Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by joint deformation, limited mobility and the development of contractures (immobility). To reduce symptoms, treatment includes exercise therapy, massage, swimming and physiotherapy. Therapeutic exercise for rheumatoid arthritis is aimed at strengthening ligaments and muscles, increasing range of motion in joints and slowing down pathological reactions. Exercise therapy is indicated for almost all patients. With significant restrictions, it is possible to perform breathing exercises.
The main condition for exercise therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is regularity of exercise and systematic increase in load. Do not perform exercises with force. After proper physical activity, the patient should experience increased strength and decreased stiffness.
Hand exercises
In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints of the fingers are most often affected. Usually the hand takes on the characteristic appearance of a flipper, which leads to limited functionality and disability.
To reduce the strain rate it is advisable to:
- do not move your fingers towards the little finger;
- reduce the load on the fingertips;
- ensure the correct position of the hand at rest;
- write only with cone-shaped thickened pens;
- perform everyday activities correctly, trying to ensure that the axis of movement in the joints does not deviate to the side;
- use orthoses (devices that limit mobility) at night.
Here is one of the sets of exercise therapy for hand injuries
Each exercise should be performed 5–7 times depending on the patient’s condition. There should be no pain during exercise
- Starting position: hands in front of you next to each other.
Turn your palms alternately up and down.
2. Place your hands on the table and raise and lower them first, and then just your fingers.
3. Hands clenched into fists, stretch forward. Rotate the brushes clockwise and counterclockwise.
4. Place your elbows on the table, clasp your palms, spread and bring your elbows together without lifting them from the surface.
5. Make up-down, left-right and circular movements with each finger in turn.
6. Touch each finger to the thumb, as if grasping something round.
7. Squeeze and unclench the soft ball in your hand, roll it over the surface.
8. Rotate your hands at the wrist joint (while trying to relax your palm).
9. Move your fingers along the stick from bottom to top.
10. Rub your palms together.
Therapeutic exercises for knee joints
The three videos on this page present a set of exercises for treating knee joints.
Indications for therapeutic exercises:
Exercises from the video are useful for knee diseases:
- for arthrosis of the knee joints - gonarthrosis;
- in case of damage to the meniscus - incomplete rupture of the meniscus, meniscopathy;
- for knee rehabilitation after knee surgery;
- for the restoration of the knee joint after knee injuries and tendon sprains.
1. Exercise “Sliding” to treat knees. Rapid improvement in just 5 minutes a day!
I would like to clarify that the first video shows a basic exercise with which you need to start treating knee joints. And gradually the load needs to be increased.
And after about a week from the start of classes, proceed to mastering the following set of exercises:
2. Gymnastics for the treatment of knee joints, part 2:
In the future, it is best to practice combining both complexes.
It is advisable to exercise daily. First you do the “Sliding” exercise, and immediately after it - “Gymnastics for the knees, part 2”.
3. Office gymnastics for legs:
Office gymnastics for knees and hip joints are exercises that can be done in any conditions - at home, at work, in the office or in the country.
All you need to practice is a chair and just a little free space!
You can do exercises from the third complex daily or every other day - as an addition to our gymnastics for the knees.
Contraindications to therapeutic exercises:
Therapeutic exercises for knee joints is a fairly serious treatment method that has its own contraindications.
Despite their usefulness, these exercises cannot be performed:
- on menstruation days in women;
- with significantly increased arterial and intracranial pressure; • with elevated body temperature (above 37.5 ºС); for influenza, ARVI and sore throat - you need to wait for recovery and wait at least another 3-4 days;
- in the first month after operations on the abdominal and chest organs;
- for inguinal hernias and abdominal hernias;
- for acute diseases of internal organs, for example, with appendicitis, exacerbation of cholelithiasis or exacerbation of cholecystitis, etc.;
- with severe heart damage and severe blood diseases.
Attention! If a particular exercise causes sharp pain, it means that it is contraindicated for you or you are doing it incorrectly. In this case, it is better not to do it, or at least postpone it until you consult with your doctor.
Rules for performing therapeutic exercises:
The main rule is that when doing gymnastics, do not rush. If you want to recover, you will somehow have to train yourself to do the exercises slowly and smoothly, without jerking. Snatching will only tear muscles and damage joints, and will do you absolutely no good.
