3 Ways to Move Through Your Arthritis Pain

It’s probably the last thing you feel like doing when you’re in pain but exercise is crucial for people with arthritis. 

Exercise is known to increase strength and flexibility, reduces your joint pain, and helps fight against your fatigue. 

Of course, when your stiff and painful joints are causing you pain and bogging you down, the thought of getting up to walk around the house or the block might seem a bit overwhelming. 

But you don’t need to walk for miles or run a marathon to help reduce your arthritis symptoms. 

Even moderate exercise can ease your pain and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

Get moving with these 3 ways to move through your arthritis pain today!

1.Range-of-motion Exercises

Range-of-motion exercises are known to help relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. 

Some examples include movements such as raising your arms over your head, moving your hips in a circular motion or rolling your shoulders forward and backward. 

In most cases, these exercises are best done daily. 

2. Strengthening Exercises

Strengthening exercises are known to help you build strong muscles that help support and protect your joints. 

Weight training is an example of a strengthening exercise that can help you maintain or increase your strength.

While strength training, it’s important to remember not to exercise the same muscle groups two days in a row. 

Give yourself a rest day in between your workouts and take an extra day or two if your joints are painful or swollen. 

3. Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic or endurance exercises are known to help greatly with your overall fitness. 

They can improve your cardiovascular health, help you control your weight and give you more stamina and energy.

Examples of low-impact aerobic exercises that are easier on your joints include walking, bicycling, swimming and using an elliptical machine. 

Lastly, it’s important to start slowly to ease your joints into exercise especially if you haven’t been active for a while. 

If you push yourself too hard, you can overwork your muscles and worsen your joint pain. 

So remember, trust your instincts and don’t exert more energy than you think your joints can handle.