Gone are the days that you must sit and suffer from arthritis. When joints are stiff and painful, the thought of exercise may seem overwhelming. Walking around the block or swimming a few laps may be just what the doctor ordered to reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
HOW CAN EXERCISE RELIEVE ARTHRITIS PAIN? Exercise strengthens the muscles around your joints and helps you maintain bone strength. Lack of exercise can actually make your joints even more painful and stiff. Keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is vital to maintaining support for your bones to relieve pain. By not exercising, those supporting muscles weaken, creating more stress on your joints.
TYPES OF EXERCISES THAT ARE BEST: Check with your doctor about what type of exercises are best for you based on your type of arthritis and which joints are affected. Your doctor or physical therapist may recommend range-of-motion exercises like shoulder rolls, strengthening exercises with weights, or low-impact aerobics such as walking, swimming or riding a bike.
Keep yourself active in a variety of ways, trust your instincts and don’t exert more energy than you think your joints can handle.
"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." - M. Kathleen Casey