Exercising safely with arthritis: expert tips

If you suffer daily from arthritis, then you know how challenging it can be to complete daily activities, let alone exercise. 

Exercise may seem impossible or daunting, but keeping your body moving and working your muscles can actually help alleviate various symptoms of arthritis. If you’re worried about injury risks, then Millercare is here to show you how to exercise safely with arthritis. 

Our expert tips will help you feel more confident when moving about, helping to improve your mobility and quality of life. So, if you’re ready to invest in yourself, keep reading and take a look at our exercise and recovery products for arthritis pain.

Arthritis and exercise: the benefits 

As mobility care specialists, we understand how chronic pain can make even walking around the block difficult. 

But starting small can help you regain some control over your condition. Exercise doesn’t need to be a grand gesture; it can include light stretches or getting your daily steps in. 

You may be worried that exercise will exacerbate joint pain or create more damage—but the reality is quite the opposite. Regular movement can make daily tasks easier to manage and keep your joints healthy and mobile for longer.

In fact, staying active has multiple benefits, including:

• Reduces muscle stiffness: Constantly moving your joints helps to ease them up, making them feel less rigid. 
• Eases pain: Working through the pain can actually make the pain easier to manage. Gentle exercises release natural pain-relieving chemicals in the body, which helps to manage discomfort.
• Improves mobility: By exercising your muscles, they grow stronger, providing more support to your joints and reducing pain and swelling. This makes moving about much easier during daily activities.
• Boosts overall health and well-being: Exercise releases endorphins, which help to improve mood and boost your energy. It’s also great for heart health and managing weight, all of which can have a positive impact on arthritis. 

Common misconceptions about arthritis and exercise

There’s a lot of information circling that can push people with arthritis or any other conditions that affect mobility away from exercising. We’re here to set the record straight.

1. “Exercise will make arthritis worse”

• It’s actually quite the opposite. A well-planned exercise routine can help strengthen the muscles around the joints, ease pressure, and reduce long-term discomfort.

2. “You should only exercise when you’re completely pain-free”

• For many people who live with arthritis and other conditions, this isn’t possible. Some discomfort is normal, and mild pain (as long as it doesn’t worsen after exercise) is safe and to be expected. 

3. “Resting is better for painful joints”

• Yes, rest and taking it easy is important, but too much inactivity can also lead to increased stiffness and muscle weakness. So, arthritis can actually worsen when you’re not exercising regularly. 

Choosing the right activities

Now that we’ve addressed the importance of exercise for arthritis, we’re going to show you how to do it safely. 

These activities will help you get the most out of your workout without putting too much stress on your joints. 

1. Low-impact aerobics

Aerobic exercises include activities that help increase your heart rate and get the blood pumping. Cardiovascular health is of the utmost importance, and low-impact aerobics can help to improve this, alongside improving lung health, endurance, and weight.

-Walking: This easy exercise is easy to fit into your daily schedule. You can take a walk around your street or the park or hop on a treadmill. Walking helps improve circulation and mobility and strengthen leg muscles.

-Cycling: If you love to feel the wind on your face, cycling is a great way to keep arthritis pains at bay. This supports leg strength, working out your knees and thighs. You can even do this on a stationary bike.

-Swimming and water aerobics: Water can make your body feel lighter and reduce muscle pain. This makes it easier to exercise, allowing for better range of motion. 

• How much to aim for: Try to complete around 150 minutes of low-impact aerobics every week.
• Activities to avoid: Running and jumping can be tough on the joints, so try to avoid these.

2. Flexibility and balance exercises

Working on your balance and flexibility, especially as you get older, can help reduce the risk of falls. You will also find that your muscles will slowly loosen up, making everyday tasks easier to manage. 

-Yoga: With fluid movement and precision, yoga is a very mindful exercise, helping you connect with your body. It helps to stretch muscles, improve balance, and ease stiffness. You can practice simple yoga moves at home or join a yoga class.

-Tai chi: This slow-moving, mindful exercise helps to improve coordination and flexibility. It’s a perfect exercise for those who are looking for something more gentle and precise. 

-Stretching: If you prefer something a little more simple, regular stretching can increase flexibility and strengthen your muscles. Make sure to stretch every area of your body, from your head to your toes, using an instructor or safety equipment.

• How much to aim for: Do these exercises for around 10-20 minutes a day, 5-7 times a week. 
• Activities to avoid: Avoid overstretching past our limit and doing any deep squats. 

3. Strength training 

Strengthening exercises are important for arthritis, as they help to build muscle strength, taking pressure off aching joints. Strong muscles can actually act as shock absorbers, protecting your joints from injury. 

-Resistance bands: Use resistance bands to stretch out your muscles. For example, you can do seated leg extensions, seated shoulder presses, and standing side leg raises. You can also use a chair for assistance. 

-Pilates: Similar to yoga, pilates is a workout that helps build strength through fluid and thoughtful movement. You can do it at home or join a professional class.

-Light weightlifting: Lifting weights can relieve joint pain by increasing muscle strength and endurance. Focus on bicep curls, shoulder raises, and seated knee lifts with weights, going slow and steady.

• How much to aim for: Try to do 2-3 sessions per week of strength training, with rest days in between. 
• Activities to avoid: Stay clear of heavy gripping exercises, heavy weights, and lunges to avoid injury.

4. Everyday strengthening tasks

You don’t have to come up with a whole fitness regime to improve your arthritis pain. Everyday activities like gardening, household chores, or even standing on one leg while washing dishes can aid strength and mobility.

Try carrying light shopping bags to improve grip and work the upper body muscles. For something more active, you can walk up and down the stairs a few times or practice sitting and standing from a chair without your hands to build leg strength. 

Essential Tips for Safe Workouts

When working out, it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and start trying to push yourself past your limit. You may think it’s helping, but you’re only jeopardising your process.

You need to slowly build up your strength in order to see long-lasting results. Before getting started, we recommend consulting your doctor to assess your condition and get tailored exercises for your needs. 

This will help to prevent flare-ups and identify movements or activities that could worsen your symptoms. Always start slow, and then add in a few more minutes of exercise or more challenging activities as you progress. 

A warm-up and cool-down process before and after exercising is essential to prevent injury. If you notice any sudden and sharp stabbing pains and swelling or warmth around your joints, then stop the activity and consult your doctor. 

Incorporating Supportive Equipment with Millercare

At Millercare, we want to make sure you stay safe and comfortable while exercising with arthritis. 

Staying active doesn’t have to be a challenge when you have the right support. Our body supports includes everything from shoulder braces to Arthritis Care Gloves, offering pain relief while keeping your body moving. 

Explore our collection today and take small steps to take back control of your life and health with Millercare.