Befriend Exercise To Fight Excruciating Joint Pain

During my journey with psoriatic arthritis, I have learned a lot to improve my daily life. It’s been a 56-year battle, I keep taking a licking and I keep on kicking.

Day-to-day activities are important for all of us. For those of us with psoriatic arthritis, I refer to us as survivors for a reason. Managing daily life in addition to PsA symptoms, well, it can take a large physical and mental toll.

The importance of exercise

Gentle exercise and light movement can make the pains of daily life a bit more tolerable. It loosens our joints, keeps us fluid, and improves our blood circulation. I am here today with some gentle exercise tips to ease the pain and make this struggle a bit more bearable.

Many of us experience swollen joints and the pain that comes with it. Sometimes pain killers are not the only solution to this. I have added in some exercises in my routine that I have found really helpful in maintaining flexibility.

Walk the walk

It seems impossible but trust me, it will make you active, elevate your mood, and more willing to engage in other daily life activities. Up first? I usually start off with a simple walk.

Give yourself a time frame and just walk. Visit your garden or any open-air space near your house for 20 to 25 minutes. Don't forget to wear comfortable soft shoes that fit well. We don't want our feet hurting, do we? Make a routine out of this and gradually increase the duration of your walk. Being consistent with this will help you a lot, trust me.

Get your swim on

If you are someone like me and you know how to swim, then go for it. It will have a good effect on your heart and general health. Always remember to take a shower after swimming and moisturize your body because the pool water can make the skin dry.

Stretching is important

Don’t forget to stretch after a workout.  We need to loosen up those muscles. Most of us will feel tired and won’t do this but stretching after exercises helped my muscles cool down and prevent any tightness around the joints. It really is very easy once you start incorporating it into your routine.

I didn’t develop these habits overnight. You can sit on the edge of a chair and straighten one leg followed by bending forward. This helps your hamstrings stretch. Stretch your arms and bend sideways on both sides. You can perform some lunges in the end to complete your stretch session. Find what works for you and your body.

Let’s keep moving

So, movement is necessary for our body, and these are the exercises that proved to be life-changing for me and I believe these will help ease the journey of my fellow psurvivors.