Best Exercises to Help Relieve Joint Pain

Exercise is essential for persons who have arthritis. It improves strength and flexibility, alleviates joint pain, and lowers fatigue. Of course, when your joints are already stiff and aching, the prospect of going around the block or swimming a few laps may seem daunting.

Exercise keeps you moving when arthritis tries to paralyze you. However, you don’t have to run a marathon or swim as quickly as an Olympic swimmer to help relieve arthritis symptoms. Even light exercise can help you manage discomfort and maintain a healthy weight. Still not convinced? Continue reading.

Why is exercise vital?

Best joint pain exercises can help you improve your health and fitness while not causing joint pain. Exercise can help you with your current treatment plan by:

  • Work on strengthening the muscles around your joints.
  • It helps you retain bone strength
  • It gives you more energy to go through the day
  • It makes it simpler to obtain a decent night’s sleep
  • Aids in weight control
  • Improve your quality of life
  • Work on your balance.

Contrary to popular belief, exercise will not increase your joint pain and stiffness. A lack of activity can aggravate joint pain and stiffness. Maintaining the strength of your muscles and surrounding tissue is critical to preserving bone support. Lack of joint pain exercise weakens those supporting muscles, putting additional strain on your joints.

Consult your doctor beforehand

Consult your doctor about including exercise in your treatment plan. The ideal workouts for you will depend on your type of arthritis and the joints involved. Your doctor or physical therapist can help you select the workout regimen that will provide you with the most benefit while causing the least amount of irritation to your joint discomfort.

Arthritis exercises

Your doctor or physical therapist can advise you on range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercises, aerobic exercises, and other activities.

Exercising range of motion

These exercises help to reduce stiffness and improve your ability to move your joints over their whole range of motion. These movements could include raising your arms above your head or rotating your shoulders forward and backward. These exercises can usually be done daily.

Exercising range of motion

Exercising for Strength

These workouts assist you in developing strong muscles that support and protect your joints. Weight training is an example of a strengthening activity that can help you keep or gain muscle strength. Remember to avoid working out the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Rest a day in between workouts and take an additional day or two if your joints are uncomfortable or swollen.

A three-day-a-week program will help you jump-start your improvement when starting a strength-training program, but two days a week is all you need to maintain your gains.

Exercising for Strength

Aerobic activity

Aerobic and endurance workouts improve general fitness. They can help you lose weight, enhance cardiovascular health, and offer you more stamina and vitality.

Walking, bicycling, swimming, and utilizing an elliptical machine are low-impact aerobic exercises that are gentler on your joints. Try to increase your weekly aerobic activity to 150 minutes of moderate intensity. If it’s easier on your joints, divide the duration into 10-minute increments.

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is the safest and most effective if done most days of the week, but even a couple of days per week is preferable to no activity. You should be able to carry on a conversation while exercising to determine if you are in the moderate-intensity exercise zone, even if your respiratory rate will be increased.

Aerobic activity

Other pursuits

Any movement, no matter how tiny, can be beneficial. Mowing the lawn, raking leaves, and walking the dog are all examples of daily tasks.

For example, gentle yoga or tai chi can help you improve your balance, prevent falls, enhance your posture and coordination, and encourage relaxation. Tell your instructor about your condition and avoid positions or movements that are uncomfortable for you.

Yoga

 

Tips for Joint Protection

If you haven’t been active in a while, start carefully to ease your joints back into it. Pushing yourself too hard might overwork your muscles and aggravate joint pain.

Consider the following suggestions as you begin:

  • Maintain a low impact
  • Turn on the heat
  • Move slowly
  • Slow down
  • Following that, ice

Trust your senses and avoid exerting more energy than your joints can tolerate. Take it easy at first, gradually increasing the time and intensity of your workouts as you progress.

Don’t overdo it

You may feel pain after exercising if you haven’t been active in a while. If you’re hurting for more than two hours after exercising, you probably overdid it. Discuss with your doctor what pain is typical and what pain indicates something more serious.

Ask your doctor if you should exercise during general or local flares if you have rheumatoid arthritis. One alternative is to work through joint fits by performing solely range-of-motion exercises or exercising in water to cushion your joints.

Exercise routines for arthritis patients

Check with your doctor about arthritis exercise programs in your region. Special programs are available at several hospitals, clinics, and health clubs.

In many locations in the United States, the Arthritis Foundation offers arthritis exercise programs. Programs include water and land workout sessions, as well as strolling groups. For further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local branch.

In the end,

Exercise should push you, but it should not hurt. It is typical to have some muscle discomfort when beginning a new exercise regimen. However, if it lasts more than a couple of days, reduce your workout to give your body more time to adjust to the new schedule. Consult your doctor if you are experiencing persistent pain.

