Millions of people develop arthritis and it can seriously affect their life. Sadly there isn't a cure and they have to live with it for the rest of their life. Are you one of these people have are unfortunate enough to suffer from it? Perhaps you got depressed because you weren't looking forward to the future. Once it gets worse a restricted life is not a pleasant one. Sometimes walking up the stairs can be excruciating. Even though there is no cure, there is still hope you can live the fullest life possible. Please don't give up. But it comes with a price. You have to be willing to work in order to start enjoying your life like you once did.
It all starts with exercise. You can take as much medication as you want, but there's no better way of dealing with arthritic joint pain than exercise. It's the cheapest way in the world to deal with sore joints as long as you're willing to put in the work. Now I know what you might be thinking. No, right? It's going to be too hard. Well it won't be, although it won't be a walk in the park (actually, it could be). Have a look at the exercises below and you can start out taking it easy and as soon as you notice improvements you'll be eager to keep going.
Go for long walks
You need to begin by walking more than you are just now. That doesn't mean walking to your car in the morning. It involves setting an actual training schedule and walking for 20 minutes at least 3 days per week. It's going to strengthen your leg muscles and it will take a lot more pressure off the joints. Reduced pain by simply walking. It's pretty great for your pain, but you have to stick to your exercise plan. Once you get used to it you can start increasing your time and speed, so eventually you'll be covering some decent distances.
Start going in the pool
Swimming is great exercise because there's no pressure on your joints inside the water. It's amazing for people who have more severe arthritis in their knees and hips. Once inside you don't just need to stick to swimming. You can walk, jog, or just splash about like you used to do when you were a child. If you're lucky enough to have access to a hot-tub you can sit in the water and the heat will help reduce the tension in your muscles. The pain will gradually get better and you will feel great.
Use a bike machine
The bike machines at your local gym will give you a great exercise. Just like swimming, it doesn't produce any load on your lower body. If you'd prefer to cycle outside you can, but a stationary bike means you don't have to worry about balance and it would probably be better for some people. Sometimes you find people who have been inactive for a while because of arthritis won't have great balance. It basically keeps you safe. When you're setting the seat up you should aim to keep your knee as straight as you can when the pedal is at the lowest position.
Join a yoga class
Yoga is amazing for people with arthritis. The beginners class will have simple exercises that will strengthen your muscles and provide much more balance and flexibility than you have now. But they're not the only things it will do for you. Soon you'll have a much more relaxed state of mind and your energy levels will increase. All this will lead to a much healthier outlook which can also help with your arthritis, because you will deal with it better than you are now. And it's a great hobby to get into.
The article is written by orthopedic expert, Riley Clark. He authors blogs that track the latest arthritic and surgical treatments. He suggests consulting jointpain.md for any kind of surgical treatment.