Relieve Arthritis Joint Pain with PilatesArthritis joint pain is caused mainly by the wear and tear on joints. So, the last thing you may want to do when you are suffering is to exercise. However, that is probably the best thing you can do to relieve and alleviate the pain and stiffness you are feeling. Exercising the muscles that cushion sore joints can lessen the pressure on the joints. Most specifically these sore joints include the hip, shoulders, knees, and hand/wrist. Joint mal-alignment is the most common cause for arthritis joint pain. A properly aligned joint with balanced muscle strength coming from opposing sides can reduce pain and support your activities that you enjoy. What this means is that if you are strengthening the muscles in the thigh or front of the leg you also need to work the opposing group of hamstrings in the back of the leg. Pilates exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen muscles groups at the same time. If you exercise in this way the muscle groups that support your spine, knees, hips, and shoulders will be equally balanced.
This corrective practice will, in turn, cause them to move more efficiently with less wear and tear, which equals less pain. Stronger Muscles = Less Pressure on Joints = Less Pain! Some sample Pilates exercises to help relieve the arthritis that you are feeling.
· Wrist/finger curls: One of my favorites to strengthen the wrist and increase finger dexterity is to do curls using a small dumbbell or weighted ball. Leaning forward in a chair with your forearm resting on your thigh palm up and the back of the hand hanging off your leg. Roll the weight out to your finger tips and then slowly curl with your fingers and then make a fist around it as it curls into your palm. Do this 10 times on each hand. - Finger Extensions: Wrap a rubber band around the farthest extremity of the fingers that are all touching. Then, pull your fingers apart extending your fingers out while fully stretching the band. Release and repeat 8-10 times.
· A great way to stabilize the shoulder joint is by doing scapular protraction and retraction exercises. Standing with your arms extended at chest height, protract the scapula by reaching the arms out farther away drawing the shoulder blades apart. Retract the scapula by drawing or sliding the shoulder blades straight back together. Do these for about 10 repetitions each direction. See this exercise in the new revised Pilates Ebook.
· Pilates leg circles are a great exercise to stabilize the pelvis while lubricating the hip joint and simultaneously stretching and strengthening those muscles of the hip and upper leg. Leg circles are done by lying on your back with one leg extended out along the floor and the other can be extended almost to a 90 degree angle or modify by bending at the knee. Feel the upper thigh bone circle or rotate around in the hip socket keeping the rest of the body still. Do this 5-8 times each direction. Find more great exercises to strengthen your hip muscles here.
· One of my favorite ways to stretch the muscles surrounding the knee joint and strengthen it at the same time is doing Eve’s Lunge on the reformer. If this equipment is not available for you try doing a non-impact exercise such as inner thigh squeezes with a bridge or roll up. 
Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and a small ball squeezed between your inner thighs. Take a breath in and as you exhale squeeze the ball flattening your back and roll your hips up to articulate and open your spine. Press through your feet evenly as you lift. Take a breath in at the top and then exhale as you roll back down, repeat for 6-8 repetitions. This should feel very good for opening the spine and stretching the thighs. Find out more about the best exercises for knee joint pain here.
1. Start slowly – Begin with low repetitions (4-8 times) and light weights (2-5 lbs). 2. Progress in small increments – after a week or two with no pain and soreness increase reps or frequency by a couple of reps or minutes. 3. Set goals you can achieve – If it’s only exercising one day per week then start there. 4. Work in a pain free range of motion. No Pain - No Gain is not allowed here! New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
