Walking as an Aerobics Exercise for Arthritis

The word “aerobics” simply means "using oxygen". When you do an aerobic exercise, like walking, basketball, running, or aerobics, you are breathing. The oxygen passes through your body, as opposed to using up the bodily storage like you do during sprinting, or bench pressing.

“Aerobic” just means exercise that raises your heart rate. But when people hear the word aerobic they often think of very fit people hopping about to loud music in a gym. It is actually a form of exercise that comprises rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all the elements of fitness (flexibility, muscular strength, and cardiovascular fitness).

Aerobic exercise helps build stamina, control and reduce weight, improves sleep, strengthens bones (thus protecting against osteoporosis), and reduces depression. The moderate exertion used when exercising should bring about slight breathlessness and an increase in the pulse. Feeling more than that may mean you are doing too much.

I am personally a great advocate of walking, perhaps because it’s the exercise that I feel most comfortable with. As I might have mentioned in another article, I carry a walking stick as a sort of insurance against falling heavily if one of my knees gives way. It is certainly the easiest way to exercise, and it’s something that a lot of folk do sometime during the day anyway, such as going shopping, visiting, walking the dog etc. The benefits include improving the muscles around the knees and hips, and strengthening the heart and lungs. Of course, it can be carried out by people of all ages, and by those of different fitness levels. Studies have consistently shown that walkers acquire the same cardiovascular benefits as runners, and with fewer injuries into the bargain. It has also been shown that it significantly decreases arthritis pain.

As well as those routine, leisurely walks mentioned above, you should also begin to take longer ones, preferably at a brisker pace. You could begin with 10 minute ones, gradually increasing that to about 30 minutes. This should be carried out 3 or 4 times a week, maybe more, if you feel up to it after a while. Wear comfortable, non-slip shoes, such as trainers, and remember if you use a stick, like I do, to have it in the opposite hand to the painful knee, hip, or foot.

Everyone has their own preference when it comes to what kind of surface they walk on. I prefer something hard, such as a pavement, beneath me, while others will no doubt opt for the grass, as they reckon that it reduces the impact on their joints. Whatever you choose, you have to remember that your main aim is to keep the body on the move, and bearing its own weight.

I used to have a portable music player with me at first, but as I’m fortunate enough to live in a place of scenic beauty, I’ve discarded it, and feel that I’m discovering something new each day—things that I’d never bothered to notice before. Of course, most of us take walking for granted, as it’s been there since our childhood. Once you realize how easy a routine it is, even in older age, and the benefits that it can give, you’ll be hooked!

General Tips On Exercises For Arthritis

In my last post, I talked about relaxation exercises for arthritis pain relief, and the help that they can give to the sufferer. Today I’ll go over exercises in general which can be an aid in reducing pain. There’s no doubt that if you do enough exercise you’ll be able to do more things, feel generally better, and some maintain, have a longer life. I know that for many who live daily with severe pain that exercise is probably the last thing on their minds, but for those with arthritis, it really can be important. It helps to decrease pain, gives you extra energy, and keeps your joints strong.

Nowadays, it must be said, the majority of folk do not exercise enough. Our way of life really doesn’t do anything to encourage it. We can sit in our living room with the computer or watching the telly, a lot of work is carried out whilst sitting in offices, and we tend to use a car for getting from A to B, even if the places are within walking distance. If we only realised how good exercise can actually be for us, we’d certainly do more of it for enjoyment, and not as a dull, routine bore.

I’ve mentioned in an earlier post, but I’ll repeat, that exercise can make our joints more supple, and our muscles stronger. Our bones as well will be stronger, which is a great help in warding off osteoporosis. Your balance will improve, you’ll have reduced stress (and weight!), and your sleep patterns will take a turn for the better.The reduction in weight mentioned above is important, as it will mean less pressure on your hips, knees, feet, and back. Obesity can increase the chances of developing osteoarthritis of the knee, and can also result in getting other conditions, such as diabetes. A proper and healthy diet is conducive to losing weight, but exercise can be just as important. It will certainly not make your arthritis worse, if you carry out suitable exercises, using the correct techniques. As I’ve mentioned in an earlier article, you should decide at the outset which time of the day suits you best—everyone is different in this respect, maybe because of commitments, or when pain is at a certain level. If you decide to attend a class for your exercises, try to find one that’s held at a convenient time to fit in with your lifestyle.

