Easy Ways To Stay Active With Arthritis
Find Fitness Friends
- Instead of planning lunch dates, suggest meeting friends for a brisk walk through the mall
or a park. - While you may be tempted to shrug off a solo workout, you will be less likely to stand up a friend.
- And being active can help you meet weight loss or goals if you have them.
- If you're overweight, losing extra pounds can help reduce arthritis pain,especially in the
knees.
Play Video Games
- Grab a gaming system but get off the couch.
- Research suggests some sports video games may burn as many calories as a brisk walk.
- In a study funded by Nintendo, the Wii Sports tennis, baseball, & boxing games all qualified
as moderate-intensity exercise. - For joint flexibility & to improve your range of motion with arthritis, try your hand at balance games & yoga exercises.
Get Your Dog & Start Walking
- An eager dog can be the perfect cure for couch potato syndrome.
- He can keep you company & keep you motivated during your daily walks.
- Because walking keeps your joints flexible & your muscles strong, this low-impact, weight-bearing exercise is a good choice for people with arthritis.
- Research also suggests dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure & cholesterol than
their pet-less peers.
Make Plans
- If you have kids, grandkids or babysit for neighbors, make your time with them as active
as possible. - Playing hide & seek or exploring a park can be an active, low-impact workout.
- For people with arthritis of the hands, board games, puzzles & crafts are not only kid
-friendly activities but they may also help keep your fingers limber. - For the greatest benefit, arrange regular play dates a few times a week.
Carry Your Groceries
- Make the most of your supermarket trip by carrying your groceries in the store & to
your car. - The weight adds intensity to walking & helps strengthen your upper body.
- Carry your bags across your arms to protect your hands.
- For an extra challenge, carry your bags up steps.
- Research suggests people who can carry groceries & climb stairs are less likely to have a stroke than those who can't.
Park In The Last Spot
- Walking is one of the best forms of exercise for arthritis, so find ways to fit it into your
day. - Whether you're driving to the mall, office or supermarket, make a habit of parking in the
spot farthest from the entrance. - Then power walk to the front door.
- When this becomes too easy, try parking a couple of blocks away from your destination.
- Wear a pedometer to see how much ground you’ve covered.
Take The Stairs
- When you head toward an elevator, think before using it.
- By taking the stairs, you can weave exercise into your daily routine without setting aside
time for a workout. - However, if you have knee osteoarthritis, a condition that affects nearly 1 in 2 people
before age 85,your health care provider may suggest that you consider another form of exercise .
Wash Your Car
- Washing your car offers the chance to get a workout & clean car at the same time.
- But don't just stand there spraying the hose at your windshield.
- You need to get your heart working.
- That means soaping up a rag & scrubbing your car from bumper to bumper.
- An hour's worth of hearty work can burn more than 300 calories for a 155-pound person.
Clean Your House
- Don’t dread housework; it's a way to avoid the gym.
- Cleaning the floor counts as moderate exercise because it raises your heart rate &
makes you breathe faster. - Other good exercise: washing windows, hanging laundry & cleaning the bathroom.
- To protect your joints: Alternate motions and the hands you use.
- Don't overextend your reach, and bend with your knees to save your back.
- Consider knee pads for kneeling.
Dance Through Your Chores
- Some household chores, like unloading the dishwasher, don't raise your heart rate on
their own. - But you can kick things up a notch by putting on music & moving!
- Try dancing while dusting, vacuuming, cooking, or putting away dishes.
- The trick is to use music you love, so you'll have fun while working up a sweat.
Tend Your Garden
- Gardening can provide a surprisingly well-rounded workout.
- Wielding a rake or shovel can strengthen your muscles, improve flexibility & raise your
heart rate. - An hour of weeding or digging is great for endurance, too.
- To avoid stooping, use long-handled tools or build raised garden beds.
- As a bonus, whether your focus is on tending flowers or fruit, you’ll have something to
show for your efforts.
Volunteer Your Time
- Help yourself & other people by taking on volunteer projects that benefit both mind & body.
- Consider walking dogs at the local animal shelter, planting trees, coaching a youth sports
team, or building houses. - Studies show that older adults who volunteer regularly have a greater sense of well
Hike Or Bike On Your Next Outing
- You may be in the habit of driving everywhere, no matter how close your destination.
- But think about some of your favorite places like stores, restaurants, the library & parks.
- Are any of them close enough to reach safely by bike or foot?
- If so, you'll get exercise while saving gas money.
- In addition, biking is easy on your joints while still giving you a good workout..
Take A Class
- Like working out in a social setting?
- Sign up for a class.
- You'll have a regular exercise time & place, plus a group of people who expect to see you.
- Remember, a fitness class doesn't have to mean aerobics.
- Always wanted to learn karate or salsa dancing?
- Look for a class that will keep you coming back.
- Or join a walking group or masters swim team.
- Both walking & swimming are especially easy on the joints.
Add Up Your Exercise Time
- You don't have to do all your exercises at once.
- It’s OK to do it in 10-minute spurts.
- If you're new to exercise, aim to be active 15 to 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week.
- Then work up to 30 minutes every day.
- The key is doing activities that will work your large muscle groups, quickening your
breathing & heart rate. - Unsure about which activities may be best for you? Ask your doctor.
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