Exercise for osteoarthritis

introduction

In addition to a healthy, balanced diet be valid regular exercise and Move as central points to improve health. But is that true in any case? What do patients with previous illnesses have to consider when doing sport? Should they even exercise? This text aims to provide answers to some of these questions. In particular, it deals with exercise in patients who participate in arthrosis Suffer. Osteoarthritis is a slow, chronic disease wear or the excessive Wear of joints. By a Reduction of cartilage mass in the joint it can be strongest Pain come.

Can you do sports with osteoarthritis?

The cause of osteoarthritis is often excessive stress - this can happen from too much exercise or from a greatly increased body weight. Patients who “owe” their osteoarthritis to a career in professional sport, for example, or who have so far mainly practiced stressful sports such as tennis or soccer, should reconsider their training schedule and adjust it if necessary. Of course, this does not mean that there is an absolute ban on sports. Everyone else can be advised relatively flat rate to continue expanding their workload.

Resting can intensify the progression of osteoarthritis, as a joint that is completely spared less synovial fluid (as a kind of "goo") and is therefore certainly the wrong choice. If there is no synovial fluid, on the one hand the plain bearing is missing, which lubricates and facilitates the movement sequence, on the other hand the articular cartilage is poorly supplied with nutrients, which causes it to break down and age more quickly.

Read more on the topic: Strengthening exercises for knee osteoarthritis

Movement of the entire body and especially the joints prevents stiffening and can even relieve pain. It is also important to have a normal body weight so as not to put even more pressure on the joints. In addition, targeted muscle building should play an important role in stabilizing the joints from the outside and thus relieving them. Depending on which joint is affected, one or the other gymnastics exercise is better or less suitable.
The gentle strengthening of the muscles and improved mobility achieved with yoga or Pilates reduces the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

For all of the following exercises, however, it is equally important to ensure that the exercise is carried out exactly with the right technique! Anyone affected can do more harm than good with exercises that are performed incorrectly or that are too demanding. In case of doubt, osteoarthritis patients should always have an experienced trainer and / or a physiotherapist show them how to do the exercises and regularly check that they are still being performed correctly. A good workout requires concentration and body tension as well as other tasks.

Read more on the topic: Knee osteoarthritis, can you still jog?

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Which sports are cheap?

Of course, exercise should not worsen existing joint damage even further, which is why choosing the right kind of sport for osteoarthritis is of crucial importance. When in doubt, a Orthopedist give more detailed information and tips on choosing.

In general, for patients suffering from osteoarthritis, smooth movements without heavy loads recommendable. This includes, for example To go biking and the swim. Here are above all Freestyle swimming and Backstroke Cheap. Also hike or Walking on flat paths is suitable as a sport for osteoarthritis. On the other hand, inclines and mountains - whether uphill or downhill - should be avoided. Also from excessive exertion or fast start-stop sports (Tennis, squash, soccer) you should keep your distance. In particular, the cheap sports - cycling, swimming, ... - are also ideal for your own Normalize body weight and the Improve endurance.

In addition to the treatment of osteoarthritis, there are also other additional health benefits - such as The cardiovascular system is strengthened and with it the risk of a Heart attack lowered can be. In addition to this endurance training, a moderate strength training (for example in the form of simple gymnastics) be performed.

It should be customized to the affected osteoarthritis zone be tailored. It's then mainly about the Building and strengthening musclesthat is in the immediate vicinity of the affected joint. Strong muscles can do it Stabilize the joint and part of his tasks and thus his Relieve stress. With strengthened muscles, those affected not only feel fitter and more vital, but also also reduce existing pain and slow down the progression the disease clearly.

What can I do to exercise better with osteoarthritis?

When osteoarthritis is beginning, which is only painful under heavy exertion, it is particularly important to be able to do sport well for a long time perfect technique to pay attention and Distance from particularly unfavorable sports to take. Active muscle building should also delay a further worsening of symptoms. If the pain becomes permanently noticeable - as is usual in the advanced stage - the attending physician will also work out a suitable pain concept after his examinations and the diagnosis. Patients suffering from osteoarthritis should adhere to it.

Nevertheless, it remains important to accept and accept the pain, which will now be more or less intense for a long time not every time immediately to the pain pill to grab. Mild pain can occur with the correct attitude be bearable. Nevertheless, sport should of course never provoke unbearable pain. If such a moment approaches with severe pain, it is always advisable to pause the training or, under certain circumstances, even to cancel it completely. The same applies to strong things malaise or dizziness. After all, pain is always a warning signal from the body.

If at some point you cannot move at all without extreme pain or if pain therapeutics do not help at all (anymore), so that you can no longer think about physical activity, you should do something again Re-evaluation consult the attending physician (see: Pain therapy). The condition of the osteoarthritis may have worsened significantly and surgical therapy or another procedure could now be useful.

Sport for knee osteoarthritis

With known knee osteoarthritis, as with other forms of osteoarthritis of the lower half of the body, the Weight normalization Main objective to contain the disease. As already mentioned at the beginning, we recommend, for example To go biking and swim! You should also look for special Knee sports groups inquire - many patients find significantly more fun and motivation in such a group than when training alone. Often the statutory health insurance even pays the costs.

