When you have arthritis, it means you have one of a group of rheumatic diseases and degenerative conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints. According to Sandhya Reji Isaac, a physiotherapist at the Zulekha Hospital in Sharjah, if you don’t want this disease to affect your wellness to the point where it ruins your life, awareness, early diagnosis and an aggressive treatment involving exercise are vital.
Other components of a good arthritis treatment place are medication, rest and relaxation, proper diet, instructions on proper use of joints, ways to conserve energy and other pain relief methods like heat, cold and electrical stimulation, but exercise is an important part of this comprehensive plan. You might be reluctant to exercise because you’re worried that you can damage your joints, but it’s actually worse for your wellbeing if you remain inactive.
Whilst remembering that rest is important, especially if your arthritis is flaring up, not doing any physical activity can lead to muscle weakness, joint stiffness, a reduced range of motion, fatigue and general de-conditioning, which is why medical experts recommend a balance of physical activity and rest. Exercise can help you to reduce any joint pain, swelling and stiffness you might have, enhance your weight loss, keep your muscles, bones and cartilage tissue strong and healthy and improve your self-esteem and sense of wellbeing.
So which exercises are best to try? Range of motion exercises will help you to maintain normal joint movement, reduce stiffness and keep your joints flexible, whilst strengthening exercise can improve or maintain the strength of the muscles that support and protect your arthritis-affected joints.
When it comes to aerobic or endurance exercises, walking is better than running for people with arthritis and bicycling, especially on an indoor stationary bicycle, is a good way to improve your fitness. You might find swimming, or exercising in warm water, especially therapeutic on stiff sore joints, as the water will help you to bear weight, relax your muscles and decrease your pain. Remember, if you do have arthritis you should discuss your exercise plans with your doctor, and stop exercising if you start having sharp pain or more pain than usual, or if the joint feels hot.
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