Do not forget to relax after exercising. It is important to allow your muscles to breathe. You may also consider taking massage once a week which take care of the upset muscles around the joint that may cause pain
The temperature is dipping everyday and chances are high that this will cause an increase in your arthritic pain. One of the reasons why people with arthritis experience more pain in winters is that cold weather makes them move less. Exercising during winter is the key not only to be fit but also to reduce pain in joints. However, it is also important to plan the exercise regime beforehand that ensures adequate rest and inflow of vital nutrients to the body.
Right exercises for arthritis
Since in winters going out is difficult due to extreme temperature and at times high pollution, working out indoors is the right option. Come up with an indoor exercise plan and pick the moderate indoor exercises like a light walk on the treadmill or getting an elliptical trainer at home.
Avoid sitting in one place for too long and walk around as often as you can. While this is not really an exercise per se, it definitely adds to the total movement of your body which in turn is good for your bone health.
Avoid running on hard concrete surfaces as this may put more pressure on your joints.
Try to restrict yourself in walks and treadmill. If you are going outside, pick solid, supportive shoes with good treads and try to walk on a surface that doesn’t look slick.
You may also opt for a swim if you can access a heated pool — it is both great exercise and soothing to joints. You can get relief from warm baths as well. Just ensure you don’t get out into the cold right after your swim — allow your body temperature to normalise a bit first before you go out.
Make your workout exciting & healthy
Plan your exercise regime in a way so that activities are not repeated quite often. This will help you break the monotony of exercising and stick to your plan for longer. Since exercising may make you feel warmer, it is important to dress in layers instead of one heavy, warm cloth. This will help you take off clothes as required and will not expose you to unnecessary cold temperature suddenly.
We do not usually feel thirsty during winters but during exercise the bosy loses some amount of water — not drinking water may lead to dehydrated. Remember to sip more often and increase the intake of fresh juices. This will not only address the hydration needs, it will also take care of the nutritional needs.
Do not forget to relax after exercising. It is important to allow your muscles to breathe. You may also consider taking massage once a week which takes care of the upset muscles around the joint that may cause pain. In fact, according to a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, getting an hour-long massage once a week for at least eight weeks was resulted in reduce pain. Lack of Vitamin D may also aggravate the pain of joints for those who have arthritis. Try to take supplement of Vitamin D as sunlight, its natural source may not be sufficient.
The Writer is Dr Vivek Mahajan Consultant Joint Replacement Surgeon at Indian Spinal Injuries Center, Delhi