If you have rheumatoid arthritis, which causes pain and inflammation in your joints, you've probably heard that exercise helps relieve this pain. While it can be difficult to get moving and exercise, especially when your pain is severe, making it a routine can be very relieving because you'll feel much better afterward.
According to a study published in the American College of Rheumatology, it was concluded that rheumatoid arthritis patients who exercise regularly experience less pain than those who do not. (*) By choosing the right exercise methods for yourself, you can both reduce your joint pain and feel much better psychologically.
Water exercise
Water-based exercises like swimming and water aerobics improve the use of painful joints and reduce pain. Therefore, you can try water exercises. If there's a pool near your home, you can get a membership, considering that swimming works every part of your body and helps you feel great. Especially during summer holidays, don't forget to walk along the shore and move around in the water. Sun and water-based exercise will help reduce your pain.
Tai Chi
This exercise method, called moving meditation, can be planned for times when you want a slow start when you have significant pain. Tai chi, a traditional Chinese martial art that combines slow and gentle movements with mental focus, improves muscle stiffness, reduces pain, and relieves stress.
To get started, you can find many videos explaining this type of exercise and follow the instructions in the videos to do your workout.
Walking
Walking, which seems quite simple, is actually one of the simplest exercises you can do to solve many problems. You can try to lose weight by walking, relieve stress, and have a stronger body. Of course, it is also possible to get rid of joint pain with regular walking. Brisk walking, which increases your heart rate, relaxes your muscles and helps you feel more comfortable. According to an article published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, it is also said that walking for just 30 minutes a day can improve your mood. (*)
Yoga
Yoga, considered one of the most miraculous exercise methods, is one of the best ways to get to know and stretch your body. Focusing on breathing, yoga exercises generally include postures aimed at strengthening. Holding the same poses for a few seconds or even a few minutes helps your body get used to the movement, stretch, and relax. After a while, your body adapts, and your pain subsides.
Bicycle
Cycling is a more effective and efficient exercise for the joints compared to other aerobic exercises. It helps maintain cardiovascular health, increases leg strength, reduces lower body pain, and contributes to body shaping. If you have the opportunity, you can spend a few hours feeling great by cycling outdoors. Alternatively, you could get a cycling machine for home or join a gym.
Stretching exercises
If you have joint pain, one of the best things you can do is stretch as soon as you wake up in the morning. You can start your day by waking up your body a few minutes before work begins. This way, you can experience less pain throughout the day. You can improve your day by choosing gentle stretching exercises that will stretch your legs, spine, and arms, followed by a great breakfast.
Strength Training
Joint pain often leads to muscle weakness, which in turn causes more pain. Strength training can help reduce pain by increasing muscle strength. You can also incorporate exercises into your routine, starting with resistance bands and weights, and adjusting your routine according to the severity of your pain.
Establish an exercise routine that works for you.
Whichever exercise you choose, the important thing is to make it a routine. Don't push yourself too hard until your body gets used to these exercises. After a while, when you have a more flexible and stronger body, you can change the style of your exercises. Of course, you don't have to focus on just one of these options. You can incorporate a few of them into your life and choose according to your mood.
When you don't want to leave the house, you can try stretching, yoga, or strength training, while on days when you feel better, a walk or bike ride along the beach might do you good. Just observe your body and understand what it needs.