Posted September 9, 2013
As we start aging it is common to start having some mobility issues. For those with mild to chronic arthritis, it can be especially painful. While staying still can prevent immediate pain from happening, it won't stop those aching pains you feel in your joints. Since arthritis can affect different areas of people based on your health and age, most treatments are unique to where you have joint issues. However there are still ways you can help treat and prevent your arthritis so it doesn't get worse any time soon. Surprisingly, the ways you can help arthritis don't involve you sitting in a chair all day.
By exercising regularly you can drastically improve your joint health. While it might seem like it would worsen your joint pain, exercising provides valuable benefits for your body. It can increase your strength and flexibility, which in turn will allow you to put less weight on your joints. Your joint point will decrease because the muscles around your bones are becoming stronger, as well as your actual bones. While lying in bed or staying on the couch all day might sound appealing, it will actually make your arthritis worse.
The amount you need to exercise to keep your joints healthy isn't actually that much. Moderate exercise performed a few times a week will be plenty to help your arthritis. You can do aerobic exercises like swimming, biking and walking, strengthening exercises such as light weight training and range of motion exercises like stretching to improve your flexibility. But before you do any of this, make sure to ask your doctor in order to safely start exercising.
Another great benefit to moderate exercising when you have arthritis is that if you are overweight you can start to lose some of the weight that is burdening your joints. By staying active and getting rid of some of the added pressure on your joints, you can see a big difference. Not only will your joint pain reduce, but you can become healthier too.
Once you have started exercising, there are other ways that you can help your arthritis that involve you getting up and about. Some alternative treatments include visiting a chiropractor or receiving acupuncture. By aligning your bones correctly, your chiropractor can reduce pressure on joints that are bothering you. Acupuncture can also decrease joint pain by releasing hormones known as endorphins. While there is no cure to arthritis, these treatments are shown to help in some patients. Since everyone is different, it is important to know that they will not offer guaranteed joint relief. The only way for you to know is to try them out.
