Have you had trouble starting - or sticking with - an exercise routine? Meet four
people who've succeeded and improved their health through exercise. Learn their secrets
for getting started and sticking with it. No more excuses -- make this the year
you get moving.
You've heard it all before. You should exercise to help your arthritis. It's an
important part of your treatment. It will increase your energy, lessen your pain, make you
feel better.
But how can you exercise when you're stiff and in pain and the very last thing you want
to do is move? Where do you start and how can you stay motivated? One way is to ask
yourself what's stopping you from exercising. Below, you'll find the most common obstacles
and simple, effective ways to help you get around them. Another way is to be inspired. See
how the four people profiled in our success stories got started, kept going and made a
positive difference in their health, and the way they feel.
As with any exercise program, consult your doctor or physical therapist to find out
which exercise options are best for you.
Surmounting Obstacles on the Path to Success
Why is it so tough to exercise? The answers may seem obvious: You're in pain, you're
tired, you're busy - the excuses go on and on. Your difficulties in starting or continuing
an exercise program may stem from fears, misconceptions about exercise and arthritis, or
other obstacles that get in your way. But there is hope that you, too, can exercise. Here
are some expert tips to help you find solutions and begin exercising successfully.
Obstacle: I'm afraid of making my arthritis worse.
Solution: Focus on the basics.
If you're afraid moving will hurt, not moving should scare you more. Without use, your
muscles will weaken, making it even harder for you go get around. Even a little movement
helps, though it may not seem that way at first.
If fears of increased pain or worsening arthritis are keeping you from exercising,
registered nurse Geri Neuberger of the University of Kansas School of Nursing, who has
been studying exercise and arthritis since 1980, recommends starting very slowly and
focusing on the basics of exercise - warm up, cool down and proper technique. Following
these steps will minimize the risk of pain, even if you only exercise for five minutes.
Your warm-up should include a few minutes of gentle stretching and range-of-motion
activities for all your muscles to prepare them for more vigorous activity. At the end of
your routine, cool down by slowing your walking pace toward the end, for example, and
again gently stretching the muscles you've used, says Neuberger.
You may also want to consider getting expert advice in the beginning, from your doctor,
physical therapist or a person trained to conduct exercise programs for people with
arthritis, to learn proper techniques.
By making these basic exercise rules a habit from the very beginning, you'll set
yourself up for success.
Obstacle: I don't like to exercise.
Solution: Be creative.
Don't limit your view of exercise to boring routines or activities you don't enjoy. A
little creativity can help you make exercise fun and motivate you to continue.
Carolyn Dodge (see Success Stories) of Los Angeles has rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) and teaches arthritis exercise classes. She recommends using fun music that you enjoy
and trying a class or two to get yourself going. Don't rule out interesting options that
may not seem like exercise in the traditional sense - such as ballroom dancing or line
dancing, if those are appropriate for you, she says. "Anything that gets the heart
rate up a little bit," Dodge says, "will do."
You can also try getting someone else to exercise with you. Experts say the social
aspect of exercise is very helpful in making workouts seem less of a chore. Athletic
trainer Michelle DeLeon of Corpus Christi, Texas, says classes and workout partners give
your exercise program a built-in system of accountability. "You'll make yourself get
up and go," says DeLeon.
To help keep yourself going on the days when you lack motivation, consider setting up
incentives. Neuberger suggests making an agreement not to watch television or read your
book until you've done your exercise. That way you feel like you have a reward waiting at
the end. Occupational therapist Marureen Gecht of the University of Illinois in Chicago
has been teaching arthritis exercise since 1987. She tells of a woman who wanted to start
a walking program, but didn't enjoy walking without a destination. She made it her
practice to walk to a fruit stand a certain distance from her home, buy some fruit, and
then walk home.
Obstacle: I don't have time to exercise.
Solution: Work a little movement into your day.
Many people claim they're too busy to fit exercise into their schedules. But the
reality is you don't need that much time to get the benefits of regular exercise - most
people just don't make it a priority. "None of us would think of going all day
without brushing our teeth, but we do go all day without exercising," says Neuberger.
You can fit exercise into your day in small ways. For example, when you go to the
grocery store, push an empty cart around the store for five to 10 minutes before you start
shopping. Or take a walk around the parking lot at work during your lunch hour or
scheduled break.
