This week is Arthritis Orange Appeal week. Arthritis is the inflammation of joints and it’s one of New Zealand’s greatest causes of disability. There is no known cure for arthritis so the main goal of treatments is to reduce symptoms and manage pain.
Exercise has a huge role to play both in the prevention of arthritis and the treatment of symptoms. The two main causes of arthritis are heredity, which you can’t do anything about, and your weight, which you certainly can. Being overweight predisposes you to arthritis because of the extra pressure your weight puts on your joints. For example, studies have shown that overweight women are almost four times more likely to get knee osteoarthritis than women at a healthy weight. So exercise can help with arthritis prevention in two ways. Firstly it helps keep you in a healthy weight range. Secondly, exercise strengthens the muscles around the joints which takes stress off the joints. This protects joints from the wear and tear that can lead to degeneration and inflammation.
For people already suffering from arthritis light exercise can be part of a treatment plan to help relieve the symptoms. The types of exercises that are best will depend on the type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Your doctor can liaise with a trainer to create a plan that gives you the most benefit with the least aggravation of joint pain. Flexibility exercises relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through full range of motion. Light weight training improves bone density and creates lean muscle mass to protect joints. Low impact aerobic exercise helps with circulation and stamina.
Arthritis can be a hugely debilitating condition but including appropriate gentle exercise in your treatment plan can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Take care of your health and look out for the collectors in orange today.
Exercise has a huge role to play both in the prevention of arthritis and the treatment of symptoms. The two main causes of arthritis are heredity, which you can’t do anything about, and your weight, which you certainly can. Being overweight predisposes you to arthritis because of the extra pressure your weight puts on your joints. For example, studies have shown that overweight women are almost four times more likely to get knee osteoarthritis than women at a healthy weight. So exercise can help with arthritis prevention in two ways. Firstly it helps keep you in a healthy weight range. Secondly, exercise strengthens the muscles around the joints which takes stress off the joints. This protects joints from the wear and tear that can lead to degeneration and inflammation.
For people already suffering from arthritis light exercise can be part of a treatment plan to help relieve the symptoms. The types of exercises that are best will depend on the type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Your doctor can liaise with a trainer to create a plan that gives you the most benefit with the least aggravation of joint pain. Flexibility exercises relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through full range of motion. Light weight training improves bone density and creates lean muscle mass to protect joints. Low impact aerobic exercise helps with circulation and stamina.
Arthritis can be a hugely debilitating condition but including appropriate gentle exercise in your treatment plan can reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. Take care of your health and look out for the collectors in orange today.
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