A totally incapacitating ailment you could develop as you age is arthritis. According to Mayo Clinic, when you have arthritis, your joints become brittle and inflamed, causing stiffness and discomfort. Usually, the discomfort increases in intensity as you age. Knowing what to avoid is just as crucial as knowing what to eat and do. It’s important to understand how to control your pain, but it’s also important to understand which workouts are the very worst for arthritis. We spoke with a professional who revealed things to avoid.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an astonishing 24% of American adults, or 58.5 million individuals, have arthritis. One of the main factors contributing to disability in the workforce is this chronic ailment. Let’s dive into the worst activities for arthritis if you’re one of the 24%. To find out precisely what you should avoid, continue reading.
Some of the worst workouts for arthritis are running and leaping.
As a licensed personal trainer and Ro’s director of medical content and education, Dr. Mike Bohl initially informs us that arthritis may affect many different joints throughout the body, but that it most often affects the hips, knees, and spine. He says, “High-impact exercises, such as those that need both feet to be off the ground at once, are among of the worst exercises to undertake if you have arthritis.” Dr. Bohl advises against leaping and running, citing them as prime instances of improper exercises for those who suffer from arthritis.
Squats and deep lunges might exacerbate your problems.
There are further workouts that might aggravate your arthritis symptoms, such as deep lunges or squats that exert a significant amount of pressure on your fully bent joints.
Avoid activities like soccer and tennis that need quick movements.
High-speed exercises or those that impose a lot of torque on the joints while shifting directions could make arthritis symptoms worse. Tennis and soccer are two examples.
Even though there are certain exercises you should avoid, exercise is generally beneficial for arthritis.
Dr. Bohl suggests that although there are certain particular workouts and activities to avoid, “In general, exercise is beneficial for arthritis. Muscle building reduces arthritis discomfort and helps to support the joints.” He suggests, “Exercises with little impact, such as cycling and walking, are a great approach to maintain an active lifestyle and build muscle. Resistance exercise may also be advantageous; simply begin with little weight and short reps and go up as tolerated. If the weight remains low, doing more repetitions may also be suitable.”