Want to make the most of yourworkout? Fuel up with the right foods.“What you eat and drink can affect howyou feel and how quickly you recover,”says SonyaAngelone, a San Francisco–basedregistered dietitian who works withathletes. Here’s her advice on what to havebefore, during and afterexercise.Continue readingBest Foods to Eat Before, During and After Your Exercise Routine
While stretching is an important part of any workout, fitness studiosknown as stretching gyms make it the focus. Stretching instructors helplengthen and loosen muscles, either working one-on-one with clients andphysically adding gentle pressure to deepen stretches, or by guiding a classthrough a series of stretches with props, such as foam rollers and bands.
“There’s no question that stretching benefits people with arthritis,”says CoryFeger, a physical therapist in Louisville, Kentucky. “Itimproves range of motion, lubricates joints and increases blood flowto muscles.” But are these new gyms and classes safe for people witharthritis? While they can be useful,Fegerrecommends proceedingwith caution. Here’s how:
Doctors should routinely talk to all arthritis patients about the importance ofphysical activity and exercise, according to new recommendations from the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). The recommendations, which received near-unanimous approval from an international team of experts, were published in July inAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
In EULAR’s broad definition, physical activity includes exercise, sports, physical labor and ordinary chores like washing the car or gardening. According to the task force, physical activity is safe and effective for people with every type of arthritis, includingrheumatoid arthritis (RA),spondyloarthritis (SpA), and hip and kneeosteoarthritis (OA)and should be a key part of standard patient care.
Continue readingExercise: It’s Just What Your Doctor Should Order
Exercise can help ease arthritis pain, but how much do you really know about the ins and outs of working out? Read these questions and answers and test your fitness IQ!Continue readingWhat’s Your Fitness IQ?
You might exercise toimprove function, gain strength or slim down. Whatever your reason, “setting a goal can give you focus, confidence and motivation,” says Hannah J. Bennett, a physical therapist with Baylor Scott & White Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation in Round Rock, Texas.
But how can you tell if your workouts are working? The key is making realistic and specific milestones. “Check your progress regularly,” says Bennett. Seeing results can provide motivation – or signal that it’s time to switch things up. Here are four common fitness goals and how to track them.
Continue readingUse Goal Setting to Motivate Your Arthritis Workout
You know that physical activity is an important part of your arthritis treatment plan. You want to take advantage of the good weather to get out andwalk, but you just can’t seem to get moving. When it comes to health and fitness, your state of mind, or emotional conditioning, is as important as your physical conditioning. Yet aside from pro athletes, few people focus on the mental aspects of physical fitness, whether it’s overcoming anxiety related to arthritis pain or simply getting motivated to lace up your sneakers each day. Changing your mind-set can help you live a more active life and get your arthritis under control. So, before you exercise, get your mind ready.
Continue readingPsyching Yourself Up To Exercise For Arthritis