Exercising regularly can help reduce arthritis pain and improve your flexibility. It may even help you to reduce your intake of over-the-counter prescription medicines.
Are you ready for a quick relief from your pain? Here are four moves that target common arthritis pain spots.
1. Relieve Muscle Pain and Stiffness
To relieve and relax stiffness, and muscle pain, do the following.
How to:
– Do deep, belly breathing or diaphragmatic breathing for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
– Do a hamstring stretch for at least 30 seconds.
– Dp a calf stretch for at least 30 seconds.
2. Strengthen Upper Body Range of Motion
Improve and strengthen your upper body range of motion.
How to:
– Do an arm circles, backward for half a minute.
– Work your back and arms, by moving your on a table top, do this as if you’re doing the breast stroke for a minute.
– Do wrist circles or wrist bends (up and down motion). Open and closed your fingers for 10 seconds each.
3. Stretch Your Hips
This exercise can help strengthen and stretch the muscles of the hips.
How to:
– With both knees bend together, bring them forward, while lying on your back. With your lower spine on the floor, slowly move them in a widening circle.
– After doing 5-10 circles, switch direction. Then, slowly come back to your regular position.
4. Protect Your Knees
This exercise help strengthens the quadriceps, the muscles at the front of the thighs, that support the knees.
How to:
– With your feet flat on the floor, sit on a chair. Then loop an exercise band around your left ankle or you can use a light ankle weight. For support, rest your palms on the sides of the chair.
– Lift your left foot slowly, until your leg is straight. Hold this for a second or two, then lower slowly. Continue until your legs feel exhausted, then repeat using your right leg.