If you are looking for best-in-class treatment for your health issues, do contact Dr. Niraj Patel. He’s one of the most reputed doctors of Om physio!

Sciatica pain relief

10 Stretches for Sciatica Pain Relief

Tightness in your lower back, abdominal, and/or hamstring muscles can aggravate sciatic pain, which extends from your lower back to your feet. Perform these ten simple stretches for Sciatica to loosen and strengthen muscle groups.

What is the Sciatic Nerve?

Sciatic nerve pain or Sciatica pain might be so painful and incapacitating that you don’t want to get out of bed. Because this ailment is rather prevalent, with a lifetime incidence of 10 to 40, you most likely know more than one person who has it.

The sciatic nerve starts in your lower back, hips, and buttocks and travels down each leg, bending at the knees. Sciatica occurs when there is an issue somewhere along this pathway. Stretches for back pain can help you to get rid of these.

Sciatica pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

  • A disc ruptures
  • Spinal canal narrowing (called spinal stenosis)
  • Injury

Sciatic pain can also be caused by a disorder known as piriformis syndrome. The piriformis muscle runs from your buttocks along the spine’s border to the top of your thigh. This muscle can sometimes spasm and entrap the neighboring sciatic nerve. It can cause sciatic pain. There are various sciatica pain relief but stretches for Sciatica pain are the most effective.

10 stretches for back pain that can help you achieve Sciatica pain relief:

  • Reclining pigeon pose
  • Sitting pigeon pose
  • Forward pigeon pose
  • Knee to the opposite shoulder
  • Sitting spinal stretch
  • Standing hamstring stretch
  • Basic seated stretch
  • Standing piriformis stretch
  • Groin and long abductor muscle stretch
  • Scissor hamstring stretch

All the stretches for back pain mentioned above are explained in this article. Keep on reading if you are looking for Sciatica Pain relief!

Reclining Pigeon Poses

The reclining pigeon stance is one of the numerous pigeon stretches for Sciatica Pain that can help stretch the piriformis muscle.

  • While lying on your back, raise your right leg to a right angle. Clasp both hands behind the thigh, fingers locked.
  • Raise your left leg, placing your right ankle on top of your left knee.
  • Hold the position for a few seconds. It stretches the piriformis muscle, which can become irritated and push on the sciatic nerve, producing pain. It stretches all the deep hip rotator muscles as well.
  • Repeat the exercise with the opposite leg.

Sitting Pigeon Pose

It is one of the most effective stretches for Sciatica pain. For this follow these:

  • Sit with your legs straight out in front of you on the floor.
  • Bend your right leg, so your right ankle rests on your left knee.
  • Lean forward and reach your upper body toward your thigh.
  • Maintain for 15 to 30 seconds. The glutes and lower back are stretched because of this.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Forward Pigeon Poses

If you are looking for Sciatica Pain Relief, it is one of the most recommended stretches for back pain for you!

  • Get down on all fours and kneel on the floor.
  • Pick up your right leg and move it forward in front of your body on the ground. Your lower leg should be parallel to the ground and parallel to the body. Your right foot should be in front of your left knee, and your right knee should remain to the right.
  • Extend your left leg all the way behind you on the floor, top of your foot on the ground, toes pointing back.
  • Gradually shift your body weight from your arms to your legs so that your legs support your weight. Straighten your back and place your hands on either side of your legs.
  • Take a long, deep breath. Exhale as you lean forward over your front leg. As much as possible, support your weight with your arms.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Knee to the Opposite Shoulder

This is one of the easiest stretches for Sciatica pain that relieves sciatica pain by releasing the gluteal and piriformis muscles, which can become irritated and press against the sciatic nerve.

  • Lie on your back, legs extended, and feet flexed upward.
  • Bend your right knee and wrap your hands around it.
  • Pull your right leg across your body toward your left shoulder gently. Hold it there for 30 seconds. Remember just to pull your knee as far as it will comfortably allow. You should sense a relaxing stretch in your muscle rather than discomfort.
  • Return your leg to its starting position by pushing your knee.
  • Repeat for a total of three repetitions, then switch legs.

Sitting Spinal Stretch

When the vertebrae in the spine compress, sciatica pain occurs. This stretch opens the spine and relieves pressure on the sciatic nerve resulting in Sciatica pain relief.

  • Sit on the ground with your legs straight out in front of you, and your feet flexed upward.
  • Bend your right knee and place your foot flat on the floor outside your opposite knee.
  • Gently move your body to the right by placing your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.
  • Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times more before switching sides.

Standing Hamstring Stretch

This stretch can help relieve sciatica-related hamstring discomfort and tightness.

