Exercising for Arthritis

Posted by sanjay on Saturday 04 Apr 2009

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In order to maintain your vigor and vitality it is necessary that you make exercising as a normal routine in your life. Otherwise your quality of life will be affected in the later period. Most of us are fully aware of this but we tend to postpone exercising for some reason or other or try to avoid it totally. One of the main reasons that cause arthritis is lack of exercise and it is a common ailment.

Whenever you are sick people advise you to take rest and do not strain yourself. However this is not the correct approach when you have osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes deterioration of your muscles and bone due to insufficient exercise and this is known as atrophy. If you take rest at this time during osteoarthritis, it aggravates the problem and drains your energy.

If you do not exercise when you have osteoarthritis the process of degeneration is accelerated thereby causing cartilage loss and decrease in strength/ muscle tone. Further the joints become inflexible and bones become thin. All these things will restrict your normal motion. Exercises will slow down the process of degeneration.

Treatments prescribed by many professionals call for taking sulfates of chondroitin or glucosamine which are essential for rebuilding cartilages. However this has to be taken in conjunction with exercises for good results.

Medicines are useful to form cartilages; but exercising increases the synovial fluid flow thereby nourishing and lubricating the cartilages. Further, the synovial fluid retards osteoarthritis growth. Exercise has other advantages such as reduced stress levels, reduction in weight, increased immunity and better quality life.

It is very important that you choose the right exercise for arthritis. The following factors are to be kept in mind while deciding.

• Muscles, tendons and ligaments that are supporting the joint structure require strengthening.

• The affected joint should become flexible and move over the intended range.

• There should be no injury to the joints or pain.

Best exercises for arthritic patients are swimming, walking and training light weight. Consult professional therapists; exercise moderation and caution.
In order to increase fitness and flexibility, swimming and walking are useful.

Weight training is essential to get back your joint strength and this is found to be highly effective. Weight training needs to be practiced as per books Exercise caution and care. Begin with light weights and slowly increase to bigger weights. Consult a professional therapist for the right program applicable to you.