Strengthening exercises helps to maintain or increase the strength and power of your muscles. Two kinds of strengthening exercises are commonly recommended for arthritis patients; resistive and isometric. In resistive exercises the joint is actively exercised against resistance, such as a weight. These exercises are usually prescribed individually and are not shown here. However, if you are advised to do resistive exercises, be sure that you understand the specific amount of weight you should use and how many times you should repeat each exercise each day.

In isometric exercises you strongly tighten the muscle but do not move the joint. Isometric exercises are generally a safe and effective way to increase your strength and can be particularly helpful for individuals with painful joints because the muscle can be strengthened with a minimum amount of joint motion. Also, these exercises can be done at almost any time or place because the only movement necessary is tightening and relaxing the muscles. Usually the tightened muscle is held for a slow count of five. Then you relax, rest a minute, and repeat the exercise.

Range of Motion Exercises

Range-of-motion or stretching exercises mean how far in various directions each joint can be moved by the muscles attached to it. In other words these exercises involve moving a joint as far as it will comfortably go through its full range of motion or stretch. To prevent loss of motion and deformity and to minimize stiffness, you should move each joint through its complete range of motion everyday.

Range exercises help maintain normal joint movement or restore movement if it has been lost.

Learn how far your joints can and should be able to move normally. To make sure you get full motion, move your joint to the point of pain, hold it there for a moment, and then move a little bit farther. If a joint is inflamed and painful, however, be gentle as you move through your motions. Perform as many of them as you can by yourself; sometimes you may need a helper, and when you do, your helper should not use force.