Arthritis Exercise ? One Way to Relieve Pain & Stiffness in Your Joints (part 1)

Exercise can be very beneficial for arthritis sufferers, often relieving stiffness in joints, strengthening muscles thereby reducing stress on joints, keeping bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy, and increasing flexibility. A recommended 30-minute minimum of daily activity is the norm. Before starting any exercise program, it is vital that one speak to their doctor to ensure there are no unseen risks, however you will find that most doctors recommend exercise for their arthritis patients either on their own initiative or when asked.

The types of exercises suggested vary; however, with all types of exercise the warm-up is the starting point. Warming up is best started with applying warm compresses to the joints, followed by mild stretching. Range of motion exercises, such as dance, are a very good start, as are low-impact aerobics. These can relieve stiffness and increase flexibility. Never discount the effectiveness of walking as an exercise. Walking is a great exercise to improve the arthritic condition, and carrying weights as light as one pound and using your arms as you walk can involve the whole body. The "trick" is to make walking interesting enough as an exercise to stay motivated. Try walking in different settings, alternating walking with dance on different days, and of course including a partner can be much more interesting than going at it alone.

Using aquatics: exercising in a pool-is a great way to exercise as well. Water is an excellent aid because it provides resistance that builds muscle in the entire body while reducing shock to the joints at the same time. Additionally, because the whole body tends to become involved in aquatic exercise the added benefit of cardiovascular exercise is enjoyed. If at all possible, find a heated pool to work out in. Warm water is soothing to the joints and will cause the blood vessels to dilate, increasing circulation. With that in mind, it is often beneficial to add using a spa to your regimen, perhaps after your workout, in order to provide some soothing jets of water to your muscles and even more help with increased circulation, which is always vital when dealing with arthritis.

If you still want more variety, you may want to try yoga. Yoga is a general term for several stretching, and pose-oriented exercises originating in India, and is extremely beneficial toward achieving flexibility and reducing stress physically and mentally. There are gentle forms of yoga such as Hatha Yoga that are excellent to start with. Hatha Yoga comprises of gentle stretches and simple poses that help flexibility and balance, and are easy to learn and enjoy. Check your local activities paper or section of your local paper to see if there are any yoga classes near you.

Written by Shelley Hitz, Licensed Physical Therapist and Certified NASM Personal Trainer. If you have arthritis, she can design an online exercise program for you! Contact her today at http://www.onlinefitnesscoach.com or sign up for her FREE Exercise Advice Journal at http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/journal.ht ml

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory%3Fid%3D5973585cid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNHkkiJji8yZxMYnrI-6NhlyyjhjKwimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=_T0oZUyVit8Jimgurl=a.abcnews.com/images/Health/nm_exercise_081007_mn.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2ABC News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081013/COLUMNISTS60/81010038/1024cid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFDAZiJroN8qj4oiqlwU0LZ_KArUANew bexercise/b guidelines don#39;t go far enough/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Coloradoan,nbsp;COnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The Health and Human Services Department released new bexercise/b guidelines this week, recommending that most adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/10/13/exercise-guidelines-say-kids-need-full-hour-every-day/cid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNGyU2cyiZDNd5SKVFbfLwgplUYcbwbExercise/b Guidelines Say Kids Need Full Hour Every Day/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrdBTechno/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx%3Fid%3D72003%26sectionid%3D3510210cid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNGVYhXWLP2IekIVaOC696ncKMV0kw2.5 hours of weekly bexercise/b, enough/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPRESS TV/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_New_Guidelines_And_The_Benefits_Of_A_Regular_Exercise_Regimen_26392.htmlcid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNEdXLx8vkIDsadu70MMXh_-7K2YiANew Guidelines And The Benefits Of A Regular bExercise/b Regimen/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobreFluxMedia/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Fitness/Exercise_good_for_would-be-mommies/articleshow/3577723.cmscid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFUyd5cKH3rMofTH32U7t7rHXV0KgnobrTimes of India/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2008/10/new-exercise-gu.htmlcid=1255055244ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNGhgipQgcgnRkHlS0DkgBl6nV3dugnobrLos Angeles Times/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255055244hl=ennobrall 504 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.courant.com/features/hc-atworkrun.artoct13,0,541752.storycid=1257091572ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFed2NOjmnJqzR1yRI7GwE0BW9HcAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=KIimNmz7EjgJimgurl=www.courant.com/media/photo/2008-10/42867782.jpg width=80 height=57 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Hartford Courant/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.courant.com/features/hc-atworkrun.artoct13,0,541752.storycid=1257091572ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFed2NOjmnJqzR1yRI7GwE0BW9HcARunning Commute Becomes Serious Option For bExercise/b-Conscious/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHartford Courant,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr16 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1With high gasoline prices and clogged streets, a running commute has become a serious option for some bexercise/b-conscious people. Biking to work? b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do%3Fcommand%3DviewArticleBasic%26articleId%3D9116999%26intsrc%3Dhm_listcid=1257325934ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFvoCUyXNW8b7cuCl2LNeqMcLTS5wData mining for terrorists is an bexercise/b in futility, advisory b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fComputerworld,nbsp;MAnbsp;-/font nobr3 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Jaikumar Vijayan October 13, 2008 (Computerworld) The kind of pattern-seeking data mining and behavioral surveillance technologies that are being used by b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.hoopsworld.com/TheWireStory.asp%3Fid%3D12757cid=1257363677ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNHa5_CwdGWbszBNyb7mDPi_PwW_OwSixers bexercise/b options on Young, Smith/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHoopsWorldnbsp;-/font nobr46 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia 76ers on Monday exercised the third-year options on the contracts of forwards Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health/One_hour_of_exercise_may_not_fight_obesity/articleshow/3586741.cmscid=1257131953ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNEKWcmu-qfRXkr5xrfcV5qHTuHnPgOne hour of bexercise/b may not fight obesity/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTimes of India,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1One hour of moderate bexercise/b for children recommended by health experts may not be enough to tackle the rising problem of childhood obesity, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://doctor.ndtv.com/news/news.asp%3Fid%3D3437cid=0ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNHxFwGG4nlg5B8Ez1CF9qslNDQFwQbExercise/b helps arthritis patients/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNDTV.com,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Besides interventions that included training with free weights, working out on weight machines, and using bexercise/b bands; almost all the patients were b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.janes.com/news/defence/air/jdw/jdw081013_2_n.shtmlcid=0ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNHMZF9HvW0YUIB1n7P_RpEISUiGogSwedish Air Force performs expeditionary bexercise/b in the UK/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fJane's,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Col Segerby said the participation in bExercise/b #39;Crown Condor#39; in the UK alongside RAF personnel from the 140 Expeditionary Air Wing and the Panavia Tornado b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/community/index.ssf/2008/10/xxx_bicycle_rider_luxury_story.htmlcid=0ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNH400zDMtiS-dr2IJGbvldkoq89kgimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=XhSZOYH85LIJimgurl=blog.mlive.com/flintcommunity_impact/2008/10/medium_20081013_bike_1.jpg width=46 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2MLive.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/community/index.ssf/2008/10/xxx_bicycle_rider_luxury_story.htmlcid=0ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNH400zDMtiS-dr2IJGbvldkoq89kgGiving up luxuries can be an bexercise/b in creativity/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMLive.com,nbsp;MInbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Rose Mary Reiz | The Flint Journal Melissa Cousineau | The Flint JournalInstead of driving her car, Arlene Breczinski of Flushing makes the 1.5 mile trip b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2008/10/13/way_too_tired%3Fp1%3DWell_MostPop_Emailed7cid=1257231169ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNE8QF02uRckWQFHV92H3tB28Ly7dQWay too tired?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBoston Globe,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr8 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1For another, because both cytokine and mitochondrial problems get worse with excessive rest and improve with moderate bexercise/b, it means bexercise/b is an b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.malepatternfitness.com/2008/10/13/634169/exercise-all-it-s-crackedcid=0ei=_KDzSMLKD5f-6gOstISBAQusg=AFQjCNFdIdC7u5o9onWMraP4mj20aLbIggbExercise/b: All It#39;s Cracked Up To Be?/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMale Pattern Fitnessnbsp;-/font nobr25 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1by Andrew Heffernan on Oct 13, 2008 2:59 PM EDT A recent New York Times piece reflects a trend in fit-lit to downplay the benefits of bexercise/b, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
exercise - Google News

