How to Exercise with Arthritis in Your Feet

The OKC community of individuals aged 50 and up is certainly active, and the Oklahoma Senior Journal provides news and information on events and opportunities for interested individuals. One particularly beneficial opportunity is the Living Longer – Living Stronger Workshop. This 6-week program offers support, information on treatment options, and coaching on communication methods. The workshop even covers the importance of regular exercise for conditions like diabetes, depression, and arthritis.

Now, we can understand how exercising with arthritis might not seem like a good idea—if the affected joints already hurt when you move, why would you want to move even more—but hear us out on this!

Many benefits are provided when you stay active, even for arthritic foot and ankle joints. Improved range of movement, better support from the muscles, and carrying around less weight are a few of the benefits of exercise when you have arthritis in your lower limbs.

Knowing you want to start exercising is a good start, but the next step is to understand how to do so. You cannot just jump off the couch and try to run the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon right now! Instead, you need to create a plan.

Our professionals can help you create an appropriate exercise program customized to your needs and starting condition. Some key components we will likely include are:

• A relatively easy starting point. You should not push your body too soon when beginning any physical activity or workout regimen. We will determine a smart, realistic starting point to keep you safe and active.
• A gradual increase. While you need to start off easy, the goal is to gradually progress in levels of intensity and duration. This will help increase muscle strength and burn calories, but don’t worry! This doesn’t mean you will have to push yourself to Olympic training levels.
• Low-impact activities. Walking, swimming, cycling, and yoga are all excellent exercise options for people with arthritis. We may also recommend some resistance or weight training to help improve muscle strength.

For additional information on exercising with arthritis, contact Foot & Ankle Center of Oklahoma. We can provide more tips and help you to create an effective workout routine. Of course, we also offer treatment for arthritic conditions affecting your feet and ankles, so give us a call at (405) 418-2676 or schedule an appointment online with our OKC office today!