When you have arthritis, you might be tempted to avoid exercise out of fear that it will make the pain worse. On the other hand, regular physical activity has many benefits, especially for older people with arthritis. By working out, adults can improve their joint movement, feel less pain and inflammation, and have a better quality of life overall.
Home care services in McLean, VA, say that there might be some movements that can help ease the pain of arthritis.
Range of Motion
Range-of-motion workouts are meant to help adults keep their joints moving and flexible the way they should. Some easy examples are circling the wrist, circling the ankle, and rolling the shoulder. Start with a smaller range of motion and gradually increase it as you get stronger and more flexible to make these workouts work for different fitness levels.
Experts at Capital City Nurses always say to pay attention to your body and let your doctor or nurse know if you feel any pain or difficulty.
Flexibility Exercises
Home care services in McLean, VA, share that exercises that focus on flexibility assist in preserving joint mobility and reduce stiffness in the body. While seated, stretching the chest, the calves and the hamstrings are a few examples of activities that fall under this category.
As with other types of physical activity, you should tailor flexibility exercises to your degree of physical fitness by lowering the time or severity of the stretches. Take care of your body with kindness and try not to strain yourself to the point where it hurts.
