Benefits of Water Sports for Arthritis

Water sports well done by people with arthritis disease. In fact, water sports are often used to help those who are in rehabilitation after undergoing joint replacement surgery .

Want to exercise, but the joints hurt? And besides maintaining a healthy body, exercise is also very important to do when you suffer from arthritis. Staying active has proven beneficial for arthritis patients, including reducing pain and increasing the flexibility of body movement. One of the recommended exercises for arthritis sufferers is water sports.

The benefits of water sports

There are many reasons why water sports are the right choice for people with arthritis, some of which are:

• Increases flexibility and range of motion without putting pressure on joints and spine.
• Restores painful joint function, without aggravating symptoms. 
• Improve health and maintain body fitness. 
• Reduce pain. 
• Water is a substance that can make the body afloat. When doing water sports, water supports the body so the joints do not have to work hard. Why? Because in water, the body has almost no gravity so the body loses 90 percent by weight. 
• Water also creates natural damping as you move your body. This makes the muscles as practiced with the load without the need for tools. 
• If exercising in the pool with warm water (28-31 degrees Celsius), there are additional benefits that can be felt, namely to help relieve pain in the joints .

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Types of Water Sports that You Choose

No doubt the benefits of exercise for fitness. Do not make arthritis a barrier for you to perform various activities, especially sports. Physical activity proven it can actually give good effect for the disease of arthritis.
Here are some good water sports for arthritis, namely:

• Swim

In addition to useful for maintaining health and weight, swimming is also very good for patients with arthritis, especially freestyle, backstroke, and breaststroke. Freestyle is most recommended because it makes the spine rotate and move lightly and strengthen the position of the body's bones including the neck and arms.

While the back force helps strengthen the back and shoulder muscles, support and improve the position of the spine, and help relieve the chest cavity. While the chest style can strengthen the back muscles. However, be careful when swimming breaststroke, because it can excessive pressure on the neck and lower back.

• Water aerobics

If the first time doing this water sport, start slowly by walking in the shallow water pool. Then increase the intensity of the sport gradually, ranging from pools with waist-high water to chest height. In addition, add movements that use both arms and legs. And do not forget to always do five minutes of warming and cooling, at the beginning and end of the sport. If necessary, you can seek the help of a physiotherapist who can demonstrate good movement techniques according to your condition.

• Walk in the water

When walking in the water, use the same technique as when walking on the ground, by footprints starting from the heel and ending at the foot. If you want to do this water sports in a pool deep enough, wear a buoy to keep the safety.

• Gymnastics in the water

Not only for swimming, you can also do certain gymnastics movements in the pool to train the muscle strength of the body. Movements that can be done are :
1. Side movement ( tic-toc ) .
How to position the body in a pool that the water as high as heartburn. Spread both legs shoulder width apart, then lower the left side of the body sideways until the left elbow is submerged in water. Then restore the body position as before, do the same movement on the right side of the body. Repeat this movement 8 times.
2. Gymnastics by the pool ( flutter kick ).
Position yourself facing the edge of the pool. Insert the upper body by putting both arms at the edge of the pool. Then hold both feet like a freestyle swim with the position of both legs straight, while keeping the body position to stay afloat. This movement can be done as long as you do not feel too tired.

Before doing water sports, it's good to ask your doctor if the exercise is safe for you. In addition, ask also what movements or water sports should be avoided. When exercising, start by stretching to warm the body. Perform each stretch or heating with the correct movement and slowly, so as not to put pressure on the joint. End the exercise with cooling.

Keep in mind also not to exercise, if the arthritis that you experience is severe or accompanied by swelling. Wait until the pain stops and the swelling subsides. If when doing water sports suddenly you feel pain, dizziness, or out of breath, stop immediately and call your doctor .

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