News Taffy

Many of you may not realize that I have an arthritis like condition which makes my joints stiff if I sit in one position too long. I mention this because many people suffer from various types of joint pain and other conditions which may result in muscular or skeletal discomfort. One of the best remedies for joint pain is exercise. Unfortunately, some people with joint pain are reluctant to move much at all, complaining that it hurts. I am here to tell you, exercise helps get rid of the pain.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a virus and spent almost two days sleeping in bed. My back hurt so much from laying still that it was hard to turn over but when I did get up and begin to move around, my back quit hurting pretty quickly. Pain prevention is just one of the many reasons I am so active.

If you suffer from joint pain, talk with your doctor first about what exercises you can safely do or find a personal trainer with experience dealing with clients who have arthritis. Exercise provides so many benefits for those with joint pain: it strengthens your muscles and helps stabilize your joints, maintains bone strength, makes you more energetic, helps you sleep better, improves your balance and flexibility and improves your mood and lessens depression. Weak muscles actually create more stress on your joints as does excess weight. Of course, exercise also helps you maintain a healthier weight and helps your heart work better, things which make your cardiologist happy.

Almost any exercise will be beneficial but try low impact aerobics, strength training or yoga. Plain old walking is great; start with a few minutes a couple of times a week and build up to 5 thirty minutes sessions each week. Water aerobics or swimming are both excellent for arthritis sufferers as the water’s buoyancy reduces the impact on joints while still giving you a great cardio workout. If you can find a heated pool, that would be even better for those achy joints. Even gardening or dancing, especially with a partner, are beneficial. One word of caution: if you have rheumatoid arthritis and experience a flare up, you may need to take a short break from exercise until you are better.

SilverSneakers is a great way to get started exercising as the classes are set up with older adults in mind and the instructors are trained to work with older adults. It’s also a great way to socialize and meet other retirees. Check your insurance plan to see if you are eligible at silversneakers.com.

The main idea is to get moving and do something you enjoy. If you just give exercise a chance, I think you’ll be surprised at how much better you feel instead of just sitting all the time. Studies show that for some types of arthritis, physical activity can slow the progression of arthritis and keep joints healthier. So what are you waiting for?