Did you know? May is National Arthritis Awareness Month and National Osteoporosis Month.
Historically, people with these conditions have avoided physical activity due to the pain it may cause. Unfortunately, this lack of physical activity has been shown to actually result in more pain to the individual and a worsening of their condition.
Does that mean you should head out and run a marathon tomorrow? Absolutely not! There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when starting a physical activity routine with arthritis or osteoporosis.
Today, we want to share a few tips to keep in mind as you start down the road to becoming more physically active.
1. Warm up, warm up warm up: You never want to jump head first into a workout routine, without properly loosening your joints/muscles. The best way to do this is to take a 10-15 minute walk, where you are bending your arms and legs slowly into different positions.
2. Choose the correct type of exercises: These include, but are not limited to, strength training, stretching, cardiovascular exercise, balance exercises and flexibility exercises. You should avoid high-impact exercises and exercises that require you to bend and twist.
3. Start slow: The purpose of this training is not to be the strongest person in the room. So start light. For women, that is generally 2 to 3 pound weights and 5 to 8 pound weights for men.
4. Vary your routine: Doing repetitive movements of joints affected by these conditions can cause stress and additional pain. By varying your routine, you will be able to strengthen each muscle around the affected area, which will provide support.
5. Pain does NOT equal gain: If what you are doing causes joint pain, you should stop immediately. Your trainer should be able to provide a different exercise.
6. Don’t forget the cool down: Much like warming up, cooling down is equally important. Take time to do some light stretching or take another short walk. Your body will thank you!
As you can see, arthritis/osteoporosis should not be an excuse to remain sedentary. If you are interested in learning more about how you can safely incorporate physical activity, contact CustomFitt today!
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