Osteoarthritis impacts some 27 million Americans, making it one of the most common pain syndromes in the nation. Though the effects can often be debilitating, many individuals are hitting the gym to fight back against their OA symptoms. Your care experts here at Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management have been treating pain conditions for nearly two decades, so we know a thing or two about pain prevention. The right physical activity regimen can do wonders for your arthritis symptoms, but the wrong regimen can leave you in greater agony than before.
How to start a healthier and happier lifestyle
Follow these simple guidelines for working out with osteoarthritis, and start your journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle:
1. Flexibility Exercises
Slow, gentle stretching and range-of-motion exercises help re-train the joints to move and function the way they were built to. Enhanced flexibility can also ward off common OA symptoms like stiffness and swelling. Leg raises, hamstring curls, wall squats, and light yoga or tai chi are all great ways to maximize your joint flexibility.
2. Strength Training
The stronger your muscles are, the better they can protect your joints from decay and inflammation. Moderate weight training with dumbbells or machine weights will be your safest bet. Because straining or tearing a muscle is sure to amplify your arthritis symptoms, it is best to avoid using heavy free weights such as plates or barbells.
Weight lifting will not only strengthen joint-supporting muscles, but it will also increase bone density. A more fortified bone structure bolsters your body’s defenses against joint decay.
3. Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic training methods like walking, jogging, or swimming combat the effects of Osteoarthritis by improving the immune system. Exercising in this way builds endurance, enhances blood circulation, eliminates harmful toxins, and ultimately prevents your condition from developing further. Most physicians recommend 30 minutes of light aerobic activity (such as walking or bicycling) about five days per week.
What if working out isn’t working out?
Adopting a healthier lifestyle isn’t always enough to combat the more aggressive symptoms of Osteoarthritis. The unfortunate reality is that chronic joint pain cannot always be eradicated through traditional methods like exercise, physical therapy, or pain medication.
When your condition reaches this point, it is not uncommon to start feeling desperate. This is when most individuals resort to an invasive surgical procedure that ultimately results in several months of physically and emotionally taxing rehabilitation.
This does not have to be your last resort. At Oklahoma Spine & Pain Management, we have mastered the art of treating a variety of pain conditions with therapy. We utilize the restorative power of the body to repair and replace broken-down joint tissue, resulting in renewed mobility and youthfulness for up to 12 months after treatment.
Avoid surgery and get back to living a fuller life.
Call 405-703-4950 to schedule your evaluation.
