Exercises for arthritis pain relief

With age comes many wonderful things: wisdom, experience and, perhaps, respect. But somewhere along the road of life, body parts might start snapping, crackling and popping. It may lead you to wonder, when did my joints start sounding like Rice Krispies?

Although joint pain may make you feel like the rusted tin man (or woman,) sometimes, it's no laughing matter. Kelly Martin, director of programs and services in Alberta for the Arthritis Society of Canada says that joint pain can be one chink in a chain of health issues you shouldn't ignore.

Who arthritis hurts and why
A common cause of joint pain is arthritis; and the older you get, the more likely you are to develop arthritis. But younger people aren't exempt from this chronic condition. According to the Arthritis Society of Canada, about 200,000 Canadians between the ages of 25 and 34 have some form of arthritis.

And juvenile arthritis affects 1 in 1,000 Canadian children under the age of 16.Arthritis causes pain because of inflammation or bone rubbing against bone. In response, the surrounding muscles that work the joint tighten to protect the hurting joint. As these muscles remain tense for a long period of time, they also begin to hurt.

Causes of joint pain
However joint pain is not solely linked to arthritis and can affect people of all ages. Montreal chiropractor and spokesperson for the Canadian Chiropractor's Association Dr. Annette Bourdon says that most joint pain is caused by one, or a combination, of four things: injury, misalignment, lack of exercise and arthritis.

First, consult your physician to determine the cause of your joint pain before beginning a new exercise regimen. "If you exercise an injured or inflamed joint, a misaligned joint, or a severely arthritic joint, you could make it worse," says Dr. Bourdon.

How exercise relieves joint pain
Starting a new exercise regimen might seem intimidating if you suffer from joint pain but, over the long-term, it could weaken pain and help slow down arthritis's degenerative process.

Most joints actually need movement in order to stay healthy, explains Dr. Bourdon. "Some of the joint tissues, like the discs in the spine and joint cartilage, have very few blood vessels. These tissues are dependent on joint movement to act as a pump moving oxygen, water and vital nutrients in and waste products out," Dr. Bourdon says. "The less the joints move, the less the tissues are nourished. Movement is a lifeline for joint tissue."

Click to continue for 6 recommended exercises for arthritis relief...

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Make time for exercise
Adding exercise to your daily routine can be as easy as walking to a colleague's desk to deliver a message rather than sending an e-mail. Martin suggests taking stretch breaks, parking further away from your destination, or simply making more than one trip to the car when unloading groceries. All of these exercises are low impact (meaning they don't exert too much pressure on joints) and may even help shed some extra pounds.

For some, losing weight can help to alleviate aches and pains. "Losing 10 pounds translates into a decrease in stress on the knees by 40 pounds," says Martin. "This decrease of stress could help manage joint pain." Here are some low-impact exercises for arthritis relief, to get you started:
- swimming
- water aerobics
- yoga
- pilates
- tai chi
- walking

Could your joint pain be arthritis?
If your joint pain doesn't go away in two to four weeks consult your doctor. However there are some telltale signs of arthritis that you should watch out for in painful joints, says Martin.

"Inflammatory, or rheumatoid arthritis, usually affects lots of joints and tends to be symmetrical, involving joints on both sides of the body (i.e., both hands, both elbows, etc.). However, if a person is diagnosed with degenerative, or osteoarthritis, this type usually affects a few joints and tends to be asymmetrical (“not matching”) swelling and pain in single joints that are not part of a pair (i.e. one knee, one finger, etc.)."

Pay attention to your body aches
Simply taking medication to manage pain is not enough for chronic joint pain or arthritis and exercising while taking pain medication can be dangerous warns Dr. Bourdon. "The old saying 'No pain no gain' is not true when it comes to your joints. A little soreness or stiffness may be expected from physical activities, but if you have pain or restricted mobility that doesn't resolve itself fairly quickly, consult a health professional."

For more information on joint pain related to arthritis check out Arthritis -- pain relief, treatment and more and 10 arthritis-friendly tools.

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