NEWS: Maintaining mobility

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Maintaining mobility

By KRISTIN BUEHNER, Of The Globe Gazette

Years ago, people with arthritis were advised not to exercise

because it could damage their joints.

Today, therapists say the right kinds of exercise can improve their

health and fitness without hurting joints.

" It's important to exercise to maintain as much independence and

mobility as possible, " said Steve Crane, a licensed physical therapist

and manager of physical therapy at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

Arthritis is a progressive inflammation of the joints. The function of

the joints can be maintained, however, by introducing exercises that

are low-impact and use light-to medium-resistance, Crane said.

" We usually recommend higher repetitions and lower weight or

resistance, " he said.

According to the National Arthritis Foundation, exercises should

include range-of-motion, such as stretching and joint-specific

exercises, to reduce stiffness and keep joints flexible; strengthening,

such as chin-ups, push-ups and lifting weights, to help maintain or

increase muscle strength; and endurance exercises, such as walking,

water exercise and cycling, to strengthen the heart, make lungs more

efficient and increase stamina.

Exercise also helps keep the muscles around the joints strong, keeps

bone and cartilage tissue strong and healthy, improves sleep and

improves the ability to perform daily activities.

Not exercising can make the joints even more stiff and painful.

The program that's best for the individual will depend on the type of

arthritis, which joints are affected and the severity of the arthritis.

People in the early stages of arthritis have more options for exercise,

including land-based exer-cises, Crane said.

Those with more advanced arthritis will do best in a heated pool, where

the buoyancy of the water supports the joint, he said.

Therapeutic pools, set at temperatures of 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit,

promote ease of move-ment and exert a calming effect on the joints,

Crane said.

Davenport, a Mercy-North Iowa physical therapist specializing in

aquatic therapy, said peo-ple with arthritis typically undergo

one-on-one therapy in the water.

If the aquatic therapy seems to be going well, they will often continue

with the Rusty Hinges pro-gram for people with arthritis.

" A few do go to water aerobics, if they can tolerate a higher level of

activity and cooler water, " she said.

Jacque sen, aquatic director at the Mason City YMCA and

Rehabilitation Center, said the Rusty Hinges class is great for people

with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Exercises include

range-of-motion and strengthening exercises.

Activities might include marching back and forth, some sidesteps and a

cycling exercise per-formed with floatation devices under the arms.

" I just think that people don't understand they need to stay active, "

said sen, who has had arthritis since the age of 21.

" Your body will tell you if you're doing too much. You need to build

gradually. "