  • Place your right foot on an elevated surface at or below the level of your hips. It might be a chair, ottoman, or stair step. Flex your foot to straighten your toes and leg. Maintain a modest bend in your knee if it tends to hyperextend.
  • Slightly bend your body forward toward your foot. Don’t push yourself too hard to the point of pain.
  • Lower the hip of your lifted leg rather than pulling it up. If you need assistance lowering your hip, wrap a yoga strap or long exercise band around your right thigh and under your left foot.
  • Hold for at least 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Basic Seated Stretch

Sit on a chair and cross your troublesome leg over the knee of your other leg to begin one of the most popular stretches for Sciatica pain. Then take the following steps to achieve Sciatica pain relief.

  • Bring your chest forward and attempt to keep your spine straight. Try to bend over a little more if it isn’t painful. If you experience any pain, stop.
  • Hold this position for 30 seconds before doing the exercise with the opposite leg.

Standing Piriformis Stretch

Another standing stretch that can help with sciatica pain is this one. If you’re able, you can do this without assistance or stand against a wall with your feet about 24 inches away from the wall.

  • While standing, cross your sore leg over the knee of your other leg. Bend your standing leg and try to make the number 4 with your hips at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
  • Bend your knees and swing your arms down, keeping your back straight. Maintain your position for 30 to 60 seconds.
  • Change legs and repeat.

Groin and Long Adductor Muscle Stretch

This stretch demands you to sit on the floor with your legs as wide apart as possible straight in front of you.

  • Place your hands on the ground in front of you and tilt your torso toward the ground.
  • With your elbows on the floor, lean forward. Hold this pose for 10 to 20 seconds. If you experience any pain, stop.

Scissor Hamstring Stretch

The ischial tuberosity, commonly known as the sit bones, begins at the ischium, which, combined with the ilium and pubis, forms the pelvic girdle.

The hamstring muscles are connected to the ischial tuberosity via the Sacro tuberous ligament (STL). Hamstring muscles, when tense, can mimic sciatica symptoms.

This stretch can help release the hamstring muscles, relieving strain on the sciatic nerve. It may be beneficial to perform this exercise daily.

  • Position your right foot approximately 3 feet behind your left foot.
  • Draw your hips forward and back, but your right hip should not be more forward than your left hip. A mirror could help you decide this.
  • Place both hands on your hips. If you need to balance, you can utilize a chair.
  • Bend your waist while keeping your back straight and push your torso slightly over your front leg. Maintain your weight on your front leg.
  • Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds before repeating with the opposite leg. Stretch each leg three to five times.

Lastly

If you are still not able to achieve Sciatica pain relief after performing all these stretches for back pain, kindly consult an expert. And when it comes to experts for all these issues, no experts can be compared with the quality treatment provided by the trained professionals at Om Physio Plus Nutrition. The team of professionals will provide you with best-in-class treatment that will help you to get rid of Sciatica Pain.

rotator cuff injury exercise

Top 10 Exercises for Rotator Cuff Injury

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles that link to the bones of the shoulder joint. The shoulder blade joins the upper arm bone to the shoulder blade via a ball-and-socket joint. Specific rotator cuff exercises can aid in the prevention of injury to this area of the body.

The rotator cuff serves several purposes. The muscles perform the following functions:

  • Place the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and hold it.
  • Strength in arm and shoulder movements

The shoulder is the body’s most movable joint. The joint can be misused or overused, making it very easy to injure the rotator cuff and other shoulder portions. Exercises for rotator cuff injury to keep the rotator cuff muscles strong and flexible can help prevent rotator cuff injury.

Rotator Cuff Injury

Overuse injuries from repetitive overhead motions cause many rotator cuff injuries. Athletes who play baseball or tennis and those who work in vocations that require repetitive overhead motions, such as house painting or construction, are at risk of rotator cuff injury.

Overuse of the rotator cuff tendons or soft tissue that passes through the area between the upper arm bone, humerus, shoulder blade, or scapula frequently results in rotator cuff injury.

Impingement occurs when muscle strain or other overuse injuries produce swelling in the shoulder joint, reducing the space between the bones. People may occasionally rupture one of the rotator cuff’s tendons or muscles. However, this is less common than overuse injuries. Rotator cuff injuries can be excruciatingly painful but usually recover with rest and rotator cuff exercises.

