Exercise to keep you moving even with arthritis
Arthritis is a debilitating disorder affecting the joints. It is extremely painful and restricts mobility.
Arthritis and exercise
You may think that with a painful condition like arthritis, exercising would be out of the question. Not true. Exercising infact reduces the painful swelling and improves mobility in arthritic patients. It also increases the strength of the muscles surrounding the joint. Here are a few exercises that will help you beat the pain
Stretch exercises
Exercises that help stretch the muscles in your body like swimming, walking, and cycling are suited best for people with arthritis. Include the following stretches in your work out and feel the difference.
Hamstring stretch
Sit on the floor with one leg stretched out and the other leg folded. Keeping your back straight, stretch out and try holding the feet of your outstretched leg. Stretch only as far as you are comfortable. Hold the stretch for a minute or two and relax. Repeat with the other leg.
Quadriceps stretch
Forward bend
Stand with your feet slightly apart and knees slightly bent. Bend your back and try to touch the toes. Go as far as comfortable. Hold the stretch for a while, breathe deeply. Relax and straighten up.
Squats
Stand erect with feet slightly apart and arms perpendicular to your shoulders. Try to imitate the action of you sitting down on a chair. Hold the squat for a few seconds and then get up slowly.
Calf raise
Place your hands on a chair for support. Lift your left leg and wrap your left ankle around the right foot. Now rise up and down on your right foot several times. Keep your tummy and butt tight while doing this. Repeat with the other leg.
Quadriceps lift
Sit on a chair or bed. Keep your feet slightly apart. Lift your left leg in such a way that the thigh is parallel to the ground. Hold the lift for a while, gently put the feet down and repeat with the other leg.
Side leg raise
Hold on to a chair for support. Keep the left knee slightly bent and lift the right leg sideways. Hold for a while and bring the leg down. Repeat again. Do this several times alternating between legs.
These stretch exercises are immensely helpful for arthritic people. Combine strength training exercises and yoga with these stretch exercises to gain more benefits!
