Exchanging Steps for Splashes

Finding ways to keep active when you have psoriatic arthritis (PSA) can be very challenging. This is due to stiff joints and pain levels that seem to have a mind of their own. Sometimes even going for a walk can be too much. Psoriatic arthritis can often affect the feet, which makes walking long distances quite hard. I have found over the years of dealing with PSA that movement is essential to my own management of pain and inflammation. The longer I stay still and become sedentary, the harder it is for me to get moving again. This quickly becomes a vicious circle, and it is a hard one for me to break.

That being said, I find that there are often times that I am not able to move as I should, so going for a walk or a hike is highly out of the question. Over the years, it became increasingly important to find a new way to keep my body moving without putting too much strain on it. Importantly, I do not want to put too much stress on my body that it gets injured. I simply want to keep moving, like keeping a machine oiled and in motion so that it does not seize up.

Swimming

Water is one of my favorite parts of nature and life in general. I find that it is very soothing and comforting to be submerged in water. So, using it as a way to keep moving is very relaxing for my mind as well as my body. Be it warm water or cold plunging, I find swimming to be low impact. This is unlike stepping when you walk, which could be felt in sensitive knees and joints.

I find that swimming and paddling are very gentle on my body, and my muscles are relaxed and do not stiffen up as easily. It does not matter if I doggy paddle, swim laps, or just push around the pool; it is all helpful.

Water aerobic classes

If you wanted to, you could join a class for water aerobics. They are fun and teach you good ways to move in water safely. It is also an opportunity to meet some new people and socialize. Psoriatic arthritis can often prevent people from going out socially; sticking to plans can be so hard. So, if you can meet some new people while you are working out, what a treat!

I have attended a few water aerobic classes, and I think they are fabulous. I laughed, learned, and really felt pretty great afterward. It is certainly something I will look into doing on a permanent basis. I found the people to be welcoming, and working out in water was so easy that I felt almost weightless.

Benefiting my pain management

I have chatted with my doctor a few times over the years about inflammation. We are always looking for ways to bring down the overall inflammation in my body. Exercise often comes up as a way to manage inflammation. So I do what I can to help my body fight the inflammation. Personally, I also feel that all the deep breathing that gets done when you are working out can only be good for you. Getting more oxygen in from working out versus just being sedentary can help, in my opinion. Naturally taking bigger breaths (feeling out of breath when you are working out) means that you are physically taking in more air, putting more oxygen in your bloodstream. I have always believed that this helps my body manage the pain from inflammation better.