Arthritis and Older Adults

Arthritis is a painful disease, but exercise, weight management, and drug therapy can all work together to ease the pain of this condition and help increase joint mobility as well as a better range of motion.

Exercises you should do:

Stretching:

• Should be done three to seven days a week to help increase flexibility and to maintain adequate flexibility.
• Lack of flexibility creates poor posture.

There are two types of stretches that should be done:

a) Static (passive): range of motion, without emphasis on the speed of movement. It involves a long stretch no longer than 8 to 10 seconds.

b) Dynamic (active): is resistance in motion at the joint, emphasizing the speed of the movement. Short duration.

Range of Motion:

Range of motion helps maintain or restore normal joint movement and relieves stiffness, whereas stretching exercises help maintain or restore flexibility to the joint muscles and tendons. Here are exercises to perform:

1. Elbow Flexion and Extension: Touch your fingertips to your shoulders (flexion). Then, straighten your elbows as far as you can, but keep the elbows soft.
2. Elbow Pronation and Supination: With elbows tucked in at your side, hands out in front of you, turn palms to face the ceiling (supination), and then the floor (pronation). The movement is like turning the door knob/key in the door.
   
3. Wrist Flexion and Extension: Bend your wrist forward (flexion), and then backwards (extension), as far as you can without hurting yourself.
   
4. Wrist Extension Stretch: Holding palms together, lift elbows (prayer position).
5. Tuck: Bend the first two joints of your fingers into a tuck position. Do not bend the big knuckles of your fingers.
   
6. Fist: Gently make a fist.
   
7. Web Space Stretch:Stretch your thumb as far away from your index finger as you can.

When doing the following exercises, remember to do one leg at a time and use the back of a chair for support if necessary.

Leg warm-up exercises:

1. Marching: March on the spot.
2. Single Leg Bicycle:Stand on one leg – flex and extend the other leg in a cycling position.
3. Ankle Alphabet:Spell some letters of the alphabet with one foot and then the other.

Hip range of motion exercises:

1. Hip and Knee Flexion and Extension: Bend your hip and knee, bringing your knee as close to your chest as you can (flexion). Then, straighten your leg behind you, keeping your body upright (extension). NOTE: This exercise includes knee range of motion, so you should try to bring it to your chest and straighten it all the way when you push your leg behind you.
2. Hip Abduction (away from the body): Move your leg out to the side as far as you can, keeping your foot pointed forward and leading with your heel. Then return your leg to your side. Stand upright the whole time.
3. Hip Rotation: Turn one leg so that the toes point inward, then turn the leg so that the toes point outward.

Ankle range of motion:

1. Ankle Dorsiflexion and Plantar Flexion: With your leg straight, bend your foot and ankle up – toes towards your nose (dorsiflexion), then down – toes towards the ground (plantar flexion) as far as you can.
2. Ankle Inversion and Eversion: With your leg straight, turn the sole of the foot inward (inversion), then outward (eversion).

for the full article visit http://canfitpro.net/en/articles/item/24-arthritis-and-older-adults

Let our certified pro trainers help. Exercise in the comfort of your own home

Visit: http://www.inhometrainer.ca

Call: 905 Trainer (872 4637)

Toll: 1 888 905 8724