Adding Exercise to Your Arthritis Treatment

Arthritis is an ailment that affects millions of people. While some people may experience mild discomfort, others are in horrible and debilitating pain every single day. No matter how mild or severe your pain is, you can probably benefit from some exercise. Not only will exercise improve your overall health, it may also help combat some of your symptoms, leaving you pain free and help you with your symptoms.

We all know the importance of exercise, but arthritis patients will probably benefit more from strength training exercises targeting their affected joints. The best way to get this kind of workout is through a physical therapist or personal trainer. They can provide you with exercises designed specifically to improve endurance, and muscle strength. If you perform these exercises as prescribed, you will probably find yourself feeling better, or at least not deteriorating as quickly. You may be able to do more, or your condition may simply worsen more slowly. You can’t reverse the damage arthritis has caused, but you may be able to improve your quality of life.

Another type of exercise your therapist, or trainer, will probably recommend is flexibility training. Many arthritis patients lose flexibility and range of motion in their affected joints because pain is causing them to use the joint less. Flexibility exercises can help keep the joints limber, enabling a better range of motion and increasing how much you can do with that joint.

A good cardio workout is just as important for people with arthritis as it is for everyone else. However, unlike everyone else, people with arthritis don’t skip aerobic exercise because they’re busy or tired, it’s because they’re in pain. If performing activities everyday is painful, then you probably don’t want to consider doing anything more than that; however, there are exercises you can do to work your heart without severe pain or a worsening of your condition. You should work with your doctor to find exercises that don’t stress, or even involve, the affected joints. For instance, patients with severe knee arthritis can get aerobic exercise with table top bike-like devices which you pedal with your hands. While this doesn’t help your affected joints directly, it improves your overall health, endurance, stamina, and circulation, which can improve your ability to handle your arthritis. Exercise can also temporarily relieve pain through chemicals in the blood.

While exercising isn’t going to cure your arthritis, it may help substantially improve your condition. To work properly, exercise should be combined with proper diet, getting enough rest, medication, and other treatments your doctor may recommend. A combination of these therapies goes a long way for relieving arthritis pain.

Want to know more? Contact me

Arthritis – A Disease or Disorder?

Many of us are affected by arthritis, or know someone who is. Arthritis is a condition of moderate to severe pain that affects the joints, but what exactly is it that causes some people to get arthritis while others don’t?

The quick and easy answer as to what causes arthritis is that we really don’t know yet. There’s no one answer that explains every case. There’s no ‘arthritis disease’ that you catch like a cold that causes you to develop symptoms. Arthritis is simply a joint disorder that develops with time. In fact, there are over a hundred types of arthritis and many of them are probably caused by different factors.

What we do know is that there are some risk factors that increase your chances of having a problem. While they may not be the root cause of your arthritis, they could definitely be helping to further the problem along.

One of the biggest risk factors associated with arthritis is age. You know that as you get older, there’s more wear and tear on your body. Arthritis may not be caused specifically by wear and tear on the joints, but it will definitely speed up the process or increase symptoms. That is why a large number of people over 65 have arthritis, regardless of other factors.

Another factor that can increase your chances of developing arthritis is weight. If you are overweight, you’re going to increase the stress on your joints and will likely have more problems with arthritis. Starting a healthy diet and exercise plan now may reduce symptoms or slow the progress of the disease.

Joint injury is often a factor in developing arthritis. Just like all the other factors, it’s not a root cause; however, you’re more likely to develop arthritis in a joint that has had a previous injury. If you do injure yourself, be sure to care for the injury properly so that it heals quickly and doesn’t get damaged again.

Doctors aren’t really sure how big of a part genetics plays into the development of arthritis, but they do know it’s related. If your parents have arthritis, it’s more likely that you will as well. Although this doesn’t mean that just because your parents had it, you will too. By reducing the likeliness from other causes, you can reduce your risk.

Many people associate arthritis with athletes and other physically active people. While it would make sense that physical work would put more stress on joints and increase the likelihood of arthritis, studies really haven’t shown this to be true. While the risk of athletes developing arthritis is higher, this is associated with their increased chance of joint injury. This means you can continue your daily exercise routine (it will probably even help), but always take precautions to avoid injury.

When most people think of arthritis, they’re often thinking of osteoarthritis. However, rheumatoid arthritis is less common, but a very serious condition. While symptoms can be similar the causes are not. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the body is actually attacking itself and causing damage to its own joints.

While you can’t prevent arthritis or control all these factors, you can take steps to reduce them, keeping yourself pain free longer. A good exercise program is one way to do this.

For more information, contact me.

Fibromyalgia and Exercise

Brought to you by the American College of Sports Medicine www.acsm.org

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition characterized by muscle and joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue. The cause of FM is unknown, but it affects millions of Americans, with most cases diagnosed affecting women. One frustration for people with FM is the difficulty in diagnosing the condition. There is no single physiological test used for FM diagnosis; however, physicians now have specific criteria that can be used to identify the condition. There is no known cure for FM, so disease management is the standard approach to treatment. Those with FM often avoid exercise because of their perception that exercise could exacerbate symptoms; thus, many FM patients are quite deconditioned. In reality, many people find some relief of FM symptoms from regular moderate exercise.

AEROBIC EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise can take many forms, so FM patients can search for the activity that best suits their lifestyle and is least likely to result in a flare-up of symptoms. Walking is the most commonly chosen aerobic activity because of its low impact nature and the ease with which people can fit it into daily life. Water-based activities also are popular for FM patients. The ease of movement in water and the warmth of the water make swimming and/or water aerobics the choice for many. Some fitness facilities offer water activity classes specifically for individuals with joint and/or muscle problems. Such classes not only provide an opportunity for activity but also give FM patients social support and encouragement.

STRETCHING
Because joint stiffness is a common complaint of those with FM, stretching is a logical activity choice. Stretching, sometimes called range of motion (ROM) exercises, can be performed throughout the day and does not have to be tied to a specific workout time. Generally, ROM exercises can be performed on a daily basis. Stretches should be held for 10 to 30 seconds at a position that elicits gentle tension but not strain. Both upper and lower body exercises should be performed, with particular attention paid to problem areas. As is true for aerobic exercise, fitness facilities sometimes offer stretching and strengthening classes specifically designed for people with joint and muscle disease.

STRENGTHENING
Developing good muscle strength is important for overall health and for performing activities of daily living, but those with FM have to be careful not to overstrain muscles. Many different approaches to strength training can be taken (weight machines, resistance bands, etc.). The key is to find what works best for a given individual. Sets of exercises should be performed on a regular basis (2 to 3 times per week) and should nclude upper and lower body muscles. However, repetitions of a given exercise should not be performed to 100% muscle fatigue.

SUMMARY
Fibromyalgia presents itself differently among individuals, so no one specific exercise approach can be used for all people with FM. For those living with FM, two keys to starting an exercise program are beginning with activity that is well within one’s ability and progressing slowly. Close monitoring of muscle pain using a daily pain diary can be useful in identifying exercises that lead to flare-ups. Fitness and/or medical professionals who have experience working with FM clients can provide expert advice about how to individualize an exercise program base on needs.

Contact Kristy