And remember that even if you perform gymnastics correctly, improvement does not come immediately. In the first 2 weeks of training, joint pain may even intensify slightly, but after 3-4 weeks you will feel the first signs of improvement.
I wish you the will and perseverance necessary to regain your former ease of movement! Be healthy! Sincerely, your doctor Evdokimenko.
You might be interested in:
Treatment of arthrosis of the knee joint (treatment of gonarthrosis)
Exercises for lesions of the shoulder girdle
During exercises, it is very important to maintain the correct breathing rhythm
1. Raise and lower your shoulders, make circular movements forward and backward.
2. Place your palms on your shoulders, alternately bringing your elbows forward.
3. Clasp your elbows with your palms and raise and lower them.
4. Lying on your back, bend, raise and lower your straightened arms.
5. Place your hands on your belt and alternately place them behind your head.
6. Hug yourself.
Important Tips
Before starting a workout, it is necessary to warm up the muscles - this is a prerequisite that will prevent injuries. Warm-up should be easy. It should be remembered that over time, muscles get used to the load. This means that we need to deprive them of this opportunity - we just need to constantly increase the number of repetitions of exercises and the time of training.
You definitely need to learn which exercises are contraindicated as part of exercise for arthritis of the knee joint. Putting too much stress on it makes the situation worse. This means that when performing classes it is necessary to exclude:
- Squats;
- Run;
- Jumping;
- Aerobics classes;
- Asymmetrical exercises.
Special care should be taken when performing workouts for the hamstrings and quadriceps.
There is no point in giving up training at all - you can achieve the opposite effect. After all, the muscles lose their mobility. The only thing is to ensure that there is no pain in the knees while performing certain exercises. It is best to use those options that are suitable for beginners, and not for advanced athletes. It is important to understand that pain is an indicator that either the exercise is being performed incorrectly or there is too much stress on the joints.
Leg exercises
1. Lying on your back, bend your leg at the knee joint without lifting the sole from the surface (sliding steps).
2. Exercise “Bicycle”.
3. Spread your legs bent at the knees to the sides and bring them back.
4. Swing with a straight leg while lying and standing, holding onto a support.
5. Circular movements in the hip joint with the leg bent at the knee.
6. Raising straight legs to the sides in a lying position.
7. Circular movements with a straight leg.
Not as simple as they seem
The knees perform a key function during our movements: it is thanks to them that a person bends and extends his legs. According to traumatologists, the knee joint is the most complex element of the musculoskeletal system. It combines bones, muscles, ligaments and cartilage discs, forming a single ensemble.
Damage to any of the components causes pain and limits mobility. That is why efforts aimed at strengthening the knees and improving joint flexibility will never be superfluous.
Knee problems usually arise against the background of an unfavorable lifestyle, bad habits, and also as a result of joint diseases. Women are more susceptible to injuries and post-traumatic arthrosis, since the female body loses bone mass faster. A proper diet and adequate physical activity will help maintain knee flexibility and prevent complications.
Knees are like fragile “springs” that need to be protected.
Why do your knees really hurt? Comments from a rehabilitation doctor:
Exercise therapy for arthritis, arthrosis Vetlugin AA
Exercise therapy for arthritis and arthrosis
Arthritis
This is inflammation of the joints, accompanied by limitation of movements, and with more complex changes - complete immobility (ankylosis) of the joints, pain during exercise, and later at rest. A distinction is made between monoarthritis (affecting one joint) and polyarthritis (affecting several joints).
Objectives of exercise therapy and massage
Activation of the cardiovascular, respiratory systems, neuromuscular system, normalization of metabolism, improvement of joint mobility, increase in muscle strength, elimination of pain.
Features of exercise therapy
Active movements should be performed in easier conditions: lying down, on all fours, sitting, in water, hanging, etc. Avoid pain. The lesson includes walking, cycling, skiing, general developmental and breathing exercises, exercises with equipment (balls, sticks, dumbbells, etc.) in a standing and sitting position if the upper extremities are affected, lying and sitting – if the lower extremities are affected. , outdoor games. Exercises to relax the muscles of the sore limb are alternated with exercises for sore joints. Avoid jumping, hopping, and exercises with dumbbells and weights in a standing position. For ankylosis of the joints, mainly isometric muscle exercises are used, movements in less affected or healthy joints, and compensatory motor skills are also trained.
