Guest guest Posted November 16, 2008 Report Share Posted November 16, 2008 Dear Group, " E " stands for Exercise. At this point, I don't know if I have arthritis pain because I don't exercise, or If I don't exercise because of arthritis pain. I recently finished a four-week physical therapy session for my shoulders, and I have to admit that it helped. Prior to physical therapy, which involved a lot of somewhat painful stretching exercises, I had difficulty lifting my arms above my shoulders -- but no I can do so without difficulty. I have event started to repeating some of the exercises at home. I purchased 3-pound weights, plus an electronic timer at Target for $6 so that I could time 2-minute sets of exercises. By coincidence, when my physical therapy ended, Amazon.com recommended that I purchase the book " Arthritis: What Exercises Work. Breakthrough Relief for the Rest of Your Life - Even After Drugs and Surgery have Failed " by Dava Sobel and Arthur C. Klein. This $11.16 paperback book is excellent and applies to people ranging from bedridden with arthritis to relatively healthy. Here are some excerpts from the beginning of the book: " Many of the changes that occur in the joints of people with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are assumed to be caused by a disease process, when in fact they are often a consequence of relative immobility... Exercise exerts a very favorable influence on the immunological system, affecting the production of white blood cells , lymphocytes and leukocytes, as well as the whole spectrum of antibodies against various viruses and bacteria. A protective agent called interferon is induced by brisk exercise. There is even evidence that people who are exercising significantly lower their risk of cancer. Exercising also reduces obesity. " " Whatever else people do for their arthritis, they do better if they exercise as well... The motion of exercise nourishes the joints: with motion, fluids are squeezed in and out of the joint space, delivering nourishment to the cartilage, getting rid of waste products. Without motion, this vital exchange cannot take place. The cartilage covering the ends of the bones where the meed has no blood supply of its own. The only way for the cartilage to take in needed nutrients and oxygen is via the motion of the joint. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage is particularly vulnerable to destruction... " I have to admit that exercise is still one my least favorite activities, but this excellent book with illustrations has turned me into a believer, and I have started to exercise. Sincerely, Harald Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 Herald, You are so right. It is important for people with arthritis to keep moving. The Arthritis Foundation website probably still has suggestions. It is strongly recommended to do range of motion exercises for the affected joints specifically every day to keep from losing their function. I am fortunate. I am a yoga teacher, so I get plenty of opportunities for movement. I teach about 10 classes a week, see private students, and have my personal practice. I learned early on in the disease how much movement helped. I was in so much pain that it took me a couple of hours of soaking in warmth and icing, alternately, before I could face my students for morning class. I'm not sure I would have moved at all if I didn't have to because of my job. But I always felt much better afterwards. I also noticed when I'm in a flare and take a Naproxen and rest I get little relief. If I take a Naproxen and move, working or playing, I find improvement. Take care, Ute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2008 Report Share Posted November 17, 2008 hi have you read kathleen turner's biography? on e of the 1st things trentham got her doing was working out 5 days a week even b/f she got RA under control with meds. she now swears by regular exercise and says it definitely helps. monique Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2008 Report Share Posted November 18, 2008 Hi, Harald. Wonderful story. Did your P/T include anything like ultrasonic deep heat? Just wondering. I once found the electrical stimulation helpful, and always wondered if it was a fluke. Amy Harald Weiss, Technical Marketing Group wrote: > > Dear Group, > > " E " stands for Exercise. At this point, I don't know if I have > arthritis pain because I don't exercise, or If I don't exercise > because of arthritis pain. > > I recently finished a four-week physical therapy session for my > shoulders, and I have to admit that it helped. Prior to physical > therapy, which involved a lot of somewhat painful stretching > exercises, I had difficulty lifting my arms above my shoulders -- but > no I can do so without difficulty. I have event started to repeating > some of the exercises at home. I purchased 3-pound weights, plus an > electronic timer at Target for $6 so that I could time 2-minute sets > of exercises. > > By coincidence, when my physical therapy ended, Amazon.com > recommended that I purchase the book " Arthritis: What Exercises Work. > Breakthrough Relief for the Rest of Your Life - Even After Drugs and > Surgery have Failed " by Dava Sobel and Arthur C. Klein. This $11.16 > paperback book is excellent and applies to people ranging from > bedridden with arthritis to relatively healthy. Here are some > excerpts from the beginning of the book: > > " Many of the changes that occur in the joints of people with > rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are assumed to be caused by a > disease process, when in fact they are often a consequence of > relative immobility... Exercise exerts a very favorable influence on > the immunological system, affecting the production of white blood > cells , lymphocytes and leukocytes, as well as the whole spectrum of > antibodies against various viruses and bacteria. A protective agent > called interferon is induced by brisk exercise. There is even > evidence that people who are exercising significantly lower their > risk of cancer. Exercising also reduces obesity. " > > " Whatever else people do for their arthritis, they do better if they > exercise as well... The motion of exercise nourishes the joints: with > motion, fluids are squeezed in and out of the joint space, delivering > nourishment to the cartilage, getting rid of waste products. Without > motion, this vital exchange cannot take place. The cartilage covering > the ends of the bones where the meed has no blood supply of its own. > The only way for the cartilage to take in needed nutrients and oxygen > is via the motion of the joint. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage is > particularly vulnerable to destruction... " > > I have to admit that exercise is still one my least favorite > activities, but this excellent book with illustrations has turned me > into a believer, and I have started to exercise. > > Sincerely, Harald > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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