Getting started with exercise

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Starting Exercise with Osteoarthritis: Expert Tips for Safe and Effective Workouts

Exercising with osteoarthritis: getting started

Lucinda Moody, exercise professional

If you are starting out with exercise, you’ve just found out that you've got osteoarthritis  or you'd like to prevent a condition you can certainly contact a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist he can help you best advise what exercise is going to be suitable for you in  your condition you may have additional injuries  from your past which we don't want to exacerbate through a physical activity or exercise program. It's also a great idea to find a buddy someone else that has a similar condition to you that can go along to support you or a family member if you’re a little bit nervous or apprehensive about  your first program so always good to buddy up with someone and find someone that’s going to support you through that transition, get some education about your condition and how it might be best to get involved in physical activity or exercise.

Generally, if you if you have osteoarthritis, you will experience pain from time to time or chronic pain so when starting any new physical activity or exercise program, how to know when to stop, how much does it hurt, should I keep going, should I push through this pain barrier. I would suggest starting out with a very light activity program for ten minutes whether that be in the water a strength training program or a cardiovascular aerobic program. See how your body responds 1 to 2 days after the physical activity if you're feeling okay then you know that perhaps you could increase that to 15 minutes and so on week to week to get a gauge. So, being in pain if you do find that post exercise you need to see a GP about some pain management strategies or you can go back to your exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to look at options that are  going to be suitable for you to suit your needs  and also help you with managing that pain.

 

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