St. Louis, MO    (314) 939-1377
HouseFit Physical Therapy & Fitness
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • In The Press
  • WHO WE HELP
    • Arthritis Pain
    • Balance Issues
    • Dizziness & Vertigo
    • Healthy Aging
    • Loss Of Independence
    • Parkinson's Disease
  • Workshops
    • Floor Fitness
    • Safe Landing
  • Health Tips
  • Careers
    • Physical Therapist
    • Physical Therapist Assistant
  • Contact
  • Book Dr. Beth
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Success Stories
    • In The Press
  • WHO WE HELP
    • Arthritis Pain
    • Balance Issues
    • Dizziness & Vertigo
    • Healthy Aging
    • Loss Of Independence
    • Parkinson's Disease
  • Workshops
    • Floor Fitness
    • Safe Landing
  • Health Tips
  • Careers
    • Physical Therapist
    • Physical Therapist Assistant
  • Contact
  • Book Dr. Beth

Arthritis & Exercise

8/26/2019

 
Picture
By: Dr. Beth Templin

Did you know that according to the Arthritis Foundation, Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among adults in the United States? 
With more than 54 million adults having a diagnosis of arthritis, it's not surprising to learn that it's one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. There are over 100 types of arthritis, but the most common form is osteoarthritis (OA). 
What causes osteoarthritis? 
​

Your joints are covered by a protective layer called cartilage. When there is significant damage to the cartilage, it can be painful. Many believe the breakdown is caused by every day "wear and tear", but it's usually a combination of poor alignment of the joints, excessive weight and/or an injury.

How can I manage my arthritis?

1. Stay Hydrated!
Cartilage is about 80% water in younger adults, but as a normal part of aging, it decreases to about 70% in older adults. This makes the cartilage become stiffer and thinner. 

Think of the difference between a wet sponge and a dry sponge. The wet sponge is soft and flexible whereas the dry sponge is stiff and brittle. It’s much easier to break or damage the dry sponge than it is to the wet sponge. 

The same happens to your cartilage. If you are dehydrated on a regular basis, which most of us probably are, then you’re more likely to cause damage to it. 

Dehydration is one of the reasons people with arthritis feel so stiff and achy in the morning. They have gone all night without drinking any fluids and as a result are slightly dehydrated. 

To figure out how much water you should drink each day, think about how much you weigh and divide that number in half. That's how many ounces you should drink per day. For instance, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water daily. 

The good news is that it’s a pretty easy fix. If you stay hydrated, your cartilage will stay “wet” and will be softer and more flexible. Once you’ve damaged your cartilage, it does not have the ability to repair itself, so being proactive is the key to healthy joints.

2. Strengthen your muscles!
The benefit of strength training is stronger muscles help to protect your joints. Your muscles act as shock absorbers for the joints. As you lose muscle mass, more of the impact is absorbed by the joints, increasing the stress on them. 

As you build the muscle strength back around your joints, your joints are better supported, which decreases the daily stress on them and in turn decreases pain. 

3. Keep moving!
Stiff joints are a common complaint among people with arthritis. There's a saying that "Motion is Lotion" and that holds very true for people with arthritis. Our bodies were made to move, not sit all day. Once you get up and move, that stiffness usually subsides and you start to feel better! ​

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    AUTHOR

    Dr. Beth helps adults 55+ maximize their independence and fitness, so they can continue to enjoy a full and active life.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018

    Categories

    All
    Age In Place
    Agility
    Aging
    Anti Aging
    Arthritis
    Balance
    Benefits
    Bones
    Boxing
    Classes
    Dizziness
    Endurance
    Exercise
    Falls
    Fear
    Fitness
    Fitness Routine
    Flexibility
    Flexible
    Frailty
    Good Posture
    Group Classes
    Group Exercise
    Healthy Living
    Immune System
    Independence
    Intensity
    Joints
    Managing Stress
    Memory
    Movements
    Mucles
    Muscles
    Neuro
    Neuropathy
    One Year Anniversary
    Online Classes
    Osteoarthritis
    Osteroporosis
    Pain
    Physical Therapist
    Physical Therapy
    Posture
    Senior Fitness
    Seniors
    Sensory
    Sore Muscles
    Stiff Joints
    Stiff Muscles
    Stiffness
    Strength
    Strength Training
    Stress At You Age
    Stretching
    Tingling
    Vestibular Rehab
    Weakness

    RSS Feed

Address:
3809 Lemay Ferry Rd
​Saint Louis, MO 63125

​
​Phone Number
:
(314) 939-1377


Fax Number:
​(314) 449-9173


Email:
​
info@housefitstl.com


​Office Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:45am to 4:45pm

Privacy Policy
No Surprise Act

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:
All information on this website  is intended for instruction and informational purposes only. The authors are not responsible for any harm or injury that may result. Significant injury risk is possible if you do not follow due diligence and seek suitable professional advice about your injury. No guarantees of specific results are expressly made or implied on this website.
Service Area: St. Louis County, St. Louis City, St. Charles County, and Jefferson County
​Copyright 2022 - HouseFit- All Rights Reserved