Live Life Team
Your specific diagnosis will have will have an effect on whether there are exercises that can help with arthritis symptoms and to what degree they can help.
Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear to the joints, so any exercise that reduces excess weight and increases muscle strength is beneficial in preventing damage. Rheumatoid arthritis, as an autoimmune disease, is perhaps less straightforward. Improved fitness levels can keep your immune system strong and healthy while mitigating inflammation. Those with pain or deterioration in the joints may find some targeted coaching when it comes to functional movement helpful in improving their day to day experience.
Start slow and work your way up. Take long walks, then progress to jogging or interval training if your condition allows. Bodyweight workouts are excellent for their accessibility and let you control the intensity. Yoga or simple movements like the plank or push-ups are beneficial. Weight training is excellent, which may surprise some, but requires a solid foundational understanding of safe movements and your own limitations and, ideally, specialist support. In many cases, low-impact is the best solution for exercises that can help with arthritis symptoms by increasing mobility and overall health.
A coach or personal trainer will probably be necessary in helping you move in ways that are safe and scale up. Exercise is pro-inflammatory, so you’ll want to be careful about finding the right balance between fitness and your body’s limitations. There is a net benefit, and it’s well worth the effort, but if you go too fast and don’t get enough rest, you can make run the risk of injury or triggering a painful episode.
Exercise and general fitness is important for your overall health and mortality. Make the most of your efforts by choosing exercises that help you grow your strength without causing damage and work with a qualified trainer or specialist whenever possible and especially when scaling up activity levels.
