Exercising with Arthritis - Part 3
So you’re ready to go! You’ve committed to a new active lifestyle and found a club, group or programme that suits you. Remember a good all-round programme will address flexibility, aerobic fitness, strength and muscle endurance, encouraging you to move through a full range of motion and develop stability in your major weight bearing joints.
Here are 8 Easy Steps to help ensure you get the most out of your training experience:
1) Take a shower or apply heat to your joints before your work out Heat can relax your joints and muscles, relieving any pain you have before you begin. Warm towels or wheat bags are ideal, noting they should be warm, not painfully hot. However if your joints are inflamed applying heat should be avoided.
2) Always warm up Taking 10 minutes to warm up prepares your muscles, joints and heart for the activity to come. This typically entails light rhythmic activity, followed by any prescribed stretches.
3) Exercise with slow and controlled movement Remember to take your time focusing on producing deliberate and stable movements. Rest if you experience any pain that is stronger than normal, as this may indicate that something is wrong.
4) Be patient Take your time to build up the length and intensity of your work outs. Use your common sense and don't over exert yourself or put yourself in situations that your joints may struggle to handle. Remember moderate exercise is all you need to keep moving.
5) Warming down is as important as warming up because it helps your body begin the recovery process. Typically your warm down should consist of 5-10 minutes of light cardio exercise reducing in intensity, followed by any prescribed stretches.
6) Ice your joints after exercising If your joints are inflamed apply a cold pack (bag of ice or veges wrapped in towel) to the affected joints for 10-15 minutes after activity. This will help reduce inflammation and pain, but do not put the pack directly on your skin as this may leave you with ice burn.
7) Follow the “1 hour rule” It is normal to experience some pain after activity, however if this lasts longer than an hour, you were probably exercising too strenuously. If you experience abnormal fatigue, joint pain and/or flare ups, seek your doctor’s professional advice on how to proceed.
8) Change Up! It’s important to acknowledge the difference between normal pain and pain that signifies something more sinister. Remember your priority is to prevent pain and protect your joints, so if your activity causes increased fatigue, weakness, swelling and/or a reduction in your joints range of motion, then give another activity a go and see if this better suits your situation. Remember, a change is as good as a holiday.
Our Final Word
Don’t forget that you are undertaking this new active lifestyle to help your situation, not make it worse. Start out by doing your exercises every other day, but take an extra day off if your joints are abnormally painful or if you notice any unusual swelling. If you haven't been active for a while start slowly, as it’s easy to overwork muscles and aggravate your joints. Most importantly – enjoy the experience. Have fun!
By Hamish Abbie BPhEd, BComm, CHEK L1, XLR8 Coach, REPs - 15/11/07