Role of Exercise in Managing Joint Pain Joint pain refers to discomfort that arises from any joint – the point where two or more bones meet. The condition can prevent you from living a normal, active, independent life. Reports from the Centers for the Disease Control (2014 statistics) show that joint pain is a leading cause of disability in the United States with more than one-third of the American population (about which 30% are male, 55% are female and 15% are children) suffer from joint disorders. What Causes Back Pain? Joint pain can range from mildly irritating to debilitating. Acute pain usually resolves after a few weeks but chronic pain can last for several weeks or even months. Even short-term pain and swelling in the joints can significantly affect quality of life, restricting your ability to perform even routine tasks. The conditions that lead to painful joints include – Tendinitis Strains Sprains Septic arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Repetitive or overly forceful movements during sports or work Posture problems Osteoarthritis
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Chondromalacia patellae Bursitis Overweight and obesity Aging How Exercise provides Relief from Joint Pain Generally, people with joint pain tend to avoid physical activity when they experience pain. However, this may cause more harm than help. Ignoring the pain or avoiding all motions that spark physical discomfort won’t necessarily help in pain relief. In fact, limiting your physical movements can make your joints even more painful and stiff and create numerous other problems. Pain medications and cold or hot packs may offer quick relief, that may be temporary. A healthy lifestyle integrated with balanced diet and regular exercise is crucial for better pain management. Exercise done on a regular basis relieves pain by Strengthening the muscles that support the joints Increasing flexibility in the joints Improving range of motion Easing pain, improving mobility, and helping to prevent further injury. Increasing the production of natural pain neurochemicals in the body Helping in weight management Boosting the production of synovial fluid (the lubricant inside the joints) Workouts that can Relieve Joint Pain Range of motion exercises – These exercises alleviate stiffness and enhance your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. Range-of-motion exercise involves moving joints through normal range such as rising arms over head or moving shoulders forward and backward. These can be done at any time gently (even when your joints are painful or swollen).
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Strengthening exercises – These programs help build strength in the muscles that support joints and include weight training, sit ups, crunches, leg raises and hyper extensions. Aerobic exercises – Aerobic or endurance exercises help increase overall fitness. They improve cardiovascular strength, control or maintain body weight and improve stamina. Examples include walking, swimming and bicycling. At a professional multi-specialty health care center, physical therapists and pain management physicians will evaluate the patient’s condition thoroughly and devise appropriate exercise programs to manage joint pain. Treatment plans will include other effective pain management modalities such as anti-inflammation medication, TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), injections, ice and heat application, and cold and compression therapy (Game Ready). The fitness regimes for older adults will be individualized according to their baseline of conditioning and disability and implemented gradually and safely as overexertion could lead to severe complications. In fact, low impact work outs are best for older people as they minimize stress on the joints.
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