Читать книгу Arthritis For Dummies - Barry Fox - Страница 50

If you’re in pain, you probably want to stop moving, and it’s certainly advisable for you to rest your joints when you’re feeling achy. But too much sitting around can actually be the worst thing for you in the long run. Exercise is a great way to “oil and feed” the cartilage. Underexercised joints don’t get the lubricating and nourishing benefits of the in-and-out action of the joint fluid, so cartilage can become thin and dry, losing its resilience and capability to cushion the bones.

Include three types of exercises in your overall physical fitness program:

 Flexibility exercises: You should do stretching, bending, and twisting exercises every day to increase your range-of-motion and reduce stiffness. Flexibility exercises help keep your joints loose and flexible.

 Strengthening exercises: Weight lifting or isometric exercises should be done every other day to build your muscles and help keep your joint-supporting structures stable. These types of exercises help increase your muscle strength.

 Endurance (aerobic) exercises: These should be done at least three times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes each session to increase overall fitness, strengthen your cardiovascular system, and keep your weight under control. Brisk walking (especially up hills), jogging, cycling, dancing, swimming, and so on, all help to increase your fitness and capacity for exercise.

Before starting a new exercise program, get a referral to a physical therapist to find out which kinds of exercise and levels of activity are appropriate for you. Doing the wrong exercises — or doing the right exercises in the wrong way — can cause you further injury. (See Chapter 12 for more information on exercise.)