Arthritis can be a painful condition, but there are steps you can take to help yourself feel better.
Arthritis can be a debilitating condition. It causes pain, limits mobility and robs you of your independence the longer you have it. And while Horizon Rehab offers pain management rehabilitation programs to help deal with chronic pain, there are steps you can take from the comfort of your own home to help improve and effectively manage the symptoms of arthritis.
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, and Horizon Rehab is here to offer you some tips to change your lifestyle and perform simple exercise to help you live in less pain, regain your mobility and retain your independence.
Living Healthier
If you’re overweight or obese, you have an increase risk for developing arthritis or making the condition worse if you already have it. By exercising and maintaining a healthier diet, you can improve your fitness and help take some pressure off of your joints to improve your symptoms.
Quitting smoking can also do a lot to help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Smoking can break down the connective tissues between the joints of your body, which actually worsens the effects of arthritis. Quitting smoking can go a long way to helping you feel better while giving you a variety of other health benefits.
Focus on Low-Impact Exercises
Arthritis causes your joints to become inflamed and ache. The way to combat this is with gentle exercises that encourage constructive movement that helps loosen your joints. Exercises you should do include:
- Adjusting the way you sit
- Regularly stretching muscles in your arms and legs
- Walking around regularly to avoid being sedentary for too long
Strenuous exercises like weight lifting, running, jumping, tennis and other aerobic sports will actually do more harm than good as it relates to arthritis. These types of dynamic exercises can lead to the worsening of symptoms and increase pain while reducing mobility.
Horizon Rehab’s staff is here to help you reduce your pain and regain your independence. Contact us to learn more about our pain management programs.
Tags: arthritis management