Arthritis, which means ‘joint inflammation’ in the actual sense, usually refers to over 100 rheumatic diseases and related conditions that can cause stiffness and swelling in the joints and connective tissues. It affects one in every seven Americans and can also worsen the joints’ support system, including tendons, muscles, ligaments and other parts of the body.

According to studies, exercise helps people with arthritis in many ways. It reduces stiffness and joint pains, increases endurance, cardiac fitness, muscle strength, and flexibility. Exercise is known to build strong muscles around the joints, besides helping to reduce inflammation from arthritis and other chronic conditions. It also helps to reduce weight, helps you sleep better, decreases depression, and gives you more self-esteem, besides contributing to an improved sense of well-being. Avoiding physical activity due to discomfort or pain can also lead to excessive weight gain and considerable muscles loss.

There are three main types of exercise that are best for people with arthritis. Range-of-motion exercises like dance help maintain or increase flexibility, besides facilitating normal joint movement and relieve stiffness. Also called flexibility or stretching exercises, range-of-motion exercises are an important form of stretching and warm-up, and should be done prior to endurance or strengthening exercise, or before engaging in any other physical activity. These exercises are important for arthritis patients who, because of their acute pain, shy away from moving their joints through their full range. In these kind of exercises, gently straightening and bending the joints in a controlled manner can help condition the affected joints. The joints are stretched increasingly farther till near-normal or normal range is achieved and maintained, during the course of a range-of-motion exercise program.

Strengthening exercises like weight training help keep or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles protect and support the joints affected by arthritis. When performed properly, several types of strengthening exercises can maintain or increase muscle tissue to support your muscles without worsening your joints. A group of exercises called ‘isometrics’ involves tightening or strengthening the muscles without bending or moving the joints, and are useful when joint motion is impaired. Isometrics strengthens muscle groups by using an alternating series of isolated muscle flexes and periods of relaxation. ‘Isotonics’ is another group of exercises, which is more intensive and involves strengthening the muscles by moving the joints. They help achieve muscle strength development by introducing gradually increasing weight resistance with stretch bands or small dumbbells, or through increased repetitions.

Endurance or aerobic exercises like bicycle riding, walking, swimming, skiing, playing golf, are physical activities that increase your heart rate up to your optimal target level for at least 20 to 30 minutes. They also help control weight, improve cardiovascular fitness, and improve overall function. Weight gain can be vital to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts more pressure on many joints. Aerobic exercises are known to reduce inflammation in some joints according to some studies, though patients with long-term rheumatoid arthritis who have severe joint damage and functional limitations may be unable to perform such exercises. Initially, people with arthritis should perform about 15 to 20 minutes of aerobic activity at least thrice a week, and slowly build up to 30 minutes daily. Such activity should also include at least 10 minutes of warm-up and 5 to 10 minutes of cool-down time. Aerobic exercises should be performed at a comfortable, steady pace that permit you to talk easily during the activity, and can be spread out in smaller segments of time throughout the day without overstressing yourself. According to recommendations by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should do a minimum of 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic activity like brisk walking or gardening once a week, or spend 1 hour and 15 minutes each week in vigorous aerobic physical activity like jogging and aerobic dancing.

Hydrotherapy or ‘aqua therapy’ (water therapy), is a program of exercises performed in a large pool, and may be easier on joints as the buoyancy of water takes some of the weight off the painful joints while providing resistance training. Some other exercise options that tend to work well for people with arthritis include walking, yoga, tai chi, running, and jogging.

Before beginning any new exercise program, regardless of your condition, you should discuss the exercise options with a doctor. People with arthritis should spend time conditioning with a program consisting of only range-of-motion and strengthening exercises, depending on their level of fitness and physical condition. Endurance exercises should be added slowly and only when you feel comfortable with your current fitness level.

During the initial weeks, a few changes that are expected with increased activity may change the way your muscles feel, your sleep patterns, or energy levels. You would need to check with your doctor if you experience increased weakness, unusual or persistent fatigue, increased pain, decreased range of motion, or continuing pain. However, it is important to begin slowly, and enjoy the program you choose to maintain.

By Harleena Singh, Staff Writer

About the author: Harleena Singh is a professional freelance writer with a background in teaching and education. She has a keen interest in food and health related issues and can be approached through her website http://www.freelancewriter.co.