Exercise Tips for Those With Arthritis

In recognition of May as National Arthritis Month, the Arthritis Foundation offers the following exercise tips to help "Make This The Year You Get Active."

• Try to move your joints gently through their full range of motion every day. When you are exercising, you should be able to talk easily and not be out of breath. If you are exercising so hard you can't talk normally, you need to slow down.
  
  
• Gradually build up your endurance to 20 to 30 minutes per day, at least three times each week.
  
  
• After exercising, cool down for five to 10 minutes. This helps you cool off, lets your heart slow down and helps your muscles relax.
  
  
• If you are having a flare-up in your condition, don't skip your exercise en-tirely. To do absolutely nothing leads to stiff and weak muscles. A balance between rest and activity is necessary, especially when you have a flare-up.

The Arthritis Foundation encourages people with arthritis to work with their doctor and other members of their health care team to develop an exercise program.

- From the Arthritis Foundation

---

Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

---

---

©2006 Texas Medical Center

---

E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu
URL: http://www.tmc.edu/health_briefs/05_15_98-exercise.html