Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that includes inflammation of the lining of the joints, though in later stages may cause the lining to thicken and eventually become misshapen and misaligned. Up to 1.3 million Americans have RA, and its cause is unknown. Exercise can strengthen joints, increase range of motion and fight fatigue. Exercising in a pool is a place to start because of the lack of stress to the joints.
Water Workout Considerations
When doing water workouts at home, heat your pool or use a spa. Warm water is ideal because it soothes stiff joints and arthritis pain by increasing circulation. Heat the pool to between 83 and 88 degrees. However, if your joints are swollen, hold off on exercising, as heat can cause further inflammation. A heated pool gives you more options for a water workout because of the greater space. However, you can do many water exercises just in a spa, with the exception of water walking, where you walk the length of a pool.
Water Walking
If you do have a pool to walk in, wear a floatation belt and walk across the pool heel-toe style. This engages your whole body. Water walking is a workout in itself since water places 12 times the resistance that air does on your muscles to move without stressing the joints thanks to water's buoyancy.
Leg Swing
The leg swing is a water exercise for the lower body. Hold on to the side of the pool with your right hand and swing your left leg forward and hold it aloft for five seconds. Swing the leg back without leaning forward and hold for five seconds. Repeat on the other leg. Do three to eight repetitions per side. This can help improve your balance as well as strengthen your legs.
Sideways Arm Reach and Arm Circles
The sideways arm reach and arm circles work the shoulders and arms. The sideways arm reach strengthens the shoulders, while arm circles also are a range of motion exercise for the shoulder joints. Stand straight with water up to your shoulders and your arms at your sides. Raise your arms sideways to shoulder level and lower them. Hold the arms at your sides and trace circles in the water, first small and then gradually larger. Do three to eight reps per exercise.
