How does exercise help arthritis pain and ease stiffness?

Arthritis is a condition in which there is inflammation in the joints, which causes pain and many other side effects. There are many different forms of arthritis and each case may be slightly different from another. Arthritis causes the joints to be limited in their movement and makes it difficult for an individual to perform even basic physical tasks.

Arthritis is a progressive condition with deterioration beginning slowly, and gradually increasing. As the joint becomes more painful, the individual will tend to use it less. This compounds the problem because the inflamed joint will now be stiff and may receive less than sufficient circulation as a result of its lack of movement.

There are many different treatments for arthritis. Some treatments are based on drugs that help to control inflammation while others are therapeutic and seek to improve the circulation of blood in the joints. One may also modify one’s diet to contain healthy foods rather than processed and fatty foods. While all of these steps will help, arthritis will progress unless one uses exercise to arrest the problem.

Exercise provides two major benefits to a joint. When body exercises, it develops stronger muscle. When the muscle structure improves, it helps the joint by supporting it. Stronger muscles also make it easier to move a joint and this may reduce muscle pain that is sometimes felt when a person suffering from arthritis tries to move. The other benefit of exercise is to promote circulation in the joint. Circulation helps to ease inflammation. It also provides nutrition to the tissue around the joint, which can help with the repair of damaged tissue. Damage caused by arthritis to some parts of the joint may be permanent, but there are parts of the joint that are capable of repairing themselves as well.

The circulation aspect of exercise makes its useful to the general health of an individual as well. Improved circulation helps with the health of the heart and the respiratory system. It also helps with the rest of the body that requires circulation for nutrition as well as for waste removal. From a psychological point of view, exercise and improved mobility helps to boost the mood and morale of an individual. Over a period of time, exercise should help with improved joint mobility and general health. This means that the patient will feel better about his or her condition which is also helpful when dealing with arthritis.