Your elderly family member might not believe it, but exercising even though she has arthritis can actually help. there are a few things to keep in mind, though.
Talk to Her Doctor before You Start Something New
The biggest thing to remember about exercise and arthritis is that your senior’s doctor needs to be involved. He can ensure that you and she both understand how much exercise is right for her and when she needs to rest. Once you have an idea what activities will serve her best, your senior can start to put a plan together.
Take it to the Pool
Water exercises are less likely to irritate swollen joints. Water can be extremely soothing, even when your elderly family member is exercising. It helps her to be buoyant and supports all of her joints and muscles. There is also a ton of variety involved in water exercises because your senior can swim laps if she wants or try water aerobics and other activities.
Consider a Bike
Riding a bike, whether it’s on a trail outside or a stationary bike, can help your elderly family member to avoid overburdening her joints while giving her a great workout. Biking is a great way to get cardio exercise in and build up muscle tone. Look for bikes that are comfortable and that your elderly family member can adjust depending on how she’s feeling.
Keep it Simple with a Walk
When your senior needs to just do something simple that doesn’t require a lot of preparation, walking is one of the better choices. Taking a walk around the block is extremely easy, but you can shake things up a bit. Your elderly family member might be interested in joining a wall walking club where she can meet new people. Walks out in nature can help her to forget that she’s sneaking in a workout.
Learn to Recognize When Enough Is Enough
The most important part of exercising with arthritis is that your senior isn’t pushing herself too hard. Recognizing when her joints and her muscles have had enough is essential to knowing when she needs to ease up on herself. All those sayings about pain being part of a great workout aren’t true. It’s important that you and other people who help your aging adult, such as home health care providers, can recognize when she’s had enough.
Keeping your senior active without overdoing it can help her to manage her arthritis more effectively. Make sure that your senior keeps up with follow-up appointments with her doctor to ensure that all is well.
