A study carried out by Dr Sara Wilcox, of the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina, has revealed that three hours of exercise a week can help reduce the acute pain caused by arthritis.
After the trial period, it was found that the level of pain decreased from 4.7 to 4.3 out of 10. The participants also reported significant improvements in the level of pain relief, joint stiffness and tiredness after three months.
The exercise regimen consists of three exercises:
1. Sitting on a chair, back straight, arms crossed to touch the opposite shoulder. Stand up from the seated position without using the arms or any other support. Sit again.
2. In a sitting position, the arms are outstretched to reach the toes keeping the knees straight.
3. Walking as quickly as possible around the house for six minutes.
To motivate oneself for exercise, the state of mind or emotional conditioning is as important as physical conditioning. for many people, the fear of pain rather than pain itself which prevents one from exercising.
Being flexible in the timing of the exercise to adjust with the time of minimal arthritic pain helps people to continue with the exercise regime. If pain and stiffness is maximum in the morning, as is common in most forms of arthritis, it is better to exercise in the late afternoon or evening. If the pain is particularly severe in any particular day, it will be better to cut the duration of the exercise in half or to walk very slowly.
Keeping one's mind focussed on the benefits of exercising cna help with motivation adn keeping up with the exercise regime.
The study was published in the American Journal of Preventice Medicine
After the trial period, it was found that the level of pain decreased from 4.7 to 4.3 out of 10. The participants also reported significant improvements in the level of pain relief, joint stiffness and tiredness after three months.
The exercise regimen consists of three exercises:
1. Sitting on a chair, back straight, arms crossed to touch the opposite shoulder. Stand up from the seated position without using the arms or any other support. Sit again.
2. In a sitting position, the arms are outstretched to reach the toes keeping the knees straight.
3. Walking as quickly as possible around the house for six minutes.
To motivate oneself for exercise, the state of mind or emotional conditioning is as important as physical conditioning. for many people, the fear of pain rather than pain itself which prevents one from exercising.
Being flexible in the timing of the exercise to adjust with the time of minimal arthritic pain helps people to continue with the exercise regime. If pain and stiffness is maximum in the morning, as is common in most forms of arthritis, it is better to exercise in the late afternoon or evening. If the pain is particularly severe in any particular day, it will be better to cut the duration of the exercise in half or to walk very slowly.
Keeping one's mind focussed on the benefits of exercising cna help with motivation adn keeping up with the exercise regime.
The study was published in the American Journal of Preventice Medicine
