The Importance Of An Adequate Exercise Program to Combat Arthritis
The feet are definitely, the most solicited and yet ignored part of our body which gathers 26 bones and over 30 articulations.
Most of the cases of inactivity or disability in the U.S. are generated by problems of the feet. Arnold Ravick, a podiatrist in Washington D.C. speaks for the American Podiatric Association: “feet degenerate like tires and cars. Just like the rest of your body, your feet spread out, muscles weaken and skin thins.”
In case they are not cared in an appropriate manner, flexibility and elasticity of the feet are lost. Arthritis makes things much worse: the already solicited feet face the problem of their articulations' damage.
Proper attention may prevent a series of problems, even if arthritis is not one of them. In case it already occurred, more caution is required because it becomes a vital matter.
Arthritis and exercise
Many people may consider that there is a certain incompatibility between physical exercise and arthritis; this is not only a prejudice but also a big mistake. On the contrary, exercises have been proved to be vital for a good management of arthritis.
A moderate, adequate program can help the people with arthritis to decrease the effects of the disease on their articulations; the pain will be reduced and so will be rigidity. Your entire body needs these exercises because they help to maintain health, they give more energy, fight insomnia, control the weight, provide you more self – esteem and decrease depression.
The exercise program should be followed one little step at the time. In the beginning the most appropriate are flexibility exercises that will help your movements and your daily activities. Then, weight training and endurance exercises will be allowed. In case of severe pain that may keep you from doing exercises, a water exercise program is the best solution. In fact your program may be everything you wanted to be from walks and yoga to bicycling and swimming.
The doctor should be asked what kinds of exercises are more appropriate. A physical and an occupational therapist should provide you the necessary help. The first one may teach you the proper techniques and precautions for every type of exercise, while the other will help you to perform daily exercises without forcing the articulations, by means of instructions or assistive devices.
The three needed types of exercises
Flexibility exercises represent the first type, the one should start with, and it will need and they will need to be performed everyday. The purpose of these exercises is the protection of the articulations and the preparation for the normal activities. They will help your movement and will relax the tensed body. They include yoga and water exercise and represent the warm – up for more difficult types of exercises. You should have them every day for about 15 minutes.
The second type, strengthening exercises are divided in 2 categories. The first one is represented by isometric exercises that work the muscle without implying the articulation's movement, which makes them appropriate for people with arthritis. The other type, isotonic exercises, makes the muscles stronger, including also the movement of the articulations. These exercises may be performed even in case of inflammation of the joints. This type of exercises should be performed once in two days.
Cardiovascular exercises include walking, swimming or bicycling. They imply rhythmic and continuous muscular movements and they are projected to improve the heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles activities. This kind of exercises is extremely helpful because it increases the organism's resistance, helps with insomnia, strengthens the bones, helps in weight control and reduces anxiety, depression and stress. The exercises should be performed three or four times a week for 30 minutes, then gradually increase the duration of the session. In case your previous exercises were not effective, new ones should be tried. It is very helpful to do them with a friend, in order to make them more pleasant and natural. An exercise group may also represent a solution. The local Arthritis Foundation will inform you about the available exercise programs.