Arthritis Exercises

by James Cavalier on November 16, 2008

The right kinds of exercises can help people lead productive lives even with arthritis, but the irony is that arthritis can prevent people from doing traditional kinds of exercises – going for a brisk walk, jogging or weight training is not possible for people who have to deal with inflammation in the joints, because of arthritis.

As soon as you are diagnosed with arthritis, you will have guidelines that you should follow with regard to your diet and your exercise routine – things you should do and things you should avoid, because there are foods and exercises that can help you keep arthritis in check. There are also foods that can aggravate arthritis and inflammation that you must avoid, like red meat, food additives, dairy products and processed foods.

There are a whole range of activities and exercises you can choose from even if you do have arthritis, though. Activities like yoga and tai chi are good for the body and mind. Weight training under supervision is another option open to you. Aerobic activities like dancing is always a fun workout and endurance building options like cycling will still be open to you.

The important part before you set out to do any exercise program is to consult your doctor. If you don’t do this, you will be running the risk of making your arthritis a lot more painful and harder to deal with, especially because of inflammation.

Nowadays, most of the major insurance companies provide their members with discounts to health clubs. Some even offer discounts on health products such as exercise videos and dietary supplements. Oftentimes policyholders are not aware of these discounts, so be certain to check with your insurance carrier to see if they offer these types of discounts.

Moreover, there are health clubs that offer discounts to people who hold policies with certain companies. If you scout around, you will find excellent health clubs that offer great services, including personal trainers who are well-qualified and know what kind of exercises will be good for arthritis patients. You might have to pay for such services, but it will definitely be worth it.

Another option which is rather more cost effective is to join the local YWCA or the YMCA. Water aerobics is a fairly popular activity in such institutions, and it’s an activity that helps arthritis a lot. Not only is it helpful, it is also not a fatiguing activity and it is a lot of fun.

Application of heat always helps, with different kinds of arthritis. Generally, proper application of heat for anywhere from five to fifteen minutes can give a lot of relief and make sure that joints remain flexible. This is especially important before exercise.

Once you do apply heat, a few light stretches will get you all set for your exercise routine. Once you are done with the exercise, do some light stretches again and then cold packs to your joints to get any inflammation that might be present back under control.

It’s important to choose an exercise program that you enjoy and one that does not cause you intense pain. If you dislike the form of exercise or if it causes an increase in pain, chances are you will not stick with the program.

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