Arthritis Exercise

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise and Therapy for Arthritis

Positioning Exercises

Exercise and Their Benefits

Joint Exercises for Arthritis

Joint Involved Exercises

Positioning Exercises for Arthritis

Muscle Groups Tension Reducing Exercises

Physical Therapy for Arthritis

Prepare for Exercise

Exercise to do and Avoid

Take Rest in Arthritis

Motion Exercises for Strengthening

Strengthening Exercises

Exercises for Arthritis

Rest Exercise and Physical Therapy

Common Forms of Arthritis

Arthritis Exercise

How much and what type of exercise you should do depends on which joints are affected, the kind of arthritis you have, how severe the pain or inflammation is, and your overall health. Some of the stiffness and weakness of arthritis can be relieved with mild exercise.

For some individuals, maintaining joint mobility and muscle strength can help prevent some of the crippling deformities caused by arthritis.

1. Be careful not to overdo. Too much exercise that aggravates your joints can be harmful. If increased pain in your joints lasts for several hours or extends into the next day, you may have done too much.
2. Learn to detect the difference between increased joint pain and muscle soreness after new exercises, which is a normal response to new activity.
3. Remember that your exercise needs may change with time to meet altered needs. Your physician and physical therapist will work closely with you to advise you of changes to make in your exercise routine.
4. Keep in mind that often it may be difficult to observe signs of improvement and that even a properly exercised joint may lose some motion during a flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis. However, joints that are not exercised on a regular basis may become more rapidly deformed than those that are.
5. Stick to your exercise program in order to maximize your ability to maintain mobility and lead a normal life.