When, not if, you begin doing exercises, you will maybe feel some discomfort, most likely because you are using muscles that have lain dormant for some time. This is normal, but if you still feel some pain a couple of hours after exercising, then it’s possible that you might have overdone things, a sign that you should take things easier the next time out. Of course, if you have continual pain, or you notice a swelling of any joints, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor. If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, there can be times when the pain or swelling is decidedly worse. During such a flare-up, it’s important that you do not give up your exercises completely, but to cut out the more strenuous ones. When the flare-up shows signs of improvement, you can slowly begin to build up to your previous level of exercise.

If you miss out on doing your regular exercises, for whatever reason, try to get back into the habit as soon as possible. Keep in mind that muscles tend to lose strength in a much shorter period of time than it takes to build them up again. Once you notice an improvement, make sure that you do not stop. You really have to carry on if you want to maintain long term benefits.

 

Relaxation Exercises For Arthritis Pain Relief

The word “exercises” probably conjures up images of someone doing press-ups, lifting weights, jogging along a path, or maybe swimming a few lengths in the local pool. However, some pain relief from arthritis can be achieved without carrying out some things that you do not find so strenuous. Physical exercises can be of benefit to the mind as well as to the body, and here I’ll concentrate on exercises that should help to relax the mind, thus relieving the body of the effects of stress, which of course tend to be negative.

You don’t need any physical exertion for relaxation exercises. They can include deep breathing, meditation, and visualization. You can spend as little as a quarter of an hour per day in those activities, and I’m sure that you’ll find that the pain doesn’t seem to be as bad. As a welcome side effect, you’ll also see that your blood pressure should decrease. Stress is reckoned to aggravate arthritis pain in over 60% of people—it’s thought that it makes the arthritis symptoms flare up. Conversely, by doing those exercises, it should help to soothe you, and so relieve the stress.

Relaxation exercises should start by focussing your attention on breathing. This takes your mind off any worries you may have, and gives you more control over your body. If you breathe deeply, it slows down the rate of your breathing by taking a few deep breaths instead of many more smaller ones. This should stop your heart racing, and loosen tight muscles, which are often associated with stress. Inhale through your nose for a few seconds, letting the chest expand fully. Try to concentrate on widening the girth of your chest, without raising your shoulders to inhale. Hold your breath for a couple of seconds, and then let it out through your mouth very slo-o-o-wly. Try to picture some of the tension leaving your body each time that you exhale. When you get used to deep breathing, you will probably find that you are doing it at other times of the day as well, usually if any stress is involved. You will be subconsciously using it as a defence mechanism to combat the stress, and to give you some relief. You can also try it before going to sleep, and first thing when you awaken.

This next part is completely different. Have you ever tried to tense any of your body muscles intentionally? I know that I’ve done it on numerous occasions, probably because I couldn’t think of anything more useful to do at the time. Thinking back, I must have been doing it in private, otherwise I would have been carted off somewhere for the good of my own, and of others’, health. However, there is some good to be gained from this kind of activity. The method is quite simple—tense the muscles first of all, then relax them. It gives a soothing feeling to each of your muscles in turn.

First of all, you should be lying in a comfortable position, with your eyes shut. Do the exercises one by one, let’s say starting with the face. You can knit your eyebrows, or stretch them upwards—both actions will result in a movement of the wrinkles (yes, I’ve got them). You can adopt a wide grin, or even a sneer, depending where your thoughts happen to be at the time. Then just relax. Your neck can then be tensed by slightly raising your head, then lying back again. Clench your fists, tense each arm, lift them, then let them fall, and open your fists. Tense the stomach and buttocks, and again, relax them. Moving further south, tighten your toes and arches as much as you can, then allow them to go limp. Now tense one of your legs, having the knee straight, and lifting the leg slightly to add to the tension. Let it then relax, and have it lying down again. Repeat the process with the other leg.

