Move For Pain Relief

Although arthritis is a serious health condition with no known cure, you can do a lot to make coping with it easier.

It may surprise you, but movement is one of the best pain relievers. It used to be used that people with arthritis were told to rest their joints, but we now know that rest can actually increase the pain.
Appropriate exercise helps relieve pain and stiffness and increases joint flexibility. It also increases muscle strength and strong muscles help support and protect knees and hips and also improve balance and mobility.

Movement also increases circulation and improving circulation may improve numerous other problems, including the condition of pain–affected limbs.

While exercise is important, it’s equally important to choose an appropriate exercise – cycling, swimming, yoga, pilates or walking should not add any load to your joints and offer great benefits. Ask your doctor before beginning any exercise programme, and always report any changes in your pain or symptoms.

Take extra time to warm up and cool down comprehensively, and it may also be a good idea to engage the services of a personal trainer or therapist with experience in exercising with arthritis, to teach correct exercise technique.