Wants to know the exercises to relieve arthritic pains

Dear Dr. Fritz,

Please call me Rhoda P. I am 55 years old. But, I already have arthritis. The pains in my knees are killing me. I have heard that exercise can help. But, I wonder if there are exercises that can ease me out of my arthritic situation.

I hope you can help me. More power to you.

Rhoda P.

Dear Rhoda P.,

Yes, you have heard it right. Exercise can help you ease the pain. These exercises can also help you lose some weight, which is essential to take the pressure off from your aching joints. As a matter of fact, if you lose about 11 pounds, you can lower your risk of developing knee osteoarthritis by 50%.

But, of course, not all exercises are made equal. There are exercises which are not suitable and may not be recommended for your situation. This will depend of the cause and intensity of your pain. So, let’s get moving and see what would work best for you. 1. Warm it up Do this with gentle stretching – like side bends, shoulder shrugs, arm circles, overhead stretches and bending to reach your toes. It is not necessary for you to touch your toes. These are all good warm-up exercises. You can do three to five times of each of the above mentioned stretching exercises. However, if you are swimming or walking, warm up with a slower swim or just by walking around.

2. Try low-impact aerobic activities

In your case where your knees ache, do walking, swimming, bicycling, and water aerobics for 30 minutes – for about 4 to 5 days in a week. Avoid jogging because this would cause your feet to hit the ground. 3. Do tai chi and yoga Tai chi helps with joint pains, flexibility and balance. Yoga, on the other hand entails deep breathing, stretching and poses that can tone, strengthen and straighten up your body. So, these two can pick up your muscle strength and flexibility. 4. Back stretch Do this by standing with your back straight and feet shoulder wide apart. Then, hold your arms above your head and hold one hand with the other. Now, pull up while you lean straight to your right side. Keep your lower body straight. At this point, you should feel the pull along your left side. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds and then, switch sides. Do this two to four times on each side. 5. Arm stretch Do this by standing with your back straight and your feet shoulder wide apart. To start with your left arm, bend this and bring your elbow straight up – so, it points to the ceiling. Grab your elbow with your right hand and pull your elbow toward your head. At this point, feel the stretch at the back of your bent arm. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds, then, switch elbows. Repeat this for two to four times on each of your arms.

Well, as there are more to discuss regarding your situation, let me talk about this more in my next issue. Until then!

Dr. Fritz

(For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar Davao, Granlan Building, R. Castillo St., Davao City or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com.)