Best Exercises for Rotator Cuff Injury

Arm reach

A person should accomplish the following to perform an arm’s reach to prevent rotator cuff injury. It is considered one of the most effective rotator cuff exercises:

  • Lie flat on your back, extend your arms and legs, and contract your abdominal muscles.
  • Raise one arm toward the ceiling, elevating the shoulder blade off the floor.
  • Maintain for 5 seconds.
  • Lower the arm to the floor.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Lying down the external rotation

It is a common exercise for rotator cuff injury. To complete this activity, follow these steps:

  • Lie on your side on a hard surface, carrying a lightweight in your upper hand.
  • Bend the top elbow to 90 degrees, maintaining the upper arm against the side of the body and the weighted hand in front of the body resting on the floor.
  • Rotate the arm at the shoulder, moving the weight toward the ceiling while keeping the elbow against the side of the body.
  • Return the weighted arm to the starting position slowly.
  • Repeat on the opposite side of your body.
  • While performing this exercise, place a tiny towel roll in your armpit to alleviate stress on the shoulder joint.

Pendulum

The exercise named Pendulum is the most preferred rotator cuff exercise. The pendulum workout consists of the following steps:

  • Lean forward with one arm freely dangling. Brace the other arm against a chair for support.
  • Circularly swing the hanging arm from side to side, forward and back.
  • Return to a standing position slowly.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Crossover arm stretch

The crossover arm stretch helps in preventing rotator cuff injury. It consists of the following steps:

  • Lift one arm perpendicular to the floor and straighten it out without locking it.
  • Using the opposite hand, grasp the wrist of the extended, elevated arm.
  • Gently pull the arm across the front of the body, attempting to hug the chest.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.
  • Hold the stretch for 5 seconds before slowly releasing it.

Lawnmower

To perform a lawnmower, pull, a person must:

  • Place one foot slightly forward, shoulder-width apart, and grasp a lightweight in one hand.
  • Keep the non-weighted hand on the hip, lean slightly forward, and bend the knees, so the weight is parallel to the opposite knee.
  • Pull the elbow of the arm with the weight back across the body as if starting a lawnmower.
  • Return to the starting position gently.
  • Work your way up to 2-3 sets of 8-10 repetitions.
  • Repeat on the opposite side.

Doorway stretches

It is one of the most effective yet simple exercises for rotator cuff injury. To do this stretch, follow the steps below:

  • Stand in a doorway with both sides of the frame at or near shoulder height.
  • Gently lean forward, keeping your back straight, until you feel a mild stretch at the front of your shoulders.
  • If required, lean forward to enhance the stretch. It should not be painful at all.
  • Return to your original standing position.

Two-arm wall stretch

This stretch can be done by doing the following:

  • Stand straight with your back to a wall.
  • Raise each arm in an L-shape, maintaining the upper arms parallel to the floor and the arms as flat on the wall as possible.
  • Keeping the elbows bent, move the arms up the wall to bring the hands closer together, then back down.
  • Return to the starting location.

Anterior capsule rotator cuff stretching using a towel

It is one of the most recommended rotator cuff exercises by doctors and experts. It requires several steps which include:

  • Stretch the muscles on the front side of the shoulder using a towel or a bedsheet.
  • Place one hand on the sore side of the back and grip the towel’s bottom end.
  • Grasp the upper end of the towel with your steady hand and stretch the muscles on the front side of your shoulder.

Band Pulls Apart

Follow the steps to get rid of severe rotator cuff injury:

  • Maintain proper head and neck alignment.
  • Place a resistance band shoulder-width apart, palms facing up.
  • Raise the hands to shoulder height and, squeezing the shoulder blade, pull the band apart.
  • Return to the beginning posture and do this exercise 10 times more.

Push-ups

Easy yet effective exercises for rotator cuff injury. Follow these to get rid of your issue:

  • Get down on all fours with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
  • Maintain a straight spine and a straight head.
  • Lower your entire body until your chest is near the floor.
  • Pause for a few seconds before pushing yourself back to the starting position.
  • Repeat ten times more.

When to see a doctor

Anyone who has chronic shoulder pain or edema should consult a doctor. People who suffer any of the following shoulder symptoms should visit a doctor because they may have a rotator cuff injury:

  • discomfort, particularly discomfort that does not ease with rest
  • swelling
  • inflammation or pain surrounding the joint

A person may require immediate medical assistance for more severe rotator cuff injuries.

If any of the following symptoms develop, seek emergency medical attention:

  • acute, abrupt pain
  • obvious joint deformity
  • immobility of the shoulder joint
  • unexpected swelling

Final Words

The rotator cuff is a set of four shoulder muscles. Because the shoulder joint is so flexible and regularly used, it is quite easy to damage the rotator cuff. People with rotator cuff injury or soreness may benefit from the easy exercises listed above to strengthen and stretch this portion of their body.

If you are suffering from severe rotator cuff injury, you can opt for the experts provided by Om Physio Plus Nutrition. The physiotherapy expert Dr. Niraj Patel provides individuals with best-in-class quality treatment and effective exercises for rotator cuff injury which will help you to get rid of your rotator cuff injury. Book your appointment today!

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