Meditation is being used nowadays by an increasing number of folk, and not only for pain relief, of course. There are countless books dealing with the subject, so I don’t need to examine it here in detail. I will just mention one of the ways that I use myself to get some relief now and again. I usually sit or lie down, and think of a pleasant and positive image and/or sound from my past, such as sitting on a beach listening to the never ending waves lapping gently on the shoreline. I have my eyes closed, completely relaxed, and breathe deeply, whilst repeating the name of the image or sound that I’ve conjured up. Ten to twenty minutes of this should definitely have you feeling more relaxed. You’re obviously best doing this in a place and at a time that you’re not likely to be disturbed or distracted.

 

Moderate Exercises for Arthritis Pain Relief

Arthritis is becoming more and more common — and not just among the very old.That’s the bad news. The good news is that a program of moderate exercise can reduce pain and improve mobility for many of the over 40 million individuals with this degenerative disease.

What Is Arthritis? Arthritis means inflammation of a joint. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is characterized by a progressive loss of cartilage. This degenerative disease is usually limited to a specific area, such as the knees, hips or spine. Common symptoms include joint pain, limited range of motion, and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis, which is far less common, causes the inner linings of the joints to become inflamed.

How Can Exercise Help?

For many years, doctors have recommended that patients with arthritis engage in flexibility training to help improve range of motion and reduce some of the stiffness in their afflicted joints. In recent years, doctors have also begun to recognize the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Not only does a well-rounded exercise program preserve joint range of motion and
flexibility but it also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, increases joint stability, and lessens the physical and psychological pain that often accompanies a diagnosis of arthritis

 

Gearing Up For Arthritis Pain Relief Exercises

Well, that’s the holiday over for another year, thankfully with no broken bones at my end (I’ve had a broken leg twice at New Year in bygone days). Christmas is now just a memory, and we’re roughly 1.37% into 2008. Can we improve our odds of getting extra pain relief from arthritis in the remaining 98.63% of the year? I’m of the opinion that one of the most important steps that anyone can take is to begin some regular exercise. It can be a New Year’s resolution on your part if you like, but at least you know that if you persevere, the reward, in terms of less pain, will certainly be worth the effort.

Quite apart from helping to obtain pain relief, there are several other side benefits to be gained from exercises, whether you’re aware of them or not. Your stamina will definitely increase, as will your range of movement and joint function. You will possibly have extra strength and energy have a brighter outlook and more self-confidence. Maybe you won’t notice that the last two mentioned have improved, but other folk WILL notice the difference. If you continue to carry out your exercises faithfully and methodically, then you’ll also find that better sleep is an added bonus. Unfortunately, I happen to be one of those people who cannot put on some extra weight, although I could do with it, but for those who ARE carrying a few extra pounds, exercise will help you shed some of them. By exercising, you will certainly give yourself a better chance of having less pain.

I must admit that I tend to do my first exercises as soon as I waken up. It’s not strenuous, by any means, just flexing my fingers, especially those of my left hand, as they tend to be stiffer and more painful. If I don’t loosen them up, I know that it will be quite a while until I can even tie my shoelaces, so it’s really an automatic part of my routine. Although my left shoulder is also very painful, I leave any exercise to do with that until later on in the day, when I find it less stressful. I believe that a lot of those with rheumatoid arthritis, like me, find that pain is usually worse in the morning, and so tend to try out some exercises in the afternoon. Osteoarthritis sufferers tend to be somewhat different, and feel the pain increasing as the day goes on. Of course, there will be exceptions in both cases, but the point I’m trying to make is that you should choose a time for your exercises when you are feeling a bit better, and the pain is not quite as bad as usual. However, take care if you are taking medicines for your pain. If you have taken your pain medication, and you begin to exercise, the medicine obviously would be doing its own work in the background, dulling the pain, and you could very easily not feel pain that would usually warn you that you it was time to give up a certain activity.

