Minimal Equipment Exercises You Can Recommend To Clients With Arthritis

 

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As a personal trainer, you might get clients with different needs from time to time. If you keep turning away clients based on their medical needs, you’ll not only lose business but might also get a bad reputation. For these types of clients, it’s better to discuss their fitness with their doctors and then work with them to develop exercise plans.

Arthritis patients usually need a good personal trainer because part of their treatment depends on exercise and muscle movements. If you’re unsure about the exercises to recommend to arthritis patients, this guide will help you. Additionally, suppose you want to expand your scope and cater to patients with different medical needs.

In that case, it’s a good idea to obtain certifications such as the one offered by W.I.T.S. Education to become a medical fitness trainer.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is the tenderness of joints that may cause severe muscle pain and joint stiffness. The conditions usually progress with age but can be controlled to an extent via treatments. Specific exercises are considered beneficial for arthritis, so doctors typically recommend regular exercise as part of the treatment.

The common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. In Osteoarthritis, the cartilage covering the ends of the bones can break down, which can cause severe pain and lead to mobility issues.

Rheumatoid arthritis can develop when your own immune system attacks the joint lining. Rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any age, while Osteoarthritis is commonly found in the older population.

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Some Workouts For Clients With Arthritis

Stretching

Since arthritis affects muscle and joints, it affects people’s mobility. Stretching can help release stress in the muscles and relax the joints. However, type of stretching is extremely important because you wouldn’t want your clients to further damage their muscles. Moreover, you also need to keep in mind the intensity of the workouts.

The client’s joints are already frail, and any unnecessary stress can lead to injury, so it’s a good idea to start with some of the easiest stretching exercises you can recommend. Other than that, it’s a good strategy to target those joints which cause the most discomfort. You’ll also need to determine how frequently the client should exercise to avoid excessive muscle damage.

Water Exercises

Staying in water is one of the best things for clients with arthritis. The water supports the weight of the body by minimizing the effects of gravity. As a result, the movements don’t impact the joints heavily. Simple swimming exercises are a great way to move the joints without hurting them. It also increases cartilage production and reduces stiffness.

Water aerobics is another form of water exercise that can give clients good results and relieve their pain. Water aerobics can work on target areas such as elbows, wrists, and shoulders. These areas are usually left untouched in regular water exercises.

Pilates

Pilates is a low-intensity workout that mainly focuses on core strength and strengthening the body. The exercise is similar to yoga, but pilates relax the muscles and release built-up tension in the body instead of using postures to improve flexibility. However, these workouts aren’t for everyone.

Even though it relaxes the muscles, the movements are hard to replicate. And if not done properly, it can lead to further muscle fatigue. So if you have younger clients with arthritis, then pilates is a great option. But if your clients are middle-aged or older, this may not be the best workout routine for them. You can still pick a few postures from pilates for them that are easier.

Jogging

Running causes additional stress on the joints, so it isn’t recommended for clients with arthritis. But jogging, on the other hand, is a lighter version of running and improves the mobility of the joints. Jogging is a low-impact exercise that helps joint health through aerobic conditioning. Besides jogging, you can also recommend brisk walking to your clients.

The key is to keep them moving their joints without putting too much pressure on them. But be careful that your clients walk or jog on a flat surface. Any inclination will add more weight to the joint and be harmful instead. The duration of jogging is also important older clients should refrain from jogging for long periods because their body isn’t strong enough to take the stress.

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Yoga

Yoga combines deep breathing, gentle movements, and meditation to improve joint movements and increase flexibility and balance. Clients with arthritis don’t just have to deal with muscle pain but also with balancing issues.

This happens because the joints, especially the knees, aren’t able to handle the body weight, which affects the movements. Yoga postures are designed to stretch the muscles, hold them in the position, and then release them without making the client feel pain. Moreover, yoga is also great for older arthritis patients who can’t take part in regular exercise.

Strength Training

Cycling

For those clients who suffer from knee pains due to arthritis, cycling is a great activity. It allows the knees to maintain periodic movements without excessive strain and improves cardiovascular health. Rheumatoid arthritis is known for causing heart issues in patients.

Generally, outdoor cycling is the best option because it enriches the body with oxygen and improves muscle fiber and brain cell production. But if the clients can’t ride a bike, they can use cycling machines in the gym.

Hand Exercises

For some people, arthritis affects the wrist and hand movements, and hands aren’t given much attention during exercise. Certain hand exercises such as bending wrists up and down, curling fingers, and squeezing stress balls can improve the hand’s flexibility and strength and slow the progress of arthritis.

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Want to learn more ways to train clients with certain medical conditions? Take a look at W.I.T.S. Education’s medical fitness course. W.I.T.S. is an institute that offers several fitness-related courses such as group exercise instructor courses, lifestyle wellness courses, youth fitness courses, and many more.

They offer a hybrid learning model with online classes and hands-on practical labs. Moreover, W.I.T.S. courses are accredited by the N.C.C.A. and the American Council of Education and allow college students to earn course credits. W.I.T.S. also has the largest network of colleges and universities in the country. So hurry up, check out their courses and join today!