By Nidhi Inamdar / 19 Sep 2019
Excruciating pain, swelling, immobility in fingers these are the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting joints including our hands and feet. The main drawback of the disease is it is incurable.
Here, the body's immune system attacks its own joints and tissues. As it is a chronic condition the disease sometimes lasts lifelong. Scientists have been searching for the cure since forever.
But after a lot of research and clinical studies, one of their many conclusions are that physical exercise is one of the best reprieves for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
They cannot carry on hard on workouts or exercises as it may result in inflammation of muscles and joints. But stretching is one of the activities that help the body to relieve pain and relax. It involves moving muscles from its normal to a bit elongated positions unless it does not cause discomfort. Holding the position for 15-20 seconds and letting go.
Strengthening means exercising the body with the help of some resistance. It has been said that strengthening the muscles has helped many Arthritis patients from facing the rigidity of joints and muscles.
Light walking has also shown to relieve the pain in muscles caused due to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Strolling for a short duration, helps the muscles revive and release their tension and immobility.
It's beneficial for RA patients to have a treadmill at home, ensuring them rest at any point they feel tired and unable to continue.
It saves them the extra strain and discomfort of traveling to places or gardens, where it might not be possible to sit down at any instant and allow muscles to relax.
Conditioning exercise helps improve aerobic fitness. It includes swimming or water exercises. It's beneficial as water helps to support your body weight and does not cause much impact on the joints. Therefore rheumatoid arthritis patients can be active and also lessen the stiffness of their joints.
Cycling helps too, riding a bike that is stationary will help increase the endurance of the muscles of your leg, also it helps the leg to strengthen and build motion.
In addition to all of this, consistency is the key for RA patients. Once they have started exercising, the reduction in symptoms causes the patients to stop their physical activity, resulting in a relapse rate. For continued and permanent relief from the pain and immobility, regular exercising is a must. Even 3 times a week, of gentle, light activity does wonders in preventing fallback.
It’s also necessary to take care about accessorising yourself properly: wear comfortable clothes, shoes that do not skid and provide proper balance along with using yoga mats that are slip-resistant. These safety measures ensure no damage is done to your muscles while getting them to move.
Since the disease differs from people to people, you should consult your doctor and get information about the physical exercises that are safe. You can also contact a physical therapist to provide further assistance. No cure doesn’t mean lifelong suffering.
Get up and fight this illness with regular exercises and a strong, healthy mindset.
