Older adults with arthritis can find themselves placed in an impossible position when it comes to keeping fit. The joint pain you experience can make even the mildest exercise tough, but not exercising can put you at even greater risk of poor health and reduced quality of life.
What, then, is the solution? The key is to choose exercises that take pressure off your joints, such as swimming, and taking things slow. In this article, you can find out our top exercise tips for arthritis!
Do Not Neglect Pain Management
Before starting to work out, ensure that you have a way of keeping your pain under control. This can necessitate a visit to the doctor’s office, and it’s a good idea to run your exercise plans by them and seek out recommendations if you need them.
With the right anti-inflammation therapies and medications, you will be well-equipped to keep your pain under control and start your exercise regime!
Choose Low-Impact Activities
Some types of exercises that would best suit older adults with arthritis include water aerobics, swimming, tai chi, and chair exercises. All these workouts are low-impact and do not put too much pressure on the joints.
Not only can exercising help with pain reduction, but it also comes with many of the same benefits enjoyed by everyone, with or without arthritis: increased muscle strength, better heart health, and a wider range of motion!
Remember to Warm Up and Cool Down
Before engaging in any type of exercise, it’s crucial to warm up. Warm-up exercises can involve touching your toes and doing arm circles. Those who experience pain in specific areas can try applying a heat pack to the area before exercising. This helps to loosen up and relax the joints and muscles.
At the end of each session, don’t forget to do some light stretching. If you experience pain in some muscles, applying an ice pack can help to speed up recovery and ensure that you are in good condition for the next session.
Pay Attention to Your Diet
Working out is all well and good, but in order to see results, this has to be complemented by a well-balanced diet. For instance, if you are focusing on strength training and muscle building, you will wish to introduce more healthy proteins into your diet.
Is it too much trouble for you to prepare specialized meals while focusing on keeping fit? When you move into a retirement community, you can benefit from a catered dining program, where three meals a day are provided to suit your needs!
Discovery Village At Tampa Palms Has Everything You Need
From health & fitness programs to three freshly prepared meals a day, our retirement community has everything our residents could possibly need. Whether supervised independent living or assisted living is more suitable for you, you can benefit from the wide selection of amenities we offer onsite, including a senior-equipped wellness center, lush outdoor spaces, games rooms, and a heated indoor therapy pool!
