MarkReganFitness.com - Helping you to unlock your potential
MarkReganFitness.com - Helping you to unlock your potential
Arthritis can make exercise painful and could cause you to become less active as a result. The affected joint is used less therefore becoming stiffer and ultimately weaker, making an increase in your activity levels far more difficult.
However, there are a range of exercises and programmes designed to suit the client who has arthritis so that they can still lead an active lifestyle.
The correct exercises can significantly reduce joint pain caused by arthritis. Exercise helps lubricate the joints which allows for smoother movement in the joints and increases the range of motion in the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It is when the body's own immune system attacks itself, causing inflammation of the lining of the joints. Rhuematoid arthritis can develop at any age with the most common age for the disease to start being between 30 and 50 years old. According to research, rheumatoid arthritis cannot be passed on from parent to child.
The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown. The infmmatory changes that take place in rheumatoid arthritis occur within the synovium (lining of the joint) and the symptoms include: redness and warmth, swelling and pain. Redness and warmth is caused by increased blood flow. Swelling is because the joint secretes more synovial fluid which then causes the capsule (which supports the joint) to stretch. When the swelling has subsided the capsule remains stretched and less stable causing the joint to be deformed.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is when a joint becomes inflamed and damaged and causes the bone surrounding it to grow thicker. Osteoarthritis can also be know as "osteoarthrosis", "arthrosis" and "degenerative joint disease".
Factors affecting osteoarthritis make it a "wear and tear" type of disease. Degenerating joints are usually caused by repeatedly overloading ageing tissues e.g. the weight bearing joints in the knee and hip.
Osteoarthritis is a slow process which develops over many years. When a joint develops osteoarthritis, the cartilage graduallly roughens, becomes thin and the bone underneath thckens. The bone at the edge of the joint grows outwards forming osteophytes or bony spurs. Due to the pain on movement, muscles which move the joint may weaken and become thin or wasted.
Mark Regan Fitness For Life can produce exercise programmes for individuals suffering from arthritis.
Training programmes will vary from each individual and will mostly depend on the severity of the arthritis.
The main objectives will be to improve joint mobility, control body weight, improve and maintain functional capacity of the joints and to reduce pain.
Weight-bearing and high impact activities will accelerate changes in the already damaged articular cartilage. Non-weight-bearing or minimal-weight bearing exercises will be ideal for clients with arthritis.
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