Arthrosis
A chronic joint disease in which primary changes, mainly of a degenerative nature, occur in the articular cartilage. Later, other joint tissues change; bones - with their compaction (Osteosclerosis) and growths (Osteophytes), the synovial membrane - with the development of reactive hyperemia, focal inflammation (Synovitis) and subsequent fibrosis, as well as changes in periarticular soft tissues (Periarthritis). There are primary (idiopathic) and secondary osteoarthritis, which is caused by dysplasia of the joints and bones, joint trauma, metabolic, endocrine disorders (for example, hypothyroidism), etc. The most commonly affected are the metatarsophalangeal joints of the toes, knee (gonarthrosis), hip joints (coxarthrosis), as well as the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints of the hands. In the initial stage of the disease, rapid fatigue in the joint, dull or aching pain are noted, which is caused by reflex changes in the muscles, hypoxia and poor circulation, and limitation of movements. As the disease progresses, pain occurs both during exercise and at rest, and ankylosis and even dislocation may develop. During the course of the disease, there are 3 periods: acute, subacute and remission.
Objectives of exercise therapy and massage
In the acute period - improvement of local blood and lymph circulation, acceleration of regeneration, relaxation of tense muscles, elimination or reduction of pain; In the subacute period - an increase in mobility in the affected joint is added, a slowdown in the development of contractures; during the period of remission - strengthening the muscles adjacent to the joint, developing compensatory skills by including unaffected parts of the musculoskeletal system.
Features of exercise therapy
In the acute period, PH is carried out to reduce pain against the background of unloading the affected joint, in IP lying (for arthrosis of the lower extremities) and sitting (for arthrosis of the upper extremities): treatment with position (either an extensor or a flexion position), an exercise to relax muscles with increased tone , general developmental exercises for intact joints, breathing, isometric exercises.
In the subacute period, when there is no pain or they are insignificant, it is advisable to perform LH in the pool, adding light swinging movements in the affected joint, muscle stretching exercises and resistance exercises (to increase muscle strength). Each movement is repeated many times. You cannot apply traction along the axis of the limb. For arthrosis of the upper extremities, LH is performed in a standing position: movements with objects, with apparatus, against a gymnastic wall. For osteoarthritis of the lower extremities, which manifests itself only as pain after long walking, the main importance is to reduce the load on the affected joint, reducing the duration of walking and standing. Exercise therapy for coxarthrosis and gonarthrosis is carried out only in a lying or sitting position. Excessive physical activity, including sports, running, long walking, is contraindicated; Cycling, swimming, water games, and exercise equipment are advisable.
AN APPROXIMATE COMPLEX OF THERAPEUTIC GYMNASTICS FOR DISEASES AND DAMAGES OF THE MOVEMENT ORGANS WITH PRIMARY DAMAGE TO THE JOINTS OF THE LOWER LIMB
1. Turn the torso to the side while moving the arms to the side. Alternately. 3-6 times in each direction. IN; IP - standing.
2. Clenching and unclenching the hands and flexing and extending the feet. 10-40 times. B: IP - lying down.
3. Tilts of the body - stick to the right (left) leg alternately. 3-6 times. Q: IP - standing, sitting without a stick.
4. Rolling a stick. B: medicine ball rolling. 10-60 times.
5. Alternating straight leg raises. 3-6 times with each leg. B: IP - standing, hands on waist
6. Squats. 4-12 times
7. Alternately relax the muscles of the lower leg and foot 3-4 times. B: IP - standing or lying down.
8. Alternately abducting or raising the straight leg. 3-8 times each. “Scissors”: lowering one leg while raising the other. 10-30 sec
9. Alternately reaching out to the toes, while simultaneously turning the body and moving the arm bent at the elbow joint back. 3-4 times.
10. "Bicycle." 10-40 times
11. Full breathing 5-6 times. Q: IP - sitting or standing.
12. Hands on the hips or on the back of the head: raising the torso while sliding the palms along the legs and without moving the arms. 4-12 times.
13. Alternately moving straight legs back with bending in the lower back, returning to the IP. Straightening your arms, bend over and return to IP. 4-6 times.
14. Flexion in the knee joint alternately, in the sore joint using a loop. 8-10-15 times. TM. B: IP - lying down, sitting.
