subject: Improve Your Joint Pain and Stiffness With Exercise [print this page] Improve Your Joint Pain and Stiffness With Exercise
Arthritis can make your life quite a challenge, and with your joints being stiff, it can be extremely important to do exercise as part of your weekly schedule. Exercise is extremely important for arthritis sufferers and it provides a lot of benefits. Besides the health benefits of maintaining your weight and reducing weight off your joints, exercise can actually reduce your pain.
Some of the people who suffer from arthritis shudder at the thought of exercising because they are already in pain, but exercise can really increase your mobility. Exercises for an arthritis sufferer are meant to improve the quality of their life, not cause more damage to the body or worsen the joint pain. Exercises that one can do may include:
Get your joints to do their full normal movements, in an easy careful manner.
Strength training is good for healthy joints and building muscles, and strong muscles promote healthy joints as they provide support.
Cardio exercises are essential, but they should be low impact so that the joints do not suffer extra strain. Great examples of these are swimming and cycling. You can start with 20 minute exercises and build up as your joints ease up and your fitness level increases.
If you do not have time for exercise, just get moving as long as it does not put extra strain on your joints. Any kind of movement will help, so start moving.
Make sure you warm up before you embark on any type of exercise.
Make sure you stretch after your workout and you can use ice to reduce pain or swelling after the exercise.
Before you embark on any type of exercise, make sure you consult your doctor so he or she can clear you. Keep the communication lines open with your doctor and communicate whatever pain you feel.
