Arthritis
According to the Arthritis Foundation in Ventura, CA, there are over 100 types of arthritis. Most are familiar with the two most prevalent types:
Osteoarthritis: The most common of the two, is a non-systemic disease, and usually attacks one joint in the body (such as the knee).
Rheumatoid Arthritis: is a systemic disease that, like type 1 diabetes, has an autoimmune etiology. An inflammation disease occurs eight times greater in females, although the reason is unknown. Hormonal differences are suspected.
The goal of managing arthritis is to keep joints in good working order, relieve pain (through anti-inflammatory drugs), and alleviate depression, which is one of the most crippling aspects of the disease. In terms of exercise, reducing the incidence of fibromyalgia (poorly developed muscles) is also of prime importance.
The most common exercise program is the PACE exercise routine, which incorporates progressive resistance principles in its philosophy.
PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) helps its members in the following way
Maintaining range of motion for all of its participants.
Clearing waste products that accumulate in joints through muscle toning.
Incorporating range of motion (ROM) exercises, using total body conditioning at least two times a day. You may perform these three times or more during a given day.
Increasing muscle tone through resistance training with external workloads decreases to a minimum the fibromyalgia component and some of the suffering.
Using exercise as a social interaction to guard depression, which is one of the major reasons arthritis patients deteriorate in health.
Water exercise is perhaps the most important part of an arthritis exercise program. It is gentle to joints, allows a full range of motion, increases strength, and has a buoyancy factor, which relieves overall muscle stress. Good instruction is necessary for these patients, and a program 2-3 days per week is recommended for proper improvement in their condition.
Moderate strength training may be of prime importance because patients may see success in a relatively short time. Using this modality, they receive positive feedback from instructor.
They will benefit psychologically and physiologically from engaging in a supervised resistance program that can increase their tolerance to external work without impairing joint function.
Contraindications to Exercise (Arthritis)
Strength training for persons with severe joint pain is not prudent until a proper diet is prescribed and medications are discussed with the client’s doctors. It is not advisable to start off with an exercise program for a person who has not been cleared for participation. According to the Arthritis Foundation, even persons suffering from relatively severe fibromyalgia may participate in a resistance-training program as part of their therapy. Instructors need to be aware of range of motion and limitations during the training itself.
Sample Programs
The PACE program suggests aerobic activities such as non-impact aerobics, swimming (or water aerobics), or even machine exercises for the main part of conditioning, keeping the heart rate at the end of the training zone.
Light flexibility five to ten minutes before an after each session, concentrating on afflicted joints is again part of the therapy for improving joint and muscle function. Weight routines should encompass moderate dumbbell exercises for upper body, choosing machines that provide resistance without causing undue pain.
Examples would be total hip machine, sitting chest press, Lat pull down, biceps curl, triceps extension, sitting calf raise, and sitting abdominal machine. Instructors need to pay close attention to exercise response of patients, based on their pain threshold.
Suggested by Neeraj Mehta, Fitness Expert and Director of GFFI Fitness Academy
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