« What Causes Arthritis? | Home | Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis »
Arthritis Exercises
By admin | October 16, 2008
People who are coping with arthritis oftentimes find it challenging when they perform certain types of arthritis exercises. Because of inflammation in the joints it can be difficult to do traditional types of exercise, such as lifting weights or even walking for an extended period of time.
Usually, when you are diagnosed with arthritis, your health care professional will provide you with a complete arthritis treatment plan that will include various types of exercises for arthritis. The plan will usually include any restrictions to your diet. Various types of foods can help reduce arthritis pain and some foods are know to aggravate arthritis symptoms.These may include dairy products, red meat, processed foods and food additives.
Today, some of the most helpful arthritis exercises are:
- Yoga
- Tai chi
- Water aerobics
- Weight training
- Muscle strengthing
- Range of motion exercises
- Dance
- Aerobic and endurance exercises
It is very important for you to consult with a health care professional before you begin any exercise program. You do not want to perform any type of exercise that will aggravate your arthritis symptoms.
Many of the major insurance companies provide their members with health club discounts. Discounts may also be offered on health products, such as dietary supplements and exercise videos. Some policyholders may not be aware of these discounts so it is important to check with your insurance provider to see what benefits are available to you.
Insurance members may also be able to receive up to a 50 percent discount in certain health clubs. Many of these clubs will have private sessions available with qualified exercise trainers. However, the cost of a personal trainer is usually not covered and will be an out-of-pocket expense.
Other options that may be available to you, would be to join your local YMCA or YWCA. Some of these organizations offer water aerobics which is very helpful in decreasing the pain of arthritis. Water aerobics is a stress free exercise and it can be performed by nearly everyone.
Before you start your exercise program, it is important to apply heat to sore joints to warm them up and allow more flexibility prior to exercising. Heat should be applied to the joints for 5 to 15 minutes.
You will also want to perform gentle stretching exercises before and after your routine. After completing your workout routine, apply cold packs to sore joints to reduce inflammation.
As always, be sure to consult with a health care professional before you start doing any arthritis exercises. It is important to choose an exercise program that you enjoy and will not cause you any undue pain.
Topics: Arthritis | No Comments »