Can Exercise Help You Cope with Arthritis Pain?
Arthritis is a painful joint condition that causes inflammation of the joints, especially the hands and feet. Symptoms may include joint stiffness, pain or swelling in fingers or toes, warmth and redness over a joint, and trouble using a part of the body such as an arm or hand.
Can exercise help you cope with arthritis pain? Absolutely! Arthritis is not just limited to feeling bad; it also limits physical activity. Regular physical activity can actually improve your arthritic symptoms by strengthening muscles and improving flexibility which have been limited due to arthritis pain. It can also help you sleep better and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease which are often associated with arthritis symptoms.
There are several groups of people who should consider consulting with a personal trainer or physical therapist for assistance before starting an exercise program. If you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, lupus or other autoimmune diseases, then you should consult with a medical doctor before starting an exercise program. You may find that exercising while using medications prescribed by your doctor is dangerous and could worsen your symptoms. Another group of people who should be careful is those who have experienced a serious stroke or cardiovascular event in the past year or who have coronary artery disease. These individuals should be careful about exercising when they are first recovering from their injury or illness because vigorous exercise can increase the risk for another cardiovascular event .
Regardless of your symptoms, you should consider consulting with a medical doctor if you are not sure about whether exercising is right for you. In some cases, even when an exercise program is safe for most people with arthritis, only those who can tolerate high stress or mild to moderate pain should use it.
Before starting an exercise program, consult with your physical therapist or personal trainer about the type of exercise that is best for you and how often to do it. Some exercises can be done daily while others should be done at least 3 times per week. The best way to find out what activities are good for your arthritis symptoms is to ask your specialist.
When starting an exercise program, you should first consult with your personal trainer or physical therapist about the type of exercise that is best for you. Your personal trainer or physical therapist should also answer any questions you have about which type of exercise activities are best for your arthritis symptoms and when to do them.
Many people start an exercise program by using Body-Solid® equipment, but a personal trainer or physical therapist should be your partner in assessing what kind of equipment might work best for you. If you notice any changes in your symptoms while using the same equipment as your workout partner, then it may be time to try something new.
For those with arthritis, there are specific exercises that may be best suited for your condition. In some cases, you may need to adjust the type of exercise you are doing to make it more meaningful and doable. For example, if you don't have the strength in your hands or arms to lift a weight that is required by a resistance exercise, then an alternative exercise might be better suited for you.
In general, people who have arthritis should start their training program by using exercises that strengthen their arms and legs. However, those who have been unable to do certain exercises (such as a push-up) because of arthritis pain may want to start slowly and gradually increase the number of repetitions when they are able.
Many people with arthritis may not have the strength or flexibility to perform certain exercises at first. This is why it is important for them to consult with their physician or a physical therapist about what types of exercises will be best for them and how much weight or resistance they should use. In some cases, you may need to adjust the type of exercise you are doing to make it more meaningful and doable. For example, if you don't have the strength in your hands or arms to lift a weight that is required by a resistance exercise, then an alternative exercise might be better suited for you.
Most of the time, people with arthritis do not need any special equipment to do their exercises. An exercise machine with handles or a bar that is held in your hands can be used to perform a variety of resistance exercises. However, some people may have difficulty doing certain exercises because they lack the strength in their arms and hands. In these cases, a specialized exercise machine (such as Body-Solid® equipment) with special grips may be best suited for them because it removes the weight off your hands and arms which allows you to move more easily without pain.
There are many benefits to regular exercise including healthy heart, stronger bones and muscles, reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, better moods and increased energy .
Keep in mind that your physical therapist or personal trainer may ask you to do different activities at least three times a week. At first, the type of exercise is not important because you are learning how to get started. As long as you do it as prescribed, then you will begin to feel better and your symptoms will gradually improve.
Once you have completed your exercises three times, then you may be able to start doing them twice or even once per day. The amount of weight or resistance used for your exercise should slowly increase over the course of one month while maintaining the same frequency of doing them.
If you are going to change the amount of weight or resistance used, then your physical therapist or personal trainer will work with you to determine how much you can safely lift. The lower the amount of weight or resistance you use, the less likely you are to injure yourself and the better your arthritis symptoms will respond. However, if your symptoms are not improved by doing these exercises at the prescribed frequency, then it is best to consult with a specialist about whether they need to be done any differently.
If you are unable to lift a kettlebell or other weight that is required for your exercise program, then an alternative exercise that does not require a specific weight or resistance might be best for you. Many people prefer using an exercise machine that uses foot pedals, which allows them to move the weight with their feet. However, if you are able to do your exercises with a dumbbell or barbell without a weight, then an alternative exercise might be best for you.
Your Physical Therapist or Personal Trainer should determine what type of equipment is best suited for you (such as Body-Solid® equipment) and how much resistance or weight should be used .
You may have noticed that some of the exercises require lifting weights and others do not. You must determine whether lifting weights is appropriate for your condition. Lifting weights requires your muscles to do more work than moving around on your feet which can increase the pain due to arthritis .
Conclusion
If you are considering starting an exercise program to improve your health, then consider the following tips:
Do not force yourself to do an exercise that brings on pain. Talk with your doctor, physical therapist or personal trainer about what types of exercise activities are best suited for your condition and when to do them. In general, it is better to start slowly and gradually increase the amount of weight or resistance used when needed .
Tell your physical therapist or personal trainer how you feel after doing each exercise since this will help them determine whether it is something that should be continued. If you experience pain doing an activity that did not cause pain before you started this program, then stop right away and consult with your doctor or physical therapist immediately .