15. 1—lunge forward with your left (right) leg, raising your left hand up and moving your right hand back, 2—return to IP. 3-8 times with each leg. Dumbbells weighing 1-2 kg. Q: the same without dumbbells.
16. Passive flexion of the ankle joint 10-20 times. TM. Using your hands.
17. Walking is calming. 1-2 min. in one line, foot in front of foot.
18. Full breathing with emphasis on exhalation.
Legend: IP - starting position, TM - slow pace, TS - medium pace, TB - fast pace, B - option.
AN APPROXIMATE COMPLEX OF THERAPEUTIC GYMNASTICS FOR DISEASES AND DAMAGES OF THE MOVEMENT ORGANS WITH PRIMARY DAMAGE TO THE JOINTS OF THE UPPER LIMB
1. 1 - putting your foot back, raise the stick up to the limit, at 2-3 - two springy jerks back, 4 - return vts IP. 3-8 times with each leg. Q: the same without the stick.
2. Tilt the body to the right, left but 4 times, breathing evenly. TS.
3. Torso turns with free swinging of arms. Breathing is uniform. TS
4. Lunges forward. 4-6 times with each leg. TS
5. Clenching and unclenching the hand into a fist. 15-20 times. TM and TS.
6. Passive flexion at the wrist joint. TM. 10-20 times.
7. Squeezing a rubber ball. 5-15 times. TM
8. Lifting a 5 kg load through a block. 5-6 times. TM
9. Strike upward with each hand, breathing evenly. 5-15 times. TB.
10. “Boxing”, breathing evenly. 5-15 times. TB.
11. Stick horizontally down, vertical to the right shoulder (left). 5-8 times. TM.
12. Stick horizontally up and onto the shoulder blades.
13. Intercepting the stick.
14. Bend your arms while standing. TM, 2-10 times.
15. Bend over, arms back, relax your torso and arms, lean forward slightly. TM. 3-4 times.
16. Half squats with transition to deep spring squats. 4-12 times. B: the same without hand support.
17. Calming walking - 1-2 minutes.
18. Having consistently relaxed (dropped forward) your hands, forearms, shoulders, head, torso, sit down, leaning your hands on the floor with complete relaxation. 3-4 times.
Legend: IP - starting position, TM - slow pace, TS - medium pace, TB - fast pace, B - option,
Yoga for knee arthritis
A very popular gymnastics today for correcting the condition of the knee joint is yoga. After all, it is not traumatic, it is aimed at stretching, saturating the whole body with oxygen, and improving blood circulation. The undoubted advantage of this option is the smooth execution of exercises and precise movements. All exercises help relax the mind and body, which helps you recover faster.
Ideally, you should conduct classes at least 4 times a week. A greater effect can be achieved if you do gymnastics after a warm and relaxing shower.
The following options are popular for restoring joint function:
- Sensitive joints;
- Jam jar;
- Resting tree;
- Torso rotation.
Yoga helps in the presence of joint diseases due to the fact that it meets the following functions:
- Relaxes body and soul;
- Relieves pain - not always completely, but significantly reduces it;
- Returns mobility to the knee joints;
- Calms the nervous system;
- Normalizes the activity of blood vessels and nerve endings.
It is worth understanding that before practicing one or another method of restoring the mobility of the knee joint, you should consult with your doctor.
After all, by choosing the wrong exercises, doing them at the wrong pace and with the wrong number of repetitions, you can only harm yourself even more.
Indications and contraindications for physical education
Such gymnastics activates the affected areas of the body.
However, in this case there are also contraindications - it is prohibited to conduct physical therapy classes during the period of exacerbation of the inflammatory process.
A set of exercise therapy exercises for rheumatoid arthritis is not prescribed only during the period of exacerbation, in case of hypertension, the presence of an inflammatory process in the body and if it is impossible to control the patient’s indicators.
Also, physical activity is contraindicated in the development of the disease of the third or fourth stage with pronounced inflammation.
Therapeutic gymnastics exercises for rheumatoid arthritis must be performed regularly for 20 minutes .
Increased physical activity should only be done with the permission of your doctor. Attention! During training, the pain syndrome should not increase in any case; all exercises should be carried out at a moderate pace and without tension. After a set of exercises for rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic pain will gradually disappear.