AQUATIC ARTHRITIS EXERCISE PROGRAM

Improve you life with aquatic arthritis exercise. The buoyancy, support, and accommodating resistance of water enhance exercise and create a safe environment for individuals suffering with arthritis.

Exercise is key in an overall health program for individuals with arthritis. Water arthritis exercise promotes joint flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, coordination and balance making the activities of daily living easier.

Find an appropriate pool for your Water Arthritis Exercise:

First thing you will need to locate is a pool.

If possible try to go to a warmer pool where the warm temperature of the water promotes muscle relaxation for better stretching and reduces pain. A

warm pool temperature of 83-88 degrees is recommended by the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program.

Please note: Higher temperatures are not recommended for active aquatic arthritis exercise.

Warm-up for your Water Arthritis Exercise:

Now that you have a nice warm pool, what should you do in the water? Let’s start with a warm-up for 5-10 minutes.

A warm-up prepares the body for more energetic activity. The warm-up also reduces the risk of sudden stress to the cardiovascular system and incidence of injury.

The warm-up section of your exercise should be done at a low intensity slowly building to more intense activity.

Walking, forward, backward, and sideways increasing the speed of your walk and the size of your arm movements is a great way to warm-up and stretch.

If you hip joint arthritis pain check out this page for more exercises.

The Core of your Aquatic Exercise:

The Strength and Endurance portion of your workout are next and should be performed for duration of 10-20 minutes.

Using the resistance of the water, speed of movement and body movement one can build muscle and increase stamina.

Your are walking at a brisk pace with long arms, ears over your shoulders, shoulders over hips, hips over knees, knees over ankles, chest lifted while you breathe deeply and smile.

Continue this power walking for the duration of time or change it up by clapping behind your back or using breaststroke arms as you briskly walk forward, backwards and sideways.

The Cool-down portion of your Aquatic Arthritis Exercise:

Your workout should be finished up with a cool down, generally lasting 5-10 minutes.

The cool down is the time for pulse recovery and breathing to return to normal. Repeating the warm-up backwards is a great way to effectively cool down.

Congratulations, you have finished your first arthritis aquatic exercise program.

There are many resources available for people with arthritis. Your local Arthritis Foundation can be a great resource on-line, via phone or in person.

Thank you for spending some time with me. Kimberly Murphy Aquatic Fitness Specialist

Leave Aquatic Arthritis Exercise Program
and check out the new Pilates ebook for more low impact and joint strengthening exercises!

Recent Articles

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

1. Pilates after Total Knee Replacement

   Apr 23, 20 06:20 PM

   It's 2 yrs.post op since I had total knee replacement in both knees. In order for them to last it's recommended that you lift not more than 25 lbs. Pilates

   Read More

2. SI Joint Pain Improved with Pilates!

   Aug 11, 17 12:29 AM

   Dear Jennifer, I just wanted to reach out and thank you for dramatically improving and changing my life. About a year ago, I woke up in debilitating

   Read More

3. Hip pain after 4 months of Reformer Pilates

   Jul 12, 17 06:44 PM

   Hi, I had a total right hip replacement 8 months ago; I rehabbed really quickly, although I was also (and still am) dealing with L4 spondylolisthesis.

   Read More