For osteoarthritis sufferers, a lack of exercise can compound the pain and stiffness as the affected joints become weaker and less stable. Regular activity, however small, can help strengthen muscles, restore range of movement and ultimately fight back against the effects of osteoarthritis.
Following on from this week’s Testimonial Tuesday, focusing on how Flexiseq has helped those with hip pain associated with arthritis, we’ve put together a variety of the exercises to help keep your hip joints more stable and less painful.
Before going into the exercises, it’s incredibly important to be conscious of your limits and not overstretch yourself to cause further pain/damage. If you’re concerned about starting a new range of exercises, approach your doctor for further advice and recommendations. Please Note: There are non-strenuous exercises in the second half of this article below.
7 muscle strengthening exercises:
1. Marching
Hold onto a work surface and proceed to march on the spot, bringing knees up towards your chest, going no higher than 90 degrees.
2. Standing backward leg raise
Still holding onto the surface, move one leg backwards (keeping your knee straight) and hold for 5 seconds whilst clenching buttocks.
3. Heel to buttocks
Pull your heel up towards your buttocks by bending the knee. Keep the knee caps in line whilst one is pointing to the floor.
4. Standing side leg raises
Raise one leg out to the side, hold for 5 seconds then slowly bring back to center, keeping body straight throughout.
5. Half squat
Squat until knees are above toes, hold for a few seconds before returning to a standing position. Be conscious not to go too low.
6. Leg tightening
Lay flat, face up, on the floor with legs straight. Pull toes and ankles towards you while keeping legs flat. Simultaneously push knees into the ground to feel a tight stretch in upper leg. Hold for a few seconds before releasing.
7. Stomach exercise
Lay on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift pelvis and lower back off the floor, holding for 5 seconds before slowly lowering.
4 Alternative non-strenuous exercises:
When starting off, it’s best to keep things simple to avoid further injury. The following exercises are sure to improve movement in a low impact way.
1. Walking
Whether using a treadmill or heading outdoors, walking is the easiest way to work on balance and strength.
2. Exercise bikes
Be it at the gym or at home, stationary bikes are the perfect way to slowly build your strength. They take away any worry about traffic and not being able to stop the moment you start to feel strained.
3. Yoga
Regular yoga helps to improve flexibility and stiffness (going to beginner classes is recommended to avoid performing anything too strenuous)
4. Water exercises
Walking in water at waist height lightens the pressure on your joints by up to 50%, making it easier to have a moderate workout on the legs and hips.
Further tips:
- Be sure to listen to your body and proceed with activities in response to this
- Gentle exercises are still effective at strengthening muscles around your hips
- If paint continues to rise or last for a few hours, take this as a hint from your hips to slow down and rest
- Perform exercises a few times a day, each day to maintain regular joint movement.
- Consider joining local health clubs that specialise in exercises for arthritis and encourage you to stay active.
It can be a daunting proposition to get moving and active when you are already be in pain and you may be asking yourself “how can I possibly begin to exercise?” Help is on hand in Flexiseq! Many converts have found that after a few weeks of using Flexiseq, they felt confident enough to start to get a little bit more mobile and that eventually the benefits of combining Flexiseq with exercise did wonders for their pain, stiffness and overall lifestyle.