If you can't spare a big block of time all at once, try working in 15 minutes of
exercise twice a day, suggests Maureen Gecht. Breaking up your workout can also help make
the regimen more manageable for your body.
In addition, studies show exercising more often in shorter bouts can lead to long-term
success (see "Shorter Can Be Better."). And once exercise starts helping you
feel better, you may find it easier to make the time for it.
Obstacle: I can't exercise.
Solution: Make modifications and find balance.
"Not everyone has an hour three times a week to exercise," says Gecht. She
recommends starting with what you know you can do, even if it is only five minutes. That
way, you'll find success and feel more confident in continuing.
Neuberger agrees. "Success breeds success, so don't try to go for a walk for 45
minutes the first time and then the next day you can't get out of bed," she says. Do
what you can and still be relatively pain free. Then you can gradually add more time and
intensity as you get stronger. Exercise for 10 minutes one day, then try 15 minutes the
next time.
If necessary, seek expert advice. One woman in Gecht's class got so excited by the
music that she was unable to pace herself and wound up aggravating her back condition. The
woman later found success in working with a personal trainer who could give her more cues
to pace herself and avoid improper techniques that could cause pain.
For some people, the same activity is boring. Others find that repetition may aggravate
a joint or muscles. Carolyn Dodge found she could do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and
avoid pain by switching activities every 10 minutes - walking on a treadmill, riding a
stationary bike, then doing something else.
If you walk at the mall, try walking for 15 minutes then take a break to get something
to drink. Try to walk 15 minutes more before you leave. Even if you're taking a class,
don't hesitate to slow your pace if you feel you need to, take smaller steps or reduce arm
movements to fit the intensity you feel you can handle.
During a flare you can still do gentle range of motion activities that will allow you
to exercise without doing something too strenuous. If just one particular joint is
bothering you that day, you might start with a few range of motion exercises for that
joint but choose a primary activity that doesn't involve the painful area. For example if
your shoulder hurts, ride a stationary bike.
And if you lapse in your exercise routine, start again at a lower level than where you
left off.
Be a Success
Ultimately, reduced pain, increased energy and improved movement will inspire you to
continue exercising.
"I know how hard it is to get started because it's taken me a long time to feel
really good," says Carolyn Dodge. But now she's learned that exercising is the key to
keeping her feeling good. "I know that if I don't do a little something it only makes
things worse."
Shelley Morrow was previously an editor on the staff of Arthritis Today.
Success Story: Mozelle Payne
It's been 15 years since Mozelle Payne's doctor told her to get moving - or else she'd
end up in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Diagnosed with degenerative arthritis,
spondylosis, scoleosis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis, Payne could barely walk without
crying. The disks in her spine were nearly worn out.
Payne had never stuck with an exercise regimen, but this time she had no choice. At 62,
she joined the YMCA and learned to swim despite her lifelong fear of deep water. She began
to work out every day.
Today, the energetic 77-year-old teaches seven arthritis and senior aquatic exercise
sessions per week at local facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn. She has taken no pain
medication in more than 10 years and has never missed teaching a class because of
arthritis. "Yes, it hurts to move," she admits. "But if you do it
consistently and regularly, then at some point, whether you're just walking or doing
aerobic exercise, the endorphins in your brain kick in. That's your natural pain
reliever."
Age: 77
Condition: Degenerative arthritis, spondylosis, scoleosis,
fibromyalgia and osteoporosis
Program: Teaching seven classes per week, including water and PACE;
strength training three times per week.
Benefits: Pain relief - has taken no pain medication in 10 years
Motivation tip: "Stop making excuses. It's never too late to
start exercising."
- Nancy Bearden Henderson
Success Story: Carolyn Dodge
"It's ironic for me to be talking to you about exercise, because 15 or even 10
years ago I was the last person who would even want to hear the word," says Carolyn
Dodge of Los Angeles.
At age 15, Dodge had severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, weighed more than 200
pounds, was depressed, and often needed help to dress herself or even get up from a chair.
She was so embarrassed about her body, the last thing she wanted to do was join an
exercise program. But when her mother helped her discover Arthritis Foundation water
exercise classes, Dodge was finally able to experience what it was like to move without
pain.
"I was feeling so horrible. I was at that place where I had to do something for
myself," she says. "I could walk and feel strong in the water. The class gave me
the confidence to realize that moving did help. Exercise has made my body fun - I love
moving!"
