Pain in the joints may limit physical activities, but continued movement is often beneficial to rehabilitation or slowing the rate of deterioration. Regular exercise helps keep muscles strong and control joint pain and swelling. Physical therapy is used after a medical procedure to build strength back into a weakened joint and the supporting muscles.
In addition to the physical benefits, exercise can help relieve stress, improve mood, and reduce anxiety through the release of chemicals called endorphins. For patients suffering from arthritis, keeping a positive state of mind is just as important as maintaining a normal level of physical functioning.
While it is more commonly known that exercise can be helpful for people with degenerative arthritis like osteoarthritis, arthritis exercises can also be helpful for inflammatory arthritis sufferers such as those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Preparing for Exercise
Before beginning an exercise program, it is essential to talk to a doctor to determine the severity of arthritis and what types of exercise will be most appropriate and beneficial. Patients may choose to go to any qualified physician such as a primary care doctor, or specialists with extensive training in exercise and physical therapy methods such as a sports medicine doctor or a physiotherapist also referred to as a doctor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Once a decision is made on the appropriate kinds of exercise, there are a few tips that can help the patient get the most out of each session:
Allow sufficient time to warm up before exercising. People with arthritis often need more time to warm up, and should plan on 10 to 15 minutes. Warm-up activities can include gentle range-of-motion exercises, walking or marching.
Apply heat to sore joints before exercising. Along with warm up activities, this is another mechanism to increase the temperature of the muscles and joints to improve flexibility, reduce stiffness and lessen the likelihood of injury.
Cool down after exercising. As with warm up, people with arthritis may need to take extra time to properly cool down. Stretches are excellent cool down activities, as are gradually slowing biking or walking. Ice packs may be applied to reduce joint pain and swelling post workout.
Most importantly, if certain exercises seem to make the pain worse, or joints become red or swollen following exercise, do not continue without consulting a doctor. Patients are advised to listen to their bodies and to stop exercising and call a doctor if they experience nausea, vomiting, headache, chest pains, significant shortness of breath, or other medical problems
Exercise Adaptations for People with Arthritis
Certain types of exercise and specific modifications are more appropriate for patients suffering from different types of arthritis. Doctors and physical therapists know which exercises will be best for each individual and the stage of disease.
Don’t rush. Oftentimes arthritis patients start out with restrictions due to pain, stiffness, and joint abnormalities. Trying to do too much too quickly can result in more pain and damage to the joints. Gradually increasing the intensity and duration of the moves, with periods of rest in between, is the safest way to make progress.
Vary the routine. Rapid, repetitive movements at affected joints increase the stress placed on the joint and can create more pain. Varying the exercise routine and making slow, purposeful movements will help strengthen the muscles around the joint to provide greater stability and prevent further injury.
Adapt the routine to each patient’s needs. Especially when first beginning to exercise, it is important for patients to have a routine appropriately suited to their abilities. Injured joints may be unstable and have restricted range of motion. Arthritis can cause lax joints that are overly flexible or poorly aligned joints, such as bowlegs, that require extra care. A physical therapist, or other exercise specialist can help to develop a routine that will be both beneficial and safe, which may include modifying a particular activity or prescribing assistive devices such as support braces to wear during exercise.
There are three general types of exercise that are recommended for patients with arthritis.
Flexibility and range-of-motion exercises. Gentle stretching should be done daily and is especially important before beginning a workout. Stretching will also help promote relaxation and help prevent future injury to the joint. Recommended exercises for flexibility and range-of-motion can include tai chi, Pilates, and modified yoga.
Strength and resistance exercises. Strong muscles greatly reduce the amount of stress placed on arthritic joints. Strengthening exercises also help muscles develop shock-absorbing abilities to protect the joints from further pain and injury. Supervised weight training and resistance band programs can be customized to each patient and are easily adapted as the patient progresses.
Aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercises use the large muscle groups in the body and teach the cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, blood vessels) to work more efficiently. This type of exercise also improves endurance, strengthens the bones, enhances sleep and mood, and helps control weight. Low-impact aerobic exercises are preferred by many arthritis patients, and include swimming, water aerobics, stationary biking, and walking.
Body awareness is also important for people with arthritis, which refers to knowing how the body and joints are positioned such as with posture, balance and coordination. This can be particularly helpful for people with impaired joint awareness, such as with those who have had a joint replaced or have both joint and muscle problems from arthritis; these conditions can increase the risk of falling especially when body awareness is poor. Certain activities and exercises may be prescribed for body awareness, such as yoga.
Below we have given download links for various exercise regimens in document and video formats .You can view and download the file you wish keep for further reference .
