If you’ve mentioned exercise to a senior loved one who has arthritis, she might have told you that it’s not for her. But should your loved one really be avoiding movement?
Talk to Her Doctor
Before you start encouraging your senior loved one to get going on her new exercise plan, it’s essential to talk to her doctor. Your loved one’s doctor can assess your loved one’s current abilities and let you know if the exercise plan you’ve got in mind is right for her. Talking to her doctor can also help to alleviate your loved one’s fears about exercise making her arthritis worse. Once you’ve got the go ahead, you can get started planning exercise times.
Use it or Lose It
If your loved one can start and stick with an exercise plan, she can avoid that problem of losing functionality due to infrequent use of her joints. Joints contain a fluid called synovial fluid. This fluid helps to keep your loved one’s joints lubricated. If she’s not moving her joints because it hurts to do so, that fluid also isn’t moving around much and that makes everything much worse.
Muscle Loss Makes Arthritis Pain Worse
Another factor that can make arthritis pain worse is that lack of exercise or movement can cause muscle loss for your senior loved one. When that happens, those muscles are less able to support the joints as they move. Your loved one doesn’t have to do major weightlifting, but even a little bit of movement each day can help her to maintain the muscles that she currently has.
Certain Exercises Are Hard on the Joints
Even with all the benefits of exercise for people with arthritis, remember that there are some exercises that are a little harder on the joints. Running or jogging, for example, may not be the best choice for your loved one. Look for lower-impact exercises that keep her moving and help her to keep her strength, such as swimming or walking.
Your loved one doesn’t have to exercise alone. If you aren’t able to be there with her, consider hiring senior care providers who can be there, just in case something happens.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Care Services in Sharon MA, or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts, please call the caring staff at CARE Resolutions – (508) 906-5572.
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