Pain due to musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis can be irksome for a number of clients. Arthritis can take a variety of different forms, such as Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis, and come with varying degrees of pain intensity. Fortunately, professional fitness instructors can recommend a number of effective exercises to help clients living with arthritis. Many of these exercises are low impact, and help to soothe as well strengthen the muscles around joints, leading to pain relief alongside other health and fitness benefits.
Read on to learn more about the kinds of exercises professional fitness instructors can suggest to clients with arthritis!
Low Impact Exercises Using an Elliptical or Chair Are Great for Arthritis
Low impact exercises help clients with arthritis pain stretch and strengthen the muscles around their joints, while also improving their range of motion. Two excellent exercises are chair sits and stands, as well as using the elliptical machine.
Chair exercises can be very effective for seniors or those with balance issues; they can be performed by standing in front of a chair, then sitting and standing repeatedly. Fitness instructors should remind their clients that to reap the benefits of their exercise it is important not to drop down suddenly into their seat, but to lower themselves slowly. By building up the muscles in their legs, and moving their joints often, clients help prevent the stiffness and swelling that can lead to arthritis pain.
For clients who enjoy a good jog and want to maintain good cardiovascular health, graduates of fitness consultant courses can suggest that their clients improve their muscle strength and elasticity by using an elliptical. Unlike jogging outdoors or on a treadmill, which can contribute to problems like runner’s knee, using an elliptical can have less of an impact on a client’s joints while they work out.
Grads of Fitness Consultant Courses Can Also Recommend Swimming and Thai Chi Exercises
The great thing about Thai Chi exercises is how they can be adapted to suit the needs and conditions of many different clients, including those who use wheelchairs. Clients who exercise with Thai Chi will benefit from its slow and relaxing motions, which help to improve a client’s joint movement and increase their flexibility and balance, while also putting less strain on their bodies. Some studies have shown that Thai Chi can be a great exercise for those with Rheumatoid Arthritis, bettering a client’s posture, coordination, and relieving tension.
Grads of fitness and health school know swimming exercises are ideal for arthritis because of the way water supports the body, minimizing the amount of weight and pressure that clients place on their joints. For instance, walking or jogging underwater will have much less of an impact on knees, hips, and ankles than jogging outdoors, thus reducing pain. Clients who swim in hotter pools will also benefit from its soothing effect on their muscles.
Zumba Classes Can Be a Fun and Effective Way for Clients with Arthritis to Exercise
Zumba may sound like a high intensity workout, but you would be surprised how great this exercise can be for clients with arthritis. Firstly, Zumba, particularly Zumba Gold, is great for people with arthritis, using low impact movements that can help to improve muscle strength and mobility. In fact, according to a study at Laval University in Quebec, after training in Zumba classes for 12 weeks, patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis observed that their pain had been reduced.
Zumba is a fun exercise that can help reduce arthritis inflammation!
Another great fact to consider about Zumba, apart from its cardiovascular benefits, is the “fun factor.” Zumba exercises are a blast, and it can be an effective way to boost the mood of clients living with arthritis. The great music and company is a welcome bonus, too!
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