Arthritis affects so many of us and because it can happen nearly anywhere in the body, it can often be difficult to determine which exercises will benefit you the most...
Exercise is crucial for anyone suffering with arthritis and will help with almost all of its symptoms. By exercising regularly, you will be increasing your muscle strength and flexibility, reducing the pain in your joints and will be helping combat the fatigue which comes with having arthritis. Depending on the location of the arthritis you have, different areas will need to be targeted. Here are some general principles which should help you determine the types of exercise which will benefit you most.
Improving joint mobility
When dealing with arthritis, you always want to be keeping full range of motion and making sure that all of your key joints are moving. By moving joints to their end range, you will be maintaining and improving healthy joint function which in turn will lessen the impacts of arthritis.
There are plenty of fantastic exercises which aid in getting your joints moving to their full potential. For example Controlled Articular Rotations (CARs) are superb at this. By spending just a few minutes each morning or during your day activating all of your key joints, you will be feeling the benefits in no time.
Here is a quick morning routine which can be done every day to help activate your joints for the day ahead.
Low impact resistance training
As well as making sure your joints are active, you also need to be sure that you are building muscle without placing unnecessary stress on the joints. After the age of 35, we lose 5 percent of our muscle mass every 10 years without including regular resistance training into your schedule. In order to combat this loss of muscle, you need to include at least 2 resistance based workouts into your week.
This does not mean that now is the time to start lifting incredibly big weights, start on a low impact resistance training routine. By keeping the impact minimal, you will still be progressively building and maintaining muscle, but will not be placing unnecessary stress on your joints and causing any further damage.
At The DVCC, our average client age is 55 and have plenty of experience in dealing with arthritic joints. All of our trainers are then able to adapt every exercise to suit your needs and make sure that you are maintaining that joint health without putting anything at risk.
When your joints are feeling stiff and painful, dealing with arthritis seem be overwhelming, however it is crucial to keep on top of your mobility. Speak to a personal trainer or medical professional for any further assistance you may need. Arthritis does affect everyone differently, but as a good rule of thumb, the more a joint moves, the healthier it becomes.
