How to Improve Arthritis Symptoms with Low-Impact Exercise

Learning how to improve arthritis symptoms with the right exercises can be life-changing. If you suffer from arthritis, you know how difficult it can be to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle. Pain, stiffness, and fatigue are common symptoms that lead people to avoid exercise altogether in fear of making the pain worse. But believe it or not, regular joint-friendly exercise is one of the best ways to relieve arthritis pain and regain mobility.

Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. John Steedman, explains the benefits of exercise for those living with arthritis.

Watch the video to learn more:

Benefits of Exercise for Arthritis:

• Reduces joint swelling
• Reduces stiffness and pain
• Lubricates cartilage of the joint
• Improves range of motion and flexibility
• Strengthens muscles that support joints
• Boosts mood and energy
• Decreases Bone Loss
• Promotes weight loss

So let’s get moving! Here are some beginner tips for starting a joint-friendly exercise routine. These are a guide to help you improve your arthritis symptoms and functional movement so you can feel better, move better, and live better.

How to Improve Arthritis Through Exercise

1. Ease into a Regular Exercise Routine

With arthritis, it’s best to start slow and work your way up to the recommended amount of daily exercise for a healthy adult (30 minutes, 5 times a week).

Try starting with two 5 or 10-minute sessions of low-impact exercise each day. Of course, you can do more if you’re feeling up to it, but it’s important not to push your body to do more than it can handle.

2. Avoid High Impact Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to treat arthritis symptoms, but it’s important to do the right exercises.

Although it’s not concluded whether high-impact exercise leads to arthritis, it can definitely worsen symptoms for those living with arthritis. High-impact exercises like running, weight-lifting, or even biking can do more harm than good. Find ways to move your body that don’t take a bigger toll on your joints.

3. Opt for Full Body Exercises

It is important to exercise your entire body, not just the areas affected by arthritis. For example, if you suffer from knee arthritis, you still need to be sure you are exercising the arms and upper body for overall health improvements.

A combination of joint-friendly cardio and strength training is optimal to keep your heart and lungs healthy, while also maintaining muscle mass and range of motion.

4. Balance Rest and Physical Activity

As you make exercise a part of your lifestyle, you’ll find a healthy balance of regular exercise and proper recovery that works for you.

The important part is to keep moving. Most people hesitate to exercise with arthritis, but inactivity leads to more pain, more stiffness, and a reduced range of motion.

Try to maintain a regular exercise routine of 5x a week and give yourself one full day of rest. This will allow your joints and muscles to absorb the full benefits of your efforts.

Of course, if you experience an acute flare-up, don’t try to fight through the pain. Rest and do some gentle stretching instead. Stretching will aid in increased flexibility and muscle recovery and help your joints feel better for your next workout.

5. Modify Exercises for Your Needs

Just because some exercises hurt your joints, doesn’t mean that all exercise will. There are modifications you can make to avoid stress and impact on sensitive joints.

• For cardio, opt for a recumbent machine that relieves pressure from your knees and hips.
• If you take an exercise or circuit class, avoid jumping movements. Ask the instructor for a low-impact alternative to supplement the exercise.
• For strength training exercises, stick to low weight and more repetitions or use a resistance exercise machine. Strength training with heavy weights can be difficult for those with weak or painful joints. The added stress on the joint can cause irritation, pressure, and tearing.

Sometimes it’s easier to keep things simple. Look for an exercise machine that offers low-impact cardio and full-body strength training options for the best full-body results.

The Teeter FreeStep Recumbent Cross Trainer is a great exercise machine for those with arthritis. It exercises both the arms and legs for a great full-body workout and its unique pedal motion is designed to protect the knees and hips.

With the FreeStep, you have complete control over the intensity of the workout, allowing you to do only what you feel capable of on that day. The FreeStep lets you progress at your own pace, with the ability to adjust the resistance as you get stronger.

How to Improve Arthritis Symptoms with the FreeStep

The FreeStep is the optimal choice for zero-impact cardio and strength training that helps with arthritis symptoms.

• Take the pressure off the knees, joints, and back
• Combine cardio and resistance training into one convenient home-use machine
• Get a FULL BODY, zero-impact workout
• Strengthen the leg muscles while also stabilizing the hips and back to help improve balance with patented stride technology
• Reduce the risk of falling with comfortably seated exercise
• Save more than with similar commercial equipment (or potential medical costs)

In a recent Consumer Perception Study, 97% of participants said the FreeStep delivers gentle, low-impact exercise for the knees and back. 93% said the FreeStep delivers less stress on the knees and back than other cardio options.

Are you ready to take control of your health?

If you’re ready to learn how to improve arthritis for a pain-free lifestyle, take a step toward relief with the FreeStep. It’s a simple and convenient way to strengthen the joints and surrounding muscles through zero-impact exercise. You’ll even receive an illustrated exercise guide that shows you how to easily target the upper and lower body or work on interval training to boost muscle growth. So click below to order the FreeStep and feel the difference in your joints and quality of life.