Before initiating a new fitness program it is very important to get clearance from your physician.Arthritis can be very painful and really stop you in your tracks. Some causes of arthritis pain are joint bone to bone contact resulting from cartilage destruction, microfractures of bone, spasm of surrounding muscle and stress to ligaments. Exercise is very important for contributing to a higher quality of life. Exercising will help you stay physically strong by helping to maintain muscle mass, bone density and cardiovascular strength. There are two forms of arthritis-rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to have an onset in middle age people verses osteoarthritis which tends to afflict people aged 55 and above. Over 52 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with arthritis according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Both forms of arthritis are degenerative in nature and damage cartilage in the joints. Cartilage functions to provide cushioning between the bones.
Over time, arthritis causes the cartilage to wear down and results in bones in the joint rubbing against each other. The risk factors for developing osteoarthritis include: Age, Gender (there is a higher incidence of OA in women) and Obesity. The joint pain associated with arthritis in the hips, knees, or feet is exacerbated by obesity. If you have arthritis, a regular exercise program is very important for helping you to maintain range of motion, manage your weight, increase muscle and bone strength and improve cardiovascular health.
Your stretching should be Static Stretching-this is a slow, gradual stretch through as full a range of motion as possible without causing pain. When stretching, avoid quick, bouncing stretches called Ballistic Stretching. This type of stretching can lead to soft tissue injury.Lower Back Stretch:Relieves pressure in the lower back and hips. Kneel on the floor with your knees apart and your feet touching in the back. Then stretch forward and place your forehead on the ground if you can. If you can’t place your forehead on the ground, stretch as far as you can without causing pain. Also extend you arms in front of you.
Hamstring Stretch:The hamstrings are the large muscle in the back of your leg that run from your hips to the back of your knee. Stretching the Hamstring muscles help relieve stress on the lower back, hips and knees. To do the stretch, lay on your back and lift your right leg up straight and then bend your leg slightly. Place your hands behind your thigh and pull your leg into your chest. Repeat with your left leg.
Arthritis Strength Training Guidelines:
Strength training can increase muscle and bone strength to help support and protect joints. General guidelines for strength training include: Alternate every other day upper body and lower body or complete an overall body strength training regiment every other day. Lift weights for larger muscles before smaller muscles because the smaller muscles are needed to assist the larger muscles. Lift reps to exhaustion-also called Max Resistance-to build muscle strength. When lifting weights, lift higher reps and lower weight -12-20 reps to fatigue. Complete 1-2 sets with 1-2 minutes recovery between sets. Your strength training can also be accomplished using your body weight (e.g. lunges, sit-ups, push-ups etc.) or through a program in which you use elastic bands for resistance.Yoga is beneficial for increasing muscle strength, flexibility and balance. Yoga can also promote positive mental energy and wellness. If you have hip problems, be careful to avoid leg abduction exercises. These are moves or posses in which move the leg to the side away from the body.
Arthritis Aerobic Exercise Guidelines
Types of aerobic exercises: In general the best aerobic exercises for someone with arthritis are low-impact walking routines or non-weight bearing exercises such as bike riding, and water activities-swimming and water aerobics.Exercise Duration: People with arthritis should extend their warm-ups and cool-downs longer than 10 minutes for both. Initial exercise session should be about 15 minutes.Intensity: Generally, if you have arthritis you should engage in lower intensity but more frequent exercise sessions. Each person should evaluate their own condition and exercise at an intensity that feels good. You should lower your intensity during periods of inflammation and pain.Frequency: You should exercise more frequently and for shorter durations. You should exercise at least 4 to 5 days per week.During daily exercise sessions, it is important for you to exercise all your joints through their fullest range of motion.
Supplements- Two dietary supplements that are recommended for bone and joint health and specifically for helping to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis are Glucosamine Sulfate (the American Pain Society recommends that adults with OA take 500mg glucosamine sulfate 3 times daily) and chondroitin sulfate. Calcium with Vitamin D is important for bone health. Another supplement option which may be of benefit to you is a relatively new proprietary formula supplement called Instaflex Joint Support. However, this product is only available for purchase at GNC stores. You should discuss these suggested supplements with your physician before taking them.Diet-Regarding diet, calcium is a required for many functions including for bone health. The best dietary sources of calcium are milk, cheese, yogurt and leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and kale. When selecting milk,
you should choose low fat or skim milk. Lowering the fat in a dairy product does not lower the amount of calcium. Along with calcium, you should also be sure to consume adequate amounts of Vitamin D which enables your body to absorb the calcium-milk is fortified with vitamin D. Here are the recommended dietary allowances for calcium per day for adults:
Age 19 – 50: 1,000 mg/day
Age 50 – 70:
Men – 1,000 mg/day
Women – 1,200 mg/day
Over Age 71: – 1,200 mg/day
It is a good idea to keep a food journal and also track your pain level. Through tracking your food and pain level, you may discover patterns which indicate some foods help with your arthritis pain relief and others aggravate your arthritis. If you suspect a food may be aggravating your arthritis, then eliminate it for a week at a time and carefully gauge your pain level. You should repeat the one week process at least three times to try and get a good gauge of the causal effect between the food and your arthritis pain. You can use the Compass Fitness.com –Your On-Line Fitness Journal under Fitness & You to track your arthritis pain level and your diet.
Arthritis Pain Relief:
Be sure to discuss any over the counter medications or topical creams that you are interested in trying with your physician.Over the counter medicines used for arthritis pain relief include:Oral Medications:Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)-Avoid if you are allergic to aspirin, have bleeding problems or you are scheduled for a surgery.Tylenol (acetaminophen)-An over the counter medication used as a pain reliever and to reduce pain. Acetaminophen is found in many prescription and over the counter medications so you should check your other medications for acetaminophen and be sure not to exceed 650 mg per day unless otherwise indicated by your doctor. reliever and fever reducer.Motrin, Advil (ibuprophen)- Avoid if you are allergic to aspirin or have stomach ulcers. ibuprophen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID)and a pain reliever.Aleve (naproxen sodium)-Avoid if you are allergic to aspirin or have stomach ulcers. Naproxen is an NSAID an helps to relieve arthritis pain by reducing inflammation.The active ingrediants in pain relief creams which you rub over your aching joints are:Capsaicin-Capsaicin is an ingredient found in chili peppers. Creams with capsaicin provide pain relief by interrupting pain impulses to the brain. reduce pain by blocking nerve cell pain messages. Capsaicin cream does not provide immediate pain relief. It usually starts providing pain relief 1-2 weeks after starting capsaicin. Examples of capsaicin cream products are Capzasin and Zostrix.Salicylates-This ingredient is the active ingredient in aspirin. Salicylates are used for pain relief, to reduce fever and as anti-inflammatories. Examples of creams with salicylates which are used for arthritis pain relief include Aspercreme and Bengay.Menthol-Menthol relieves pain by creating a hot or cold sensation which can temporarily override your ability to feel the arthritis pain. Examples of menthol arthritis pain relief creams are Icy Hot and Biofreeze. MORE ARTHRITIS FITNESS TOPICS->
Additional information about Arthritis can be found on the Arthritis Foundation website at www.arthritis.org.
