Walking, swimming or bicycling is certainly the last thing on your mind if you are having a bout of gout. But did you know that exercising is actually good for you if you are often bugged by this form of arthritis? When you exercise, the number of attacks can be considerably reduced, and it also strengthens the muscles around the affected joints for support.
Of course exercising is not a good idea when you’re in the middle of a terrible gout attack. Otherwise, those painful and inflamed joints of yours may only end up damaged especially if you go for strenuous and high-impact exercises. The perfect time to get out of bed and on your feet is when the attack is mild or during a remission — a period wherein there is no gout attack and its nasty symptoms are nowhere to be found.
Everyone knows that lack of exercise is terrible for the health and body. Not exercising is especially bad if you often suffer from gout attacks. It’s something that can weaken your joints and the muscles surrounding them for support and stability. When gout strikes, you can rest assured that the symptoms will be more intense than usual. In other words, it’s a vicious cycle! The more you refuse to exercise because of your gout, the worse the joint problem becomes.
According to medical experts, exercising is beneficial for everyone most especially gout sufferers in a handful of ways. First, exercising on a regular basis helps in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol as well as improves your body’s ability to process fat. Second, exercising promotes the dilatation of the blood vessels, permitting blood to flow through them more efficiently. These various effects of exercise help in reducing your chances of having gout or suffering from an attack.
Exercising also helps gout sufferers by promoting weight loss. The less weight the joints need to support, the less intense the symptoms of a gout attack become.
Having your regular dose of exercise causes the muscles around the joints to become stronger. Strengthening those muscles provide utmost support to the joints, thus helping to reduce the impact of a gout attack on the daily living of someone who is suffering from the said form of arthritis.
Just like what’s mentioned earlier, it’s a good idea to steer clear of exercising if a flare-up is around, especially one that’s intense. However, this does not necessarily mean that you should refrain from getting out of your bed. Maintaining joint movement is actually a great way to help speed up the healing of the affected joint.
It is during a remission when exercising is best done. Without the unfavorable symptoms of gout, you will have no trouble in carrying out some routines that are beneficial for your joints and the muscles surrounding them.
So what are some of the best exercises for a gout sufferer like you? Experts say that some of the ones you should perform on a regular basis are low-impact ones that help strengthen the bones and joints but without straining them. Here are some wonderful examples of low-impact exercises that you may try:
• Walking – This is perhaps one of the simplest and most enjoyable exercises perfect for a gout sufferer like you. Listening to music or doing it with a workout buddy can keep you from feeling bored.
• Swimming – Devoting some time in the swimming pool is a great way to keep those joints moving without exposing them to a lot of impact. Swimming is also great for strengthening your respiratory system.
• Dancing – Fun and creative, dancing helps in keeping the joints and muscles surrounding them healthy and strong. This form of exercise is also very good at burning calories, thus keeping excess pounds at bay.
• Stair climbing – This particular exercise is good for your weight-bearing joints such as the ankles, knees and hips. It’s also something that helps flatten your belly and make your buttocks firm.
• Bicycling – Riding a bike is a fun low-impact exercise that’s good for your joints. You may also simply use an elliptical trainer at home or in the gym if bicycling is not really your cup of tea.
