Exercises for Arthritis
What Exercise is Good for Arthritis?
If you suffer with arthritis, exercise is crucial to help you manage the pain and discomfort.
Exercise will help you increase the range of movement within the joints so they move more freely and easily and don’t feel as stiff, while increasing core strength in the muscles around the joints so they become more stable. This will reduce your pain and discomfort.
Exercise also has many more benefits such as:
- Helping you control your weight Carrying excess weight puts more pressure on the joints which will make your symptoms worse
- Increases bone density As we age our bone density decreases which can result in us developing Osteoporosis. Women are at more risk of Osteoporosis after the menopause. Exercise increases bone density and can slow down the rate in which bone density decreases as we age.
- Improves your balance and co-ordination Both these things are also affected as we age and are a major factor to slips, trips and falls.
- Gives you energy and boosts your mood
Even though you may think exercising might aggravate your pain and stiffness. In actual fact the lack of exercise makes your joint pain and stiffness worse.
Here’s a few suggestions of what exercises would be suitable:
Pilates
Focuses on strengthening and lengthening muscles in order to increase core strength, enhance flexibility, reduce pain, improve mobility and posture. Each exercise consists of small movements performed in a slow and controlled manner, focusing on using deep core stabilising muscles as well as larger muscles. There are adaptations for the exercises to enable you to work to the level that suits you.
Walking
Is a great form of exercise that you can do at your own pace, maybe tying in walking the dog or going to the shops. You also get the added benefits of being out in the fresh air. Try building this up slowly, maybe starting with 10-15mins and see how you get on.
Swimming/Cycling
Focusing on low impact exercises help you reduce the stress on the joints whilst still increasing mobility of the joint, be careful to use good technique.
Tai Chi/Yoga
Can help improve your core strength and flexibility, your posture and co-ordination and your balance. They are also great exercise methods to help you reduce anxiety and stress levels which increase inflammation and makes pain worse.