Arthritis & Joint Pain Relief with a Structured Fitness Plan

Arthritis & Joint Pain Relief with a Structured Fitness Plan Arthritis is a term for wear and tear on a joint that leads to disease that includes inflammation and stiffness of the joint. Many older adults have arthritis to varying degrees on varying joints.

What arthritic joints share in common is that exercise can help alleviate the inflammation and stiffness in many ways. Some people think that you don’t want to add more wear and tear to the joints but really this is not the case, because the bigger issues with the inflammation and stiffness are reduced through a balanced fitness plan. Of course, one needs to be careful and cautious when beginning exercise with arthritic or painful joints. 

Working with a certified trainer leading you through a structured plan is a great way to get on track. I’m guessing that you’ve heard before that exercise will help your joint pain and help your arthritis and the symptoms of it. You were looking for a new answer here because you’ve gone to the gym and done the workout routine you used to do, or picked up the sport you used to play, or went to a group fitness class only to be in more pain than before.

We have heard this complaint many times, and we wish it was that easy. The problem is your joints are different than they used to be and so they need a different protocol to ease the pain and inflammation. We are here to use our knowledge to specifically work to reduce inflammation and stiffness with a holistic, structured wellness plan. When you work with a personal trainer we look at what you were doing, how you are doing it and how often you are doing it.

We research the specificity of exercises needed for you, then we check out the biomechanics of how your body moves when performing different movements, and then we begin to plan the volume and recovery appropriate for your goals. We take this and build a therapeutic program for your body at this time, and start working towards making you more functional, stronger and reducing your pain and discomfort, in accordance with all your personal goals.  What does this look like?

And what does it mean for your workout sessions and, more importantly, your everyday quality of life?! We begin the plan at the very beginning with your warm-up which is a key part of your program, and at the beginning can be the majority of your routine. This includes appropriate stretches for joint mobility and flexibility, balance and breathing patterns. All very important skills for older adults to practice and are often skipped when not working with a personal trainer. Practicing these skills will help with confidence and energy and sometimes begin to reduce pain right away! 

Then for the core of your workout we select researched exercises and modify them so that they are safe for your body right now. We will teach you movement patterns and before you know it you will be feeling empowered and motivated! Then we go a step past this to ask what else do we need to work on in your everyday life. This might include what exercises and cardio you are doing on your own.

Because our goal is to have you ‘find the core’ and find your fitness for life we want it to be enjoyable and so we definitely want to look at what you like doing for movement and we can modify it and work it into your lifestyle in a way that will help you instead of hurt you. Further what other activities and sports you like to do so that we can make sure your program is enjoyable. This relates back to the core of your work out and what exercises we will select not only to strengthen your muscles and ease your joint pain during your workouts but to allow for easier movement and things you do all day long. Like gardening, walking up and downstairs, playing with children or grandchildren, staying balanced on uneven surfaces, getting up and down out of chairs or the floor, and reaching four things in high spaces. And then we also go into nutrition, hydration and lifestyle habits to help you feel your absolute best during your workouts and beyond. 

Because we want this to be your fitness for life we will stick by your side and change the workouts as needed to fit your goals as they will change as your body changes! A well-balanced fitness plan, nutrition, and lifestyle will help reduce the symptoms of arthritis and joint stiffness. Your personal trainer can teach you the skills and tools to help you be joint pain free and fall in love with exercise at the same time!