Strategies for Alleviating the Boredom Associated with Exercise

Just about every expert in the ADD field will tell... Read More

Easy and Effective Home Workouts

Many people think that creating a home workout gym is... Read More

Best Abdominal Exercises to Get the Sexy Six Pack You Deserve

The key to getting those sexy abdominals lies mainly on... Read More

Basic Abdominal Exercises

If it's six pack abs that you're after, daily abdominal... Read More

Pilates Exercises ? Can They Give You The Body Youve Always Wanted?

Pilates exercises are a favorite fitness choice for many people... Read More

Want To Get In Shape? Watch Another Infomercial!

You know I have always wondered how people of yesteryear,... Read More

Get Out and Play: Top 7 Outdoor Exercises

Do you remember when our parents used to yell at... Read More

Weight Loss and Exercise in Tough Environmental Conditions

Working out is working out, right?Wrong.Depending on the environmental conditions... Read More

Strength Training After Fifty

Strength training after fifty is no longer for those people... Read More

5 Ways to Fit Fitness In

Five points to consider when you want to fit fitness... Read More

Mom, How F.I.T.T. Is Your Workout?

Moms don't have the time or desire to mess around... Read More

Super Charge Your Metabolism

1. Cardio in Combination with Strength Training- If you need... Read More

Yoga

Yoga traditionally conjures up images of long hair, loin cloths... Read More

Is It Safe To Start An Exercise Program?

I think the real question is "How safe is it... Read More

Try Different Forms of Exercise for Success

If you have always used free weights, then switch it... Read More

See How Trampolines Can Be Part Of Any Exercise Program

When the trampoline was invented by a young boy intrigued... Read More

Weight Loss and Fitness - Facts not Fiction

The world of weight loss and fitness is certainly vast,... Read More

The Bad Workout: Some Advice for Female Bodybuilders

Bad workouts. We have all had them at some time... Read More

Lose Weight - Stay Fit and Stick With It!

Health and nutrition experts continually advise us that the more... Read More

Debunking Common Exercise Myths, Part 1

Myth #1: Heavy weights make you "bulky"Heavy weights typically do... Read More

Home Gyms with Free Weights

Having your own home gym with free weights is not... Read More

Different Exercises Schedule to Combat Hypertension, Obesity, and Asthma!

Different Health Problems generally do not allow us to do... Read More

Lance Armstrong?s Training Tactics ? The Tortoise or the Hare?

I have been counseling people on weight loss, exercise efficiency... Read More

The Truth About Exercise and Why Its Not Always Good for You!

Exercise is often regarded as a panacea for many things..."if... Read More

How To Overcome Workout Plateaus

Humans are habitual. They strive on routine and rituals. While... Read More