Isometric exercises can help you maintain muscle tone and fitness if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, or RA. Exercise is essential for staying healthy when you have arthritis because it improves your general health and sense of well-being along with your muscle and bone strength, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Exercise also helps you build stamina, combat fatigue and preserve mobility. Always check with your health-care provider before adding new exercises to your routine.
Identification
Isometric exercises are used to strengthen your muscles. Such exercises involve tightening, or contracting, a specific muscle without joint movement. If you have RA, such exercises are good for you because they work your muscles without moving your joint, which reduces stress on your joint, according to the Arthritis Foundation.
Helpful Times
Isometric exercises are especially helpful when you first develop your RA, says Cheryl Koehn, lead author for the book, "Rheumatoid Arthritis." They're also useful for times when your joints are more swollen or painful than normal and when motion against gravity causes you joint pain.
Benefits
Isometric exercises provide several benefits. They improve your muscle tone and size. They also develop muscle strength. This is especially important for weight-bearing activities or strenuous activities. It's also important when you are preparing for joint replacement or joint surgery. Performing isometric exercises along multiple points within your range of motion also can prepare your joint for increased dynamic exercise, which involves moving your joint.
Recommendations
One example of isometric exercise is the leg press. To perform it, sit in a chair and cross your ankles. Push backward with your front leg and forward with your back leg. Do not allow either leg to move as you hold this contraction. The Arthritis Foundation recommends performing strengthening exercises every other day. Warm up with stretches prior to performing your exercises. Koehn recommends doing five to 10 repetitions for each isometric exercise that you perform. Hold each contraction for up to six seconds.
References
- Arthritis Foundation: Types of Exercise
- "Rheumatoid Arthritis"; Cheryl Koehn et al.; 2002
- "Pediatric Physical Therapy"; Jan Stephen Tecklin; 1999
- "Pathology and Intervention in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation"; David J. Magee et al.; 2009
