The thing with pain is ... it’s tricky. You hurt, so you don’t move or don’t move as much. This creates more pain; thus you move less, and so goes the vicious pain cycle. With arthritis, when a joint hurts, the natural instinct is to protect it, to move less. This sounds good. I mean, who wants to hurt? However, resting too much often makes things worse.

The muscles surrounding and supporting the joint weaken, thus creating more stress and discomfort. As the joint stiffens we move it less, which makes it hurt even more when we do move.

Moving less often means weight gain, which in turn adds additional stress to already stressed, arthritic joints. As we move less, our life gets smaller. We hold back from doing what we love, be it playing pickleball, golf, or playing with grandkids.

There is good news, however. With the right kind of movement, you can often help reverse this pain cycle. Our bodies are designed to move. The right movement is often like medicine, rather than something to avoid and chalking your discomfort up to “just what happens at my age.”

Movement may sound hard, but it doesn’t have to be. You don’t need to run a marathon or spend hours in a gym. Add in some gentle walks, gentle stretching, or mobility exercises. Consistency is more important than intensity, especially at the start. If you are new to exercise and stretching, gentle dynamic movements that focus on mobility are often helpful. As an example, the cat-cow exercise is a great dynamic movement to help loosen the lower back.

How-to: Begin in a hands-and-knees position, with your wrists aligned below your shoulders and your knees aligned below your hips. Keep your spine extended and your toes tucked under. Inhale, relax your belly so it moves toward the floor, and gently arch your back, tilting your tailbone and chin toward the ceiling. Exhale, gently round your spine, draw your chin toward your chest, and untuck your toes, placing the tops of your feet on the floor. Repeat 8 times.

While stretching can be very beneficial for those with arthritis (and all of us, for that matter!), there are some basic precautions.

Avoid stretching a cold muscle

Only perform "static stretching” (stretch and hold) after a five to 10 minute warm-up. A warmed-up muscle can stretch longer and endure more.

Never stretch to pain

You should feel a relaxed stretch, not one where you have to hold your breath or “fight” yourself.

Use dynamic or “active” stretching as a warm-up

Dynamic stretches mimic movements used in a sport or activity. Dynamic warm-ups prepare the body for activity by helping to increase blood flow and muscle temperature.

Stretching is a great way to help combat the symptoms of arthritis, keep us active, and boost mood and confidence. Don’t let arthritis keep you from enjoying life.

If you are unsure what will work best for you or would like guidance, contact Bean at Brandon Stretch and Neuromuscular Therapy for help.