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

Take Rest in Arthritis

While rest can relieve the strain on affected joints, too much rest can cause further loss of use of joints and muscles. Your physician will help you work out a good balance between rest and exercise so that too much bed rest does not weaken you and too much exercise does not make you overly tired. Often, in cases of osteoarthritis, rest will be helpful at times when overuse of joints has caused discomfort. Also, joint pain due to arthritis can be relieved by techniques such as splinting by which the unintentional motion of an inflamed joint is limited, resulting in pain relief. Your physician and physical therapist can instruct you, if necessary, in the ways to rest particular joints.

Swimming is a good exercise for individuals with arthritis. Because approximately one-half of your body weight is supported by the water, it is easier to exercise and move in the water. It may give you a good feeling to move more normally while in the water. Many community centers and gyms now have water exercise and other special programs for patients with arthritis. To find out about swimming activities for people with arthritis check with your local community health centre or hospital.

Despite the presence of arthritis, you may continue to enjoy many forms of exercise, such as golf, tennis, boating, skating, skiing, or horseback riding. There may be times when you do not feel like participating, but being active when you can in a sport you enjoy will be helpful to you.

While the exercise you get in everyday living is helpful (such as doing housework or sports), there are exercises planned specifically for individuals with arthritis and specifically tailored for individual needs. Your personalized exercise program should include prescribed movements with specific purposes related to your joints and surrounding muscles.

Based on recommendations from the US Arthritis Foundation, the following are some helpful reminders about exercise:

1. Do your exercises on a regular basis. Do them on good days and bad, even if you have to modify your program because you are having a flare-up.
2. Make your exercises part of your daily life and do not skip them, even if you think they have become monotonous.