Just as professional athletes do, arthritis sufferers should also preheat their muscles before exercising, in order to avoid strain. I suppose that we can think of warm-ups as actual activities themselves such as when we stretch our legs before running or walking briskly, for example. There are, however, effective warm-up methods that you can carry out even before those actions. You could prepare for your exercise by putting on an extra layer of clothing, by taking a shower or bath, or by applying liniment. I very often use the latter—my doctor prescribed some pills a couple of months ago, saying that the cream takes too long to penetrate, especially the knee, but the tablets were affecting my stomach, so I reverted to the ointment. I use Voltarol Emulgel, Green Lipped Mussel cream, and Tiger Balm. I’ve run out of them on occasion, and have been known to make my own concoctions, using ordinary ingredients from the kitchen—actually they’ve been quite effective, although rather smelly—I’ll have to try out some experiments to make them odourless, otherwise I don’t hold out much hope of getting any Valentine cards this year.

Back to the exercises themselves. You can carry out some light exercises while standing under a hot shower, or lying in your warm bath. Afterwards, if you feel that running is too strenuous an exercise to begin with, try walking, as it is excellent therapy. Start by walking slowly for the first ten minutes or so, and as your body warms up through increased blood circulation, you can step up to a brisker pace. Remember that cooling down after your exercise is just as important as warming up. Allow your pace to slow down, and take a few deep breaths. It will probably take about ten minutes for your heart rate to return to normal.

Of course, if exercises are going to be successful, then your motivation and commitment must be high to begin with, and stay high! Can you persevere, or will you feel like giving up after a few weeks if you don’t think that you’ve achieved anything. Do you like doing things on your own, such as a walk, or would you rather have a pal, or pals, accompany you? When you’ve decided what routine would suit you best, then don’t delay. Go for it!

 

Arthritis Help in the Bathroom

Maybe the bathroom isn’t the room that’s thought of by some folk as being a place to spend a lot of time in, but for some arthritis sufferers, it can be the part of the home that helps to give the most pain relief. A lot of them use it at least once a day to alleviate the pain with a warm bath or hot shower. Some find it helpful to try out exercises in the bath, as the warmth of the water makes movement easier. I will add a short footnote that might be of interest, especially to those with psoriatic arthritis symptoms.

I would suggest that a handrail is essential on the bath, both for safety, and for easy entry and exit. A rail can be attached in the shower stall as well, as added insurance against falling. The bathtub, of course, should always have a non-slip bathmat.

A home spa unit with whirlpool action is an option favoured by many, and a shower version is also available. They have a massage attachment, and they replace the existing shower head—you can also buy ones that attach to the tub faucet, giving you a hand-held shower that can give you relief directly on points of pain.

A lot of folk prefer to shower whilst seated, and you can easily buy a shower seat, or have a homemade one. I find that most people with arthritis tend to favour a walk-in shower, as they find it increasingly difficult to get in and out of the bath.

Something that is quite often overlooked, but which can cause a nasty accident, is that small bar of soap... for something of its size, it can cause accidents on a regular basis, resulting in serious injury, something that a person with arthritis could well do without. Cosmetics manufacturers have come up with the clever idea of “soap on a rope” that hangs around the bather’s neck, or from the tap.

As you need the whole bathroom to be as comfortable as possible, raising the toilet seat to a suitable height is a must. You can obtain specially shaped foam pads about two inches thick to steel and plastic ones that can raise the level by up to eight inches. They can all be installed or removed very easily. Some people just use them when they have acute pain, while others make use of them when recovering from surgery. Armrails can also be very helpful, whether or not your seat has been raised.

Those are just some tips for around that can help to keep arthritis pain at a lower level, but there are bound to be lots more, so keep looking for, and trying out, ideas that will work for YOU!

FOOTNOTE

Even in earlier centuries, arthritis pain was treated with hydrotherapy or some kind of water treatments. In Biblical times, King David had curative bathing palaces on the shores of the Dead Sea, which were probably early examples of our modern spas. Doctors in the past few years have been carrying out tests with a water treatment using Dead Sea mineral salts. The Dead Sea’s amazing qualities, recently confirmed by scientific research, come about largely as the unique combination of 41 different minerals found in the salts. A typical sample contains heavy concentrations of magnesium and potassium chloride, with lesser amounts of calcium and sodium. Those concentrates are used worldwide for the treatment of arthritis, and are found to be of particular benefit to folk who have psoriatic arthritis symptoms.