“C’mon now!” you’re thinking. “I mean…who wants to do something 6000 times every day?”
And you have a point. Except that when it comes to beating arthritis, it’s kind of worth it.
Just think about it: you do this 6000 times per day, and you’ll be reversing arthritis. So you’ll have more freedom to do the things you love.
Plot twist: doing this is actually fun and easy. Really.
As surprising as it might sound, walking for an hour every day can actually help alleviate the pain and swelling caused by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition of pain and swelling of the joints that occurs with age, due to bone weakness and degradation.
People with osteoarthritis might find it difficult to walk, climb stairs and even getting up from the bed or a chair. But a research study conducted on nearly 1800 patients in the department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training at Boston University recommends walking at least 6000 steps every day to ease the pain and discomfort.
This is equivalent to walking for an hour. The walking and exercising habits of the patients were assessed for a period of 2 years. At the end of the study period, it was found that limitations related to osteoarthritis were reduced by 16 to 18 percent for every 1000 steps.
Several studies have proved the advantages associated with walking not just for osteoarthritis but other ailments too. Even though it might hurt the knees, joints and hips after a bout of intense walking, experts explain that avoiding exercise and walking can actually make the muscles weaker and the joints less stable and increase inflammation and pain over years. Also, a lack of exercise can also contribute to weight gain that increases joint pain.
For those who are just starting off with exercises for osteoarthritis, it is best to start off with 3000 steps a day and gradually increasing it. Jogging, slow and brisk walking and climbing stairs all count as good exercises.
One can make use of pedometers and cellphone apps to measure the number of steps to achieve the ultimate goal.
This, I wholly support but, (and it's a big but) some of us have had a spinal injury and as much as we'd love to, are unable to walk thirty metres let alone an hours brisk walking. Mind over matter helps, I don't mind, so it doesn't matter.
In summer I walk 35 minutes a day, up 5 hills as fast as I can raising my pulse to
125+. This has brought my blood pressure right down. It is a diluted form of the High Intensity Interval Training that is popular right now.
I used to do it about 3 times a week, and not so vigorously, but I found it hurt my knees for up to 4 days when I increased the intensity and frequency. So I lost 14 lb. weight, and the difference is amazing. The fat hangs off the front of the belly and exerts a big torque around the spine, that needs continual effort from core and thigh muscles to counteract. So that is why a reduction in weight of just 6.6% had such a big effect. Now my knees hurt for just 24 hours. I have now lost 22 lbs and intend to lose another 14. Walking regularly, with a diet that is mainly green vegetables, makes weight loss quite easy.
There are exercises that can be done while laying down, maybe even with small weights. Breathing deeply often during the day is recommended by TRI-VITA and should help energize the body to help almost any illness. That plus a little more protein and or a good natural joint formula might help the muscles and joints.