To the training at home All exercises that affect the knee joint or the adjacent ones are suitable Stretch muscles and ligaments well and no direct weight load on the joint bring. For example, "seated leg raises“Particularly good; To do this, the patient, who is sitting upright on a chair with both feet safely touching the floor, lifts one leg by extending the knee until the entire leg is parallel to the floor. This position is held briefly before slowly bending and lowering the leg again. This movement should be around 20 times repeat and then also do with the second side. A physiotherapist, an experienced fitness trainer or a doctor can show and explain further exercises and the perfect execution.

Sport for hip osteoarthritis

Similar to patients with knee osteoarthritis, patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip joint should also do so regularly little stressful movements To run. They should be hers too Normalize weight. Since the hips are difficult to address in isolation, it makes sense to strengthen as many muscles and body parts as possible. For example, a healthy strong back relieve the hips in everyday life. In general, you should avoid bad postures that may have crept in over years and decades, and even more relieving postures that can be traced back to current pain.

The following, for example, are also suitable for explicitly strengthening the hip muscles exercise: When lying on the side, the person concerned leads the upper leg straight towards the ceiling. The lower leg can be slightly bent and lies firmly on the floor. The goal is a 45 degree angle between the lifted and lying leg. After a short hold, the upper leg is brought back to the ground. The exercise should 10 times per side. Since there are an infinite number of other good and sensible exercises for strengthening the hip muscles, those affected should take the time and seek advice from a professional.

In addition to strengthening, the hip is also beneficial in osteoarthritis targeted stretching important. For example, you can stretch one leg to the side while lying on your back without changing the position of your pelvis and back. The stretch should look similar to the "snow angel" that children like to do in winter. If these two exercises are consistently performed daily for about a week, you will notice an improvement after such a short time. Maybe that's exactly the right incentive to want to practice more ?!

Exercise for osteoarthritis in the shoulder

Exercise for osteoarthritis of the shoulder naturally involves completely different movement sequences than those already presented. The most effective strengthening and loosening exercise for patients with shoulder osteoarthritis - as banal as it may sound - is simply to commute back and forth. Complete arm circles are just as suitable as moving an arm back and forth in isolation. It should swing both in front of the body from right to left and next to the body from front to back. Rolling your shoulders - forwards or backwards, only one or both at the same time - can also be good and improves the mobility of the shoulder joint. Sufferers should move their arms in all directions and find out what is good for them. This activates the shoulder joints and reduces osteoarthritis.

Nonetheless, patients who focus on the shoulder joints should not forget the rest of their bodies: Now everything must be done to ensure that the knee and hip joints, for example, remain fit and flexible for a long time. Regular, less stressful endurance sport is also a good way to prevent osteoarthritis from developing.

More on this: Osteoarthritis in the shoulder

Exercise for osteoarthritis in the toe

Osteoarthritis in the toe mostly affects the so-called Big toe joint, one then speaks of one Hallux rigidus. Physical activity and sport are not excluded here either, but are beneficial and desirable. There are special ones to minimize pain when walking Roll-off aids or Shoe insolesthat an orthopedist can prescribe. It is also recommended Foot exercise. The simplest exercise is to roll carefully and without stress. To do this, you sit on a chair and pretend to be walking in slow motion.That means you lift your foot and then consciously put your heel on first before you slowly roll over the whole foot to the tips of your toes. A physiotherapist will be happy to demonstrate other good exercises.

Sport for spinal osteoarthritis

As with other types of osteoarthritis, exercise in osteoarthritis of the spine should include the basic training described above swim, hike or To go biking include. Perfect are important for this Sneakers with good suspension. Incorrect or even missing upholstery is not only bad for the knees and the hip joint because it increases the impact, but also damages the spine. In everyday life there is also one straight, upright posture to pay attention. Especially those who have a job that mainly involves sedentary work should consciously stretch yourself more often or get up and take a few minutes go around or stop.

Besides, it is everyday Stretching the back muscles Very helpful: All you need to do is unroll from a standing position, peg by peg as far as possible. Both hands pull towards the floor. The back is made completely round before you then straighten up vertebra by vertebra. A brief "Cat hump“Be to relieve the vertebrae. After just a few days, general mobility improves and the exercises appear easier.

Exercise for osteoarthritis in the hands

For sports with osteoarthritis in the hands, the recommendation for a largely normal sports program applies (also compare sport with osteoarthritis of the toe). In addition, sufferers should be on a regular basis Finger and hand gymnastics Value. The stiffening of fingers, in particular, can have very serious consequences in everyday life and cause severe impairments.

For example, regular gymnastics with the help of one is ideal Crumple or Hedgehog balls made of rubber. Just a few minutes a day can do a lot of good. Those affected should plan their regular exercise program according to the usual recommendations and other health considerations and then additionally every day, for example while watching TV or immediately after getting up in the morning 10 min take a small ball in your hand for a long time. It is advisable to begin by rolling the ball over a surface with the flat of your hand, applying light pressure. Then the ball can be kneaded in one hand as if trying to crush it. Here, too, every patient should try out for himself what is good for him or her. One should prefer not to do too much at once, but for that regularly and consequent to practice.

Exercise for osteoarthritis of the elbow

The rule of thumb for exercising with osteoarthritis of the elbow is basically applicable to all forms of osteoarthritis: You should always use the joint that is affected. With osteoarthritis of the elbow, for example, with the upper body leaning forward, one arm can be stretched back and this arm alternately stretched and bent. The extension should be done very forcefully in order to primarily stress the back of the arm. One should be around 20 Do repetitions per side. Further suitable exercises and for example the correct handling of weights should be practiced with a trained trainer.