When started early in the course of arthritis, these exercises can help prevent deformity. In rheumatoid arthritis the shoulders, hands, hips, and knees are particularly susceptible to stiffness and deformity. By regularly placing your body in certain positions, you can help prevent predictable deformity in these joints.

You can use these positions as self-tests to make sure you are maintaining the normal range of motion for your joints and to keep track of your progress in your exercise program. If you find any exercises difficult or unusually painful, consult your physician or physical therapist.

Limbering Up Exercises

You can help reduce morning stiffness or stiffness after staying in one position too long by doing the range-of-motion exercises each day only a few times to loosen up.

Even before you get out of bed you can do two or three repetitions of the shoulder, wrist, knee and hip exercises. At times you might want to take a warm shower or bath first and then lie down on the bed again to do the exercises. Either way, it is important to get your body moving comfortably as soon as possible.

You can also do the limbering up routine during the day whenever your joints feel stiff.

Following your exercise program every day is an important part of your total treatment program that should enable you to manage your arthritis well and maintain the best possible function and independence, advises the US Arthritis Foundation.