Since that first class, Dodge's commitment to exercise has helped her lose more than 60
pounds and increase her strength and stamina. She now exercises in the water once a week,
does some other type of aerobic workout twice a week, and recently added 15 minutes of
moderate weight training on machines twice a week.
Age: 30
Condition: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Program: Swims laps or does water aerobics once a week; 30 minutes
total, switching activity every 10 minutes twice a week; 15 minutes weight training twice a week.
Benefits: Lost 60 pounds, increased strength and stamina and control,
enjoys moving
Motivation tips: "Exercise and movement should be about having
fun."
Success Story: Karen Stancil
When Karen Stancil found out she had fibromyalgia and scleroderma in her early 30s, she
already exercised regularly. But the unexplained fatigue that had been going on for months
made the Dallas, Ga., woman think she could no longer handle aerobics classes. Once she
discovered the reason for her fatigue, she says, she was determined not to give up her
exercise routine.
Instead of continuing with the aerobics classes she was used to, Stancil switched to
water aerobics. "I realized that I could make my workout valuable to me in the water
without the pounding on my joints," Stancil says. "I loved it after I made the
jump."
Exercise has given Stancil more energy and greater control over her symptoms. She also
feels better mentally. "It has given me a better sense of control just to be doing
something good for myself," she says. "I would not be happy if I was not
exercising."
Age: 45
Condition: Fibromyalgia and scleroderma
Program: Teaches eight water exercise classes per week; walks on a
treadmill for 30 minutes four to five times per week; takes a strengthening class for 30
minutes twice per week.
Benefits: Increased energy and strength, sense of well-being and
control over conditions.
Motivation tips: "Try to really get involved with your class and
make exercise an outing for yourself."
Success Story: Benjamin Lewis
Benjamin Lewis relies on two "exercise machines" to keep him going even when
he doesn't feel like moving. They're his dogs, Bobby and Annie, who "walk"
63-year-old Lewis every day, whether he's in the mood or not. "Basically, Bobby will
come and push a book off my lap with his foot after a while," Lewis says.
The dogs are just one part of Lewis' overall strategy to keep himself moving. He also
refuses to buy a car so he'll have to walk everywhere in the small town of Trinidad,
Colo., where he lives. "I do better if I structure things around me to force me to be
disciplined. I know myself well enough at this age to know that," he says, laughing.
Lewis says he exercises not for pain relief but to help maintain his independence.
"I don't think in terms of pain so much as I think in terms of restricted motion and
limited freedom. My independence is more important to me than anything else."
Age: 63
Condition: Osteoarthritis
Program: Walking 20 to 25 miles per week
Benefits: Joint range of motion, independence and weight control
Motivation tips: "Recognize your own limitations and turn them
into discipline. Play games with yourself or enlist help from other people to motivate
yourself."
How Do I Get There from Here?
As with any lifestyle change, starting an exercise program requires progressing through
sequential stages of thought that move you from not exercising to regular workouts. See
where you are on the road to exercise success, and learn how to move yourself to the next
level.
Are you here? You don't see how exercise can help.
Then it's time to: Get someone else's opinion. Have your posture or
muscle strength checked at a health fair or another free screening program. A health
professional's opinion may help you get a different view of yourself to identify areas you
could work on and ways you could benefit.
Are you here? You know exercise is good for you and you're
thinking about starting.
Then it's time to: Connect exercise to something you'd like to be able
to do, such as holding your grandchildren or hiking in the mountains. Look at exercise as
a means of making these activities possible. Then find a group of like-minded people who
exercise. You'll get ideas from them and see how they've been successful.
Are you here? You're getting ready to start an exercise program.
Then it's time to: Learn how to exercise properly so you can be
successful and avoid pain or injury. Talk to your doctor about what types of exercise
would be right for you. Then sign up for a water exercise class, plan out your walking
program, set some exercise goals.
Are you here? You've started exercising.
Then it's time to: Make it a habit. Concentrate on the
basics, such as warming up and cooling down, to help you avoid pain that could hinder you
later. Get your form down and gradually increase your exercise level toward your goal.
Are you here? You've been exercising regularly for six months
or more.
Then it's time to: Congratulate yourself. Now your job is to keep it
up. Remember what got you here and set some new goals. Consider varying your routine so
you don't get bored. Try ballroom or line dancing, add yoga or get expert guidance for
weight training.
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