It is a disbelief that arthritis patients should not exercise because of the danger of joint damage. Due to stiffness in body, arthritis patients are unable to do even their routine daily tasks. Medical research has proved that exercise benefits arthritis patients, if done carefully. Light exercise should be tried first. Then gradually increase the time and effort. Regular exercise is as important as the balanced diet. People who have arthritis should do exercise for following reasons �

�It reduces stiffness and pain around the joints.
�It keeps the muscles strong.
�It decreases fatigue.
�It increases confidence and develops a strong sense of well being.
�It makes the joints flexible by moving them.
�It helps in controlling weight.
�It increases the strength and burns the extra calories.

Following are basic arthritis exercises-

Stretching Exercises- It is most important among all the exercises and should be a part of daily routine. It should be done 3-10 times twice in a day. Breathing is very important while exercising.

Stretching exercises can be beneficial in

�Protecting Joints
�Reducing the risk factor of injury
�Helps in warm up
�Relaxing the body
�Reduces stiffness and makes joints flexible.

Yoga is good for maintaining flexibility and 15 minutes of daily yoga activity is sufficient.

Strengthening Exercise- Strong muscles reduces the stress on the joints. These exercises make the muscles stronger. These are done daily after stretching exercises. These are basically of 2 types-

�Isometric � It includes tightening the muscles without moving the joints.
�Isotonic - It includes strengthening the muscles by moving the joints.
Arthritis patients should do these exercises daily or every other day. Decrease the time duration if you feel more joint pain and swelling.
�Aerobic Exercise- Aerobic exercises help with increasing the stamina and control your weight. Low-impact aerobic exercises include walking, cycling and swimming. Do these exercises for 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week.
�Walking - It is good for arthritis people. It helps in increasing the stamina and controlling the weight. It also maintains flexibility of joints. It strengthens bones and eases joint pain. A brisk walk of 30 minutes daily is quite beneficial. Do it 3 times with at lease 10 minutes of duration each time.
�Swimming- It is also a good exercise. It includes activity to keep bones strong.
�Water exercise- It is also good for arthritis patients because soothing warmth of water relieves from pain and stiffness. With this, body temperature increases and blood vessels are dilated.
This results in increased blood circulation.

Always consult your medical practitioner before starting an exercise. An assessment from physical therapist can be taken for specific exercises. Join an exercise group so that you can do all the exercises with routine and under the supervision of an expert to minimize the risk factor. Regular exercise can benefit in terms of decreasing pain and depression and increasing routine functional ability.