| We all get stiffer after unusual exertion, and as | | | | Exercise should not make you hurt very much. |
| we grow older we get stiffer more easily. Often | | | | Don't try to exercise through pain. If you hurt |
| the stiffness will be maximum on the second to | | | | after exercise, that exercise is a bit too much for |
| fifth day after exercise. This creates a paradox. | | | | you right now. Exercise programs should be daily. |
| In order to stay in good physical shape we need | | | | The weekend gardener is not going to become fit |
| regular exercise, which results in substantial | | | | or able, may have reinjury, and will experience |
| amounts of pain and stiffness from time to time. | | | | increased pain and stiffness on the days after |
| To relieve this discomfort, we have to increase | | | | gardening. Exercise programs should be gently |
| our exercise, which inevitably triggers at least a | | | | graded. No day's activities should be more than a |
| few episodes of increased pain. | | | | 10% increase over the typical day's activity. Slow |
| This pain is not a message to eliminate the | | | | and steady progression is essential to success. |
| exercise program. Rather, it is a suggestion from | | | | Exercise programs should emphasize smooth |
| your body to proceed more carefully with a | | | | actions, as with swimming, walking, or bicycling, |
| gentle exercise progression. So don't be | | | | until good conditioning is achieved. Jerky exercises |
| discouraged by pain after exercise. Listen to the | | | | with incompletely trained muscles are likely to |
| pain message and work with it. On the other | | | | result in reinjury. |
| hand, people with osteoarthritis have pain during | | | | Exercise programs should emphasize suppleness |
| exercise that usually is relieved by rest. If you | | | | and muscle tone, not absolute strength. The |
| have significant arthritis, the pain after exercise | | | | stress of lifting heavy objects, squeezing balls, and |
| may be localized to the joints and not the | | | | so forth is likely to damage an already injured |
| muscles. If the pain lasts more than two hours | | | | joint. Swimming easily is an excellent exercise. |
| after you have stopped exercising, you may need | | | | Exercise should be preceded by a warm-up period |
| to rethink your exercise program. You don't need | | | | in which the joints, ligaments, and muscles are |
| the doctor unless signs of severe injury or nerve | | | | stretched gently. The parts to be used should be |
| damage are present or unless the problem | | | | physically warm, on a cold day, wear warm |
| continues to bother you quite a bit for quite a | | | | clothing. Exercise programs are in addition, not |
| while. This problem is a signal to review your | | | | instead of, prescribed medications. Exercise |
| home exercise program. | | | | programs always have setbacks in which there |
| Almost always, pain after exercise indicates that | | | | are periods of increased pain. This does not mean |
| you have disregarded one of the principles of a | | | | that the idea is wrong. Back off just a little bit and |
| sound exercise program. Let's review them. | | | | begin again more gently. |