A common myth I hear from my patients with arthritis is, “I can’t exercise because I have arthritis.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Motion is lotion for arthritis. When you move, you produce a lubricant (synovial fluid) that coats your joints and decreases joint pain. When you use resistant bands or weights, you do double duty by providing your joints with stronger muscles to support your joints and that also helps decrease pain. Pills don’t do everything and with long term use, many medications will cause health problems. Walking is literally physical medicine for your joints. When you add specific arthritis relief exercises, you can decrease arthritis pain even more. That's why doctors often recommend physical therapy for joint pain.
1. Walking Strengthens Your Legs
Stronger legs help you do more than just look great. Stronger legs help ease knee pain because your quadriceps muscles (in the front of your legs) act as a shock absorber for your knees. Stronger shock absorption equals less pain.
2. Walking Saves You Money on Medical Bills
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average person with arthritis spends $2600.00 a year on medical bills related to arthritis. If you're under 65 and don't have Medicare, the high deductibles nowadays costs many people with arthritis even more. Walking helps save you money with less trips to the doctor.
3. Walking Helps Eliminate Arthritis Pain in Hips, Knees and Back
If you get up in the morning and you feel stiff until you move, you know that movement helps to ease joint pain. Starting your day with a walk is a great way to ease pain because it helps you lose weight. Losing just 5 lbs of fat is equal to 20 pounds of pressure on your joints.
4. Walking Gives You a Non-Surgical Butt Lift!
Walking contracts the glute and hamstring muscles which helps to lift and firm your buttocks. This is important if you have arthritis because stronger glute muscles (your butt) helps to decrease back pain.
5. Walking Gives You More Energy
It may seem counterintuitive to walk if you’re tired, but walking gives you more energy. Joint pain is very tiring to the body, and when you start to eliminate the pain with your daily walks, you’ll have more energy.
6. Walking Improves Your Libido
Let’s face it, it’s hard to feel sexy when your hips are creaking and your knees are aching.
Walking releases those feel good hormones that work better (and safer) than pain pills. With the pain gone from your daily walks, you’ll feel sexier.
7. Walking Keeps You Active
Walking keeps you doing all the things you want to do: whether it’s spending time with your family or going on a sightseeing trip. So get going and walk the talk! You’ll love
feeling better with just a few short weeks of walking.
Does Arthritis Have You Feeling Like This in the Morning?