Playing sports with arthrosis is possible!

Arthrosis often rhymes with sedentariness.
Anxiety, fear of feeling even more painful or simply false myths lead people suffering from this disease to move little or nothing, so as to preserve the joints and avoid further damage and problems to knees and co. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gymnastics and physical activity, in fact, not only do not hurt, but also bring many advantages that can help to fight the disease and live better. Let’s see why.

Physical activity counteracts weight gain which, as we know, is one of the factors that can determine the onset but also the progression of arthrosis. The extra kilos, in fact, increase the stress to the joints, especially those of the knees, increasing the load that they are forced to bear. A bit of movement is therefore what it takes to control the body weight and therefore the load to which the joints are subjected.

Inactivity can lead to the very worsening of arthritic disease. It is often thought that people affected by this disease should use their joints as little as possible to avoid damaging them. Rest is recommended only in the acute phase, otherwise it is absolutely recommended regular physical activity that avoids the creation of a vicious circle between arthrosis and inactivity, harmful for the disease itself, but also for the development of other problems such as circulatory and vascular ones.

Exercise is particularly important because it also helps to improve the course of the disease. Stretching, in fact, allows you to recover the full possibility of movement, with muscle strengthening you try to strengthen the tissues and with aerobic activity you try to feel better and healthier. Finally, a little healthy physical activity accompanied by a balanced diet is the basis of a proper lifestyle that helps both in the treatment and prevention of arthrosis.

Now that we understand that doing sport is good, let’s see which exercises are most recommended. Of course, you should still consult your doctor to find out what activities to do according to your condition, but in general we can say that the most suitable gymnastics is aerobics at moderate intensity. So, let’s go with swimming and water aerobics because the water allows to lighten the load on the joints, but also the bike, to be played both outdoors, when the temperature allows it, and at home or in the gym with a stationary bike on which to choose the desired level of power. Particularly recommended are also all those exercises dedicated to muscle strengthening, balance and posture such as pilates, yoga and stretching. Red card, on the contrary, for intense sports or those that involve excessive impact on the joints such as running.

Anyway, the green light is given to everything that makes you feel good, from exercises in the water, to outdoor walks, alone, with your dog or in the company of a friend, because the most important thing is to move.