The Importance of Exercise with Arthritis

Exercise is important for everyone, but especially important for people who suffer from arthritis. Physical exercise increases strength, reduces joint pain and stiffness, improves flexibility and mobility, and eventually makes movement easier. 

 

Movement and exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing when suffering with arthritis. It is crucial because bones need strong muscles for support. Without exercise, supporting muscles weaken and add more strain and stress on your arthritic joints. Additionally, exercise is important as it helps manage weight, which directly impacts stress on joints and causes more pain. 

 

Introduce joint-friendly, low-impact exercises to start: swimming, walking, yoga, water aerobics, or biking/cycling. The idea of incorporating daily exercise into your life should be effortless, easy to do,  and does not require much more time out of your day. This will create an easy foundation to build on and begin introducing mild-to-moderate exercises in your routine. 

 

 

Some tips to keep in mind to protect your joints:

• Keep the impact low
• Start slowly and work your way into moderate exercises
• Listen to your body and do not overdo it
• Use heat to relax the joints and muscles
• Use ice afterward to help with swelling 

 

Arthritis can decrease your quality of life and there is not a cure. Fortunately, our therapies at Midwest Pain Solutions can help treat arthritis. We specialize in high-intensity laser therapy, which stimulates healing in areas of deep pain and damage by improving blood flow, reducing swelling, stimulating cell growth, repairing scar tissue, and boosting nerve function. 

 

Learn more about how our therapies can help relieve your arthritic pain. Call 920-569-2350 to schedule a no-cost consultation with Dr. Jackson Draeger in Green Bay or Appleton.