| One recommended way to reduce and relieve your | | | | Stand straight up, and bring your hands behind your |
| painful arthritis symptoms is through exercise. Doctors | | | | back and interlace your fingers. Breath in slowly, while |
| recommend it and patients sometimes decide to do it | | | | you bring your hands up off your back, lifting upward |
| on their own. Either way it is an integral part of slowing | | | | with your shoulders. While you lift tuck your chin into |
| down the progression of arthritis symptoms. Thirty | | | | your chest. Repeat this 12 times. |
| minutes of daily activity is recommended to patients | | | | Find an empty corner in a room; stand facing the |
| who are suffering with arthritis pain. Although, this | | | | corner with your hands on opposite sides of the walls. |
| seems like a lot the objective is to make your activity | | | | With the right foot take a big step backward, leaving |
| fun and motivating so that you will continue with the | | | | your hands placed on the wall. Keep your chest up |
| regiment. | | | | and take a deep breath in. While you exhale lean in |
| There are several different types of exercises that | | | | toward the corner. Repeat this 12 times, then switch |
| can be done including walking, aquatics, yoga, | | | | feet and do it the same amount of times on the |
| stretching, dance, or low impact aerobics. Depending | | | | opposite foot. |
| upon the severity of your condition and your own | | | | Remember to continuously breath while doing |
| personal preference will determine what type of | | | | stretches. Proper breathing promotes healthy heart |
| physical activity you want to partake in. However, I | | | | rate and increased circulation something that affects |
| can't stress it enough, warming up is the most | | | | people with arthritis. Also don't hesitate to drink |
| important part of your exercise program. Especially for | | | | water. After stretching you are now ready to start |
| patients with arthritis, the warm up is vital to relieve | | | | physical activity. Exercises such as dancing and low |
| stiffness and increase flexibility. Working out with cold | | | | impact aerobics are very good because they increase |
| muscles and joints can lead to injury or inflammation, | | | | range of motion something that arthritis patients are |
| and for arthritis patients who already suffer from this it | | | | limited by. |
| can lead to debilitating pain. Start by applying warm | | | | Another great exercise for arthritis patients is aquatics. |
| compresses to the major joints i.e. Knees, shoulders, | | | | Water exercises are an additional benefit to arthritis |
| wrists, ankles and hips. | | | | sufferers because it soothes the joints, while providing |
| Follow this with some light stretching. Remember to | | | | resistance to build muscles. Water also reduces the |
| stretch every major muscle group legs, back, | | | | shock to joints during exercise, which normal activities |
| shoulders, and chest. Stretching daily can improve | | | | cannot do. Heated water provides increased dilation |
| flexibility and strength. Start with your legs by sitting in | | | | to the blood vessels for better circulation. After your |
| a chair. Face straightforward. Lift one leg out in front of | | | | workout use a spa, sauna or Jacuzzi to continue |
| you while keeping the other foot flat on the floor. Hold | | | | increased circulation and provide soothing jets to your |
| your leg straight in front of you for 5 seconds, and | | | | muscles. |
| then bring your leg back until your foot is behind your | | | | If you want even more intensity, yoga will increase |
| knee. Then switch to the other leg. Repeat. Do this 5 | | | | flexibility and reduce stress. Start out with beginner's |
| times on each leg. Interlock your fingers, and slowly | | | | yoga or gentle yoga, which starts with simple and |
| flex your wrists to the left and the right. Do this for | | | | gentle stretching and poses. As you build strength you |
| several minutes. Then keeping your fingers interlaced | | | | can gradually increase to more difficult poses. Find |
| turn your palms up to the sky and reach your arms | | | | classes through your local gym, newspaper or |
| straight up above you. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax | | | | community. |
| and bring your arms back down. Repeat this 5 times. | | | | Lastly if you don't have access to a gym or live in a |
| Now stand up in front of a table, desk or a windowsill | | | | remote area where you can't get to aquatic, dance, |
| about an arms length away. Lean over and place your | | | | aerobic, or yoga classes, think about walking. Walking |
| hands on the table. Make your back straight with your | | | | is just as effective to improve arthritis symptoms as |
| arms, don't slouch or round your back and tuck your | | | | taking aerobic, aquatic or yoga classes. Remember to |
| chin into your chest. Lift your upper back up, towards | | | | use your arms while you walk or add lightweights to |
| the ceiling, take a deep breath in. Hold for 10 seconds; | | | | improve arm strength. Walk with friends to motivate |
| exhale as you relax your back to regular position. | | | | yourself to continue with it. |
| Repeat this 12 times. | | | | |