Flexibility (Stretching, Range-of-Motion) Exercises
These gentle stretching exercises should be done every day and are the most important of all your exercises. Flexibility exercises can help you protect your joints by reducing the risk of joint injury, help you warm-up for more strenuous exercise by getting your body moving, and help you relax and release tension from your body. These can be done on land or in water such as a pool, hot tub or warm bath. These exercises can be particularly useful for easing those stiff joints in the morning. Good range-of-motion exercises include tai chi and yoga. Work up to 15 minutes of flexibility exercises a day. Once you can do 15 continuous minutes, you should be able to add strengthening and aerobic exercises to your routine.
Strengthening (Resistance) Exercises
When you have arthritis, you need strong muscles to lessen the stress on your joints. Strengthening exercises can help build your muscles so they can absorb shock and protect your joints from injury, as well as help you get around better. These exercises use weight or resistance to make your muscles work harder thereby helping them get stronger.
There are two types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric exercises are good for people with arthritis because they work by tightening the muscles without moving the joint. It is easy to target the muscles around the joints with isometric exercises, and that reduces stress on your joints. Isotonic exercises strengthen the muscles by moving the joint; for example, straightening your knee while sitting in a chair is an isotonic exercise that helps strengthen your thigh muscle. These exercises can also benefit people with arthritis because they can be made easier when you have an inflamed joint or you can make them more difficult when you are feeling better by adding weights or repetitions. Strengthening exercises should be done every other day after warming up with some flexibility exercises.
Cardiovascular (Aerobic) Exercises
Cardiovascular (aerobic or endurance) exercise is any physical activity that uses the large muscles of the body in rhythmic, continuous motions. This includes walking, dancing, swimming and bicycling, among others. The purpose of these exercises is to make your heart, lungs, blood vessels and muscles work more efficiently. They also can result in improved endurance, stronger bones, improved sleep, controlled weight and reduced stress, depression and anxiety.
