4 / 24
Advanced Water Aerobics
Monday & Wednesday
8:30 am-9:30 am in the Pool
Exercise in the PAC
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
9:30 am in the PAC
Tai Chi
Monday
2:00 pm in the PAC
Yoga Stretch
Wednesday
10:30 am in the PAC
Men’s Only Water Aerobics
Tuesday & Thursday
8:30 am - 9:15 am in the Pool
Arthritis Foundation
Water Aerobics
Tuesday & Thursday
9:30 am - 10:15 am in the Pool
Arthritis Foundation
Sit/Stand Class
Tuesday & Thursday
11:00 am - 11:45 am in the PAC
• 4 •
The Pinecone
|
April 2017
THROUGH PAIN
Working Out
Exercise is crucial if you have arthritis. But knowing just how much activity to do when
you’re hurting can be tricky. Research shows that moderate activity can help prevent the
progression of arthritis and improve overall function. But while mild muscle soreness
after a workout is normal, sharp pain during or immediately after can signal injury. And
sometimes simply the fear of pain can keep you from wanting to do any kind of exercise.
Here’s how to determine when it’s OK to work through exercise pain – and when it’s not.
If you have mild to moderate pain in a specific joint area before you work out:
Some mild
pain is typical when you first start to move, but after a few minutes you’ll usually start to
feel better, says A. Lynn Millar, PhD, a professor of physical therapy at Winston Salem
State University. “Our joints and muscles get nutrition through movement,” she explains.
“With some movement, you’ll improve the lubrication and circulation around that joint.”
Start with some gentle range of motion movements and if that feels OK, progress to some
low-impact activity like walking.
If you have moderate to severe pain in a specific joint area before you work out:
Focus
on a different area for a day or two. If your knees hurt, decrease the intensity. If the
pain becomes worse, then stop the lower body moves and work your upper body instead.
“Continuing to put pressure on a joint when it’s especially sore could contribute to joint
damage, so it’s best to ease up for a while,” says physical therapist Richard Kassler,
supervisor at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases.
If you have moderate to severe joint pain during exercise:
Stop immediately. “Most
people with arthritis can work through mild pain safely. But if you’re experiencing a lot
of pain while you exercise, even if you’re not doing a particularly joint-taxing workout, it
may be a sign that you have inflammation in the joint, or even joint damage that requires
treatment,” says Kassler.
If you consistently have joint pain (not muscle pain) after exercise:
Switch to a workout
that puts less pressure on your joints. “If you need an elaborate brace or have to pop
ibuprofen constantly, it’s a pretty good sign that your activity is too hard on your joints.
Swimming, water aerobics and biking are all good options for people with joint pain.
If you occasionally have moderate to severe joint pain the day after you work out:
Cut
back on the intensity of your workout. Dr. O’Dell suggests taking a day off, then doing
a shorter, less strenuous workout. If your pain still doesn’t let up, switch to a less intense
form of exercise, such as trading your elliptical workout for water aerobics.
Our Arthritis Foundation exercise classes in the pool and in the PAC are good for everyone
whether they have arthritis or not. Please consider joining us. See the schedule for times
and places.
Learn when to keep moving through exercise pain and when to stop.
BY CAMILLE
NOE PAGÁN
WE COMPLETED THE
APPALACHIAN TRAIL
Congratulations to everyone who
turned in their steps for our
Walk Across America Program.
We traveled the entire
Appalachian Trail, 2189 miles.
Our grand total for 50 participants
was over 2900 miles.
Gene Wainscott contributed
500 miles and our next high
mileage hikers were Jody Sosh,
Jim Stanley, and Joyce Matlock.
Check out our bulletin board in the
Oasis to see our map and photos!