Does Walking Help Joint Pain?
Suffering from chronic joint pain? Physical therapy in Nassau County, NY may be able to help you. If you suffer from joint pains, arthritis, and stiffness then moving around and staying active can feel like an impossible task for you. The pain that comes along with these complications can make being active a difficult task.
But staying active when you suffer from joint pain and stiffness and arthritis is an important part of managing these complications and the symptoms that are derived from them. Staying active is key to managing these symptoms because exercising can increase the strength, flexibility, and functionality of your joints.
How Can Physical Therapy in Nassau County, NY Help?
Even moderate to light exercise can improve your symptoms, reduce joint pain, and fend off fatigue. Light exercise like walking outdoors might be all you need to improve your health and lifestyle. In our current situation, with gyms being hard to access, moderate walking can help your body cope and provide the exercise you need.
To participate in physical therapy in Nassau County NY, and learn more about what you can do to stay active, reach out to us at Island Sports Physical Therapy and see how we can help you.
How Can Exercise Help?
While it can seem counterproductive to stay active while you are suffering from joint pain or arthritis, it is a lack of exercise that intensifies and exasperates joint pains and stiffness. Exercise helps maintain and strengthen the surrounding muscles of your joints, which help support and strengthen your joints. Exercise can benefit you and your joints as it helps:
- Maintain bone strength
- Strengthen your muscles
- Control your weight
- Improve balance and coordination
- Improve all aspects of your life
These benefits are linked to all kinds of exercise. Even if high-intensity exercises are not possible for you, you can still gain these benefits with moderate to low-intensity exercises such as walking. If you want to learn more about how walking can improve your lifestyle, see how physical therapy in Nassau County NY can help with Island Sports Physical Therapy.
How Walking Can Be Your First Steps to Recovery
If exercise seems out of your grasp, then you might want to look more into how walking can help you. Walking is a low-intensity exercise that most people can do and will greatly improve your life. Some of the key advantages of walking include:
- It is free and easy. You can head to any park or just walk around your block with no special gear required besides a pair of supportive shoes!
- It is low impact. It doesn’t put much strain or stress on your joints and can get you moving and active again.
- It uses the whole body. It can strengthen your whole body and help parts of your body that aren’t directly related to your joint pains.
- It manages your weight, strengthens your muscles, and can even help manage your mood.
These are just some of the key benefits the simple exercises of walking can bring you. Especially in times where getting to a gym can be difficult, walking is something that most people can start right away! Before you jump into walking, it can be helpful to speak with your doctor first. To learn how physical therapy in Nassau County NY can help and see what walking can offer you, contact us at Island Sports Physical Therapy!
Tips on Starting a Walking Exercise Routine
If you are just about to start a walking exercise routine, or if it can seem daunting, here are a few tips to help you get started!
- Start slowly. Starting slowly and gradually can help get you into a walking routine. It can be as short as five minutes when you start, and with a routine that your doctor and physical therapist set up, build up over time.
- Warm-up. Move gently and relaxed to warm up your joints and muscles.
- Adjust your routine and stop if you feel sudden pains. If you develop pain it is best to stop and take a break to contact your physical therapist.
- Include stretching to keep your body flexible and nimble.
Physical Therapy in Nassau County NY
Before starting any routine, speak with a physical therapist first. For physical therapy in Nassau County NY, reach out to us at Island Sports Physical Therapy and get the help to start today!