually makes matter worse because joints begin to seize up through lack of use and then any further attempts at movement initiate greater pain.
The best course of action is to get moving and especially get out of the house and into the fresh air if you can.
The idea most people have about exercise involves strenuous repetitive movement usually with resistance apparatus or weights in a gym or athletic training such as running. But when you are experiencing a lot of joint pain, any kind of resistance training seems like it would be too painful.
Exercise is Beneficial
But when exercise is done lightly, it can be beneficial because it keeps the joints moving and that movement stimulates the body's own repair function which promotes the secretion of synovial fluid in the joints, which is their own organic form of lubrication. Thus light exercise helps the body to make repairs to damaged joints.
As home remedies for arthritis go, there are definite benefits to being outdoors in the fresh air. That's because exposure to natural daylight helps to improve your mood as the daylight promotes the release of the body's own feel-good, depression-busting hormone serotonin. What's more, the fresh air provides more oxygen for the body, boosting your ability to exercise healthily.
What are the Best Kinds of Exercise?
The types of exercises you do will be determined by the extent of your mobility. Some forms will suit some people better than others. If you feel you can't do any of the following on your own, you should try and get help from a fully mobile friend or a professional helper who has experience with helping arthritics to exercise. Here are some ideas that you might want to try for yourself:
Walking
Walking is excellent exercise as long as you can walk without excessive pain.
It can be beneficial for keeping hips, knees, ankles and the joints in the feet moving. Like any form of exercise, the more you do the better you will feel over time. You can improve your ability to do this simple form of activity by gradually increasing the distance you cover and also gradually increasing your walking speed each day.
Swimming
Most arthritis sufferers can partake in some aquatic exercise and paying regular visits to the local pool can bring many benefits.
It is worth checking with the pool admin to see if they run special classes for people with reduced mobility. Swimming or light pool exercises are extremely beneficial as they enable arthritis sufferers to be active without placing undue pressure on the affected joints.
Some sports facilities provide warm water aquatics or salt water spas that are also highly beneficial for arthritis patients. Salt water has healing qualities and helps to draw the excess acids from the body while providing a soothing medium for helping to free up very stiff joints gradually and safely.
Tai Chi
This is an ancient form of martial art that focuses on slow, deliberate movements of the whole body to bring about greater health and also to bring the body back onto balance.
It uses the idea that the body is governed by the two opposing forces of Yin and Yan (the good and bad poles of the energy spectrum) and when the body becomes ill, it is due to an imbalance where either the Yin or the Yan has become dominant. Tai Chi uses a series of slow physical movements to realign the two opposing forces and return the body to balance and harmony while also relaxing and calming the mind.
This is an excellent form of activity as it can be done at the individual's own pace and you can do as much or as little as you are able or you feel is providing the most benefit. Check the local community listings for classes in your area.
Whatever You Do, Do Something!
The best way of fighting back against the onset of a progressive disease like arthritis is to get proactive and do something as this is way better than doing nothing and feeling that there is nothing that can be done to help. There are lots of things that you can do to improve your situation from improving your outlook to getting physical and becoming more mobile despite what you may believe is or is not possible.
Doing is always better than not doing!
- Terry Didcott
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Posted on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 in Arthritis | 0 Comments