Arthritis: Special Precautions Part I
This new series “Special Precautions” focuses on exercising with underlying health conditions. Exercise certainly plays its part in managing and even improving these conditions, but some might be afraid to do so.
Arthritis is considered to be a chronic condition, which means it is prolonged in duration, it does not resolve spontaneously and is rarely resolved completely. Arthritis is an inflammation of a joint. The two most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune, chronic inflammatory disease that affects the lining of your joints. Individuals who suffer from RA usually suffer from severe joint pain, inflammation, reduced muscle mass, decreased muscular strength and endurance, poor mobility and impaired physical activity.
Individuals diagnosed with this condition can benefit from dynamic and isometric exercises. An isometric exercise is a form of exercise involving the static contraction of a muscle without any visible movement in the angle of the joint. Doing so will improve muscular strength, endurance and cardio respiratory fitness. Exercising at a moderate intensity is safe and will lead to little to no damage in the joints. Moving around, going for short walks and making sure that you are active is a good way to improve your health and fitness when suffering from RA.
Some good modalities include aquatic exercises, stretching, cardio machines and supine exercises.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, chronic degenerative joint disease that is more likely to occur as we age. OA is caused by a deficit in articular cartilage in your joints. You might have heard the term “bone-on-bone”, this is what the term refers to. This leads to bone remodeling and bone overgrowth at the edges of the joint. OA typically occurs in large weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips, the cervical spine and lumbar spine. Individuals complain with pain, joint stiffness, decreased strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.
Unfortunately, obesity is linked to OA; research concluded that for each kilogram of increased body mass, there is an increased risk of OA of 14%. One of the best ways to prevent obesity is to maintain a healthy exercise regimen and have a healthy, balanced diet.
The safest and most beneficial types of exercises for OA include aquatic-based and light weight-bearing modalities. It is advised that individuals should exercise at times when the pain is minimal, so timing exercise with your pain medication is a good idea. Recommended exercises include bikes or recumbent bikes, swimming or body weight exercises in a pool, seated or supine strength exercises. Stretching should also always be included.
Are you ready to start working towards a more functional, pain-free life? Contact me and let’s see what we can do together.
