exrecise for Arthritis

Hello out there,

I have just started a healthy eating plan with the aim to lose weight and keep it off. I want to exercise but suffer with arthritis in both my knees and both my ankles. So you can see i can not do the normal exercise regime, like walking running etc. I have heard that Tai Chi is good if you suffer with this but not sure. Any ideas to help me would be greatly appreciated.

Gordon

Cycling should also be good, as should swimming.

I second the swimming suggestion. I don't have arthritis, but I do get sore joints every now and then (I have a job that requires a lot of standing), and swimming is always a really good workout that leaves my muscles and joints feeling wonderful.

I have arthritis. I began exercising with yoga - it is the perfect exercise for someone with arthritis - you will not believe what you can do after several months. My hands and feet are particularly horrid but I can now do things like the downward dog which is very tough on hands (and it's been a long time since I had to get a shot in the finger joint).

I like the idea of Tai Chi, but I have never tried it.

I would swim but I have a thing about water and sink rather than float as I get all tense about it. If you like to swim, that's supposed to be great.

Once I felt better from the yoga, I was able to add walking and some strength exercises - not gym stuff, just home stuff where your body is your weight and you tense and release muscles at appropriate times (I got a bunch from prevention.com but I am sure there's lots of places to go). Later I added some hand weights. I can now speed walk for a couple miles!

There are a lot of foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. Different foods work for different people. Google it, lots of sites will pop up. For me pineapple (fresh only) rules. Followed by dark cherries and turmeric (I put it in my morning egg scramble and it turns the whites yellow so I get an extra visual benefit).

Good luck finding the right combo for you. Everyone is different. Search out a bunch of possibilities, try them, keep the ones that work, and you'll get better.

Original Post by jannid:

I would swim but I have a thing about water and sink rather than float as I get all tense about it. If you like to swim, that's supposed to be great.

You might want to try one of those belts they have that make you more bouyant. Or a noodle. Most pools have them.