Beat Arthritis with Exercise

Arthritis, despite its many different forms, is a disease which tends to come on slowly with symptoms developing over a number of years. Arthritis patients gradually feel more tired by everyday activities and find that their joints hurt when they exercise. Many people assume this is happening due to old age and stop taking as much exercise, yet all the evidence shows that exercise plays a vital role in holding the progression of arthritis at bay and enabling arthritis sufferers to live longer, healthier lives. A failure to exercise can lead to weight gain, stiffer joints and increased dependency on others. Yet how can an arthritis patient exercise when it hurts to move?

Exercise isn't just what you see in workout videos. There are many different forms of exercise with different aims. Aerobic exercise involves exercising the heart and lungs to increase general fitness. This can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a side effect of many forms of arthritis medication. Toning exercise improves the quality of muscles and can help arthritis patients to stay in shape. Exercise can also be used to improve flexibility which is especially important in damaged joints. Gentle, low-impact exercise like walking is important for keeping bones in good condition, especially for arthritis patients on steroid-based medication. For arthritis sufferers, each of these forms of exercise should be approached gently at first, building up slowly so as not to put too much strain on vulnerable joints.

For most people with arthritis, aerobic exercise is the most difficult kind to practise successfully. The trick is to adapt it to those areas of the body which have the best remaining flexibility. If arms are damaged but legs are okay, low-impact exercise like cycling can keep up fitness levels. If the arms are in better shape, fast-repeat push-ups or swinging exercises are an option. Some exercises, like sit-ups and crunches, concentrate on the stomach muscles without putting pressure on joints. Swimming is an excellent form of all over body exercise which is kind to joints because the water helps to support the body's weight.

Toning and flexibility enhancing exercises can start small by clenching groups of muscles in ten-second bursts or by kneading putty in the hands. These exercises can be performed even whilst sitting in a chair. Some whole exercise regimes, like Tai-chi, are built around improving flexibility whilst being considerate of the problems caused by arthritis. They start with small, simple movements which improve balance and the all-important communication between muscles and brain. Healthier, better-toned muscles can make getting around much simpler for the arthritis sufferer, taking the strain during day to day exercise and reducing the impact on joints. Even if you feel fatigued by your arthritis, it's worth considering the benefits of exercise. It might seem like hard work, but it can actually make life much easier.