Club Blog

(ARA) – More than just aches and pains, arthritis is a chronic disease that damages joints and can lead to loss of function or disability. In fact, it is the most common cause of disability in the United States, affecting 50 million Americans or 22 percent of the total population.

For years it was believed that people with arthritis should not exercise because movement could cause further damage to joints. Now, physical activity is recognized as playing an integral role in the prevention and treatment of arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, exercise provides relief from pain, improves physical function and quality of life, and delays the onset of disability without worsening symptoms or the progression of the disease.

Unfortunately, the already staggering social and economic impact of arthritis in the United States is set to explode in coming decades.  A new government report found that the number of adults with arthritis has increased by almost 1 million since 2003 to 2005 and it’s estimated that arthritis will affect 67 million Americans in 2030. 

The effects of arthritis can be devastating, but self-management strategies such as weight loss and increasing physical activity can lessen pain and improve function, and may prevent or limit the impact of arthritis on daily activities. “For every one pound you lose, that’s four pounds of pressure off each knee,” says Dr. Patience H. White, the Arthritis Foundation’s vice president of public health. In addition, losing as little as 11 pounds can reduce your risk of developing knee osteoarthritis by 50 percent.

It is important for Americans to make daily movement a year-round goal. While it may seem hard to get started, there are plenty of opportunities for you to move year-round, no matter where you are or what the season:

* Move with others. Enjoy exercise more by making it a social activity you can enjoy with your friends. The Arthritis Foundation organizes events year-round to keep people moving, including the Jingle Bell Run/Walk and Arthritis Walk, which also raise money for important arthritis research and community services. You can get started today by registering for an event near you.

* Take a walk. A stroll around your neighborhood or on a walking path will not only leave you with a trimmer physique and less joint pain, but can also improve your mood and overall sense of well-being. When it’s too cold or hot outside, move indoors by using a treadmill or walking in place. For a walking program that is specifically designed to reduce arthritis discomfort and improve overall health, try the Arthritis Foundation’s Walk with Ease program.

* Try Tai Chi. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese exercise with a variety of proven health benefits, such as reducing stress and relieving arthritis pain. Because its gentle movements are easy to learn and do not require uncomfortable bending or squatting, Tai Chi is a great way to move all year. Check with your local Arthritis Foundation office to find a class near you.

To find out about more ways you can move year-round, visit www.letsmovetogether.org.

Starting a fitness program without testing your fitness level is like beginning a journey without knowing exactly where you and having no map to guide you to your destination. Fitness testing establishes your starting point. Plotting out check points along your fitness pathway can direct you toward achieving both short-term and long-term goals.

Seven reasons for fitness testing before and during your exercise program are to:

1. Establish your baseline. When you know initial fitness status, you know how far you have to go to reach your goals. Testing helps you set specific, achievable yet challenging goals with realistic target dates.

2. Compare yourself to others. Many tests are standardized. They provide norms, so you know where you stand in relationship to the “average” person’s score.

3. Individualize your program. Knowing your fitness level springs you out of the one-size-fits-all exercise mold and jumpstarts your personalized, streamlined training path.

4. Know how hard to work. You can estimate your optimum training range using maximum or predicted maximum fitness scores. For most phases of training, exercise intensity is typically performed within a target zone of 60-85% of your maximum cardio or strength level.

5. Evaluate your progress. When you measure your progress regularly, you can see how far you have advanced from your baseline fitness level. Each milestone that you achieve is a great confidence booster that propels you on toward your goals.

Exercise can lower blood pressure. The number of capillaries surrounding each leg muscle fiber increases by 5-10% following endurance training. This not only makes exercise easier but also lowers blood pressure. Numerous studies support that exercise training does indeed lower blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.

Exercise improves heart function. When you start an endurance based exercise program, expect your resting heart rate to decrease by about 1 beat per minute every week during the initial weeks. This is an indication that your heart is becoming more efficient and pumping more blood each beat. Highly trained endurance athletes can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute or even less.

Exercise can prevent muscle loss. Sedentary adults lose 6-10 percent of their muscle mass per decade after age 30, leading to a condition called sarcopenia. Regular strength training can delay or in some cases reverse this trend. When it comes to muscle, you must use it or you will lose it!

Exercise can help you live longer. Studies on large populations have discovered the highest death rates in those who are the least fit. Those who are the most fit have the lowest death rates.

Exercise can improve sex life. A study published by the Harvard School of Public Health found that men who exercised vigerously were half as likely to experience sexual dysfunction when compared to men who did no exercise.

Exercise can improve brain function. Research has discovered that the fittest kids generally score the highest on test scores. Older adults who are fit show less cognitive decline compared to their sedentary counterparts.

Exercise can speed up wound healing. A study out of Ohio State found that skin wounds healed an average of 10 days faster in the exercise group compared to the non exercise group.

Exercise can help the elderly. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported gains in leg strength of 374 percent over baseline in men over 90 years of age who began strength training in as little as 8 weeks! Other research has found a reversal in normal age related characteristics in the muscle of seniors who took up weight lifting.

Many people have their reasons for not wanting to exercise. These are six of the most common excuses that people give for not exercising, and ways to combat those excuses:

I am too tired: This is how a person says to him or herself when thinking about exercising and does not want to. If you are too tired, you can take a short nap and you will feel refreshed enough to exercise. Otherwise, you can pick the time of the day to exercise when you are most at your peak.

For example, if you are a morning person, then exercise in the morning. If you are an evening or late night person, then you can exercise at night. There may be some health concerns regarding what time of the day is the best to exercise. However, if you exercise no later than late afternoon/early evening, you should have no problem

I do not have time: Many people these days are so wrapped up in their work that they do not even think about exercise. However, people cannot afford to not take the time to exercise. In fact, exercising helps you perform better at work. The amount or length of time you need to exercise depends upon how active you naturally are or how active you are on the job. You should consider a minimum of 20 minutes a day.

Also, you can find creative exercises to engage in; such as if you need a gallon of milk and you forgot it at the store, you can walk there to get it. You can also bike to work instead of drive if, you are not too far away from your job and you do not have to work too late. You can find ways to exercise if you have a busy schedule.

Ask a panel of fitness professionals the age-old question of free weights vs. weight machines and you’re likely to end up in a tense gridlock. The fact of the matter is, fitness preferences are as diverse as the crowd of people you see at your gym, but there are pros and cons to both that we can outline here.

Free weights are versatile, inexpensive, and, depending on the amount of weight you’re used to lifting, ultra-portable. They also simulate real-life lifting situations which will help you better accomplish everyday activities that require strength.

Weight machines, on the other hand, can be effective weight training tools, too, provided you use machines that allow you to adjust them based on your body’s dimensions and range of motion.

The fact of the matter is that few things are more important for your health than just getting out there and doing something to strengthen and tone your body, but proper technique is more important than the specific type of equipment you use.