Staying Active at Home
As we continue to navigate through the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, most of us, including chronic disease patients, are getting less physical activity, this is why staying active at home is very important.
Although the social distancing measures put in place to help flatten the curve are necessary, they do mean we get less exercise than we did before.
While we don’t know how much longer this disruption in our lives will last, we do know that prolonged periods of reduced physical activity can affect our health.
Exercise and Chronic Disease
Starting an exercise routine, following a discussion with your doctor who can offer advice on safe activities and precautions, is highly recommended.
Many studies have shown the positive effects of a fitness routine on people living with diverse autoimmune diseases. Some of these benefits include:
- Increased energy
- Improved sleep quality
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Reduced fatigue
- An overall reduction in pain
One particular lupus study regarding the effects of a 12-week aerobic exercise training program on cytokine kinetics in inactive SLE women, concluded that the exercise training program did not exacerbate inflammation. In fact, it helped mitigate the exacerbated inflammatory response observed in the SLE women.
Many other studies highlight the benefits of exercise in patients living with rheumatoid arthritis. Among the reported benefits of personalized low impact, physical exercise programs are:
- Improved cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiovascular health
- Increased muscle mass
- Fat reduction
- Improved strength and physical functioning
Additionally, researchers reported that the exercise programs did not exacerbate the disease activity or result in additional joint damage.
What Exercises are Safe?
The type of exercise that is right for you largely depends on your condition. Before embarking on any new physical activity, consult your doctor. Your physician can recommend specific exercises aimed at reducing pain or building strength.
Additionally, your doctor might recommend you avoid specific activities during flare-ups. It might also be a good idea to consult a physical or occupational therapist as you start exercising. These professionals can teach you the correct way to perform precise movements to minimize your risk of injury.
The following is a partial list of exercises that are beneficial for many chronic conditions.
Low Impact Aerobics
- Walking
- Cycling
- Aqua aerobics (exercises performed in a pool)
- Aerobic dance
Resistance Training
- Free weights
- Resistance bands
Stretching and Balance Improvement Activities
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Pilates
General Exercise Guidelines
We recommend that any exercise programs for chronic disease patients should be initially supervised by an experienced fitness professional. This way, your exercise program will be tailored to your aspirations and adapted to your current disease activity.
Many chronic disease patients have reduced physical capabilities. In these cases, it’s crucial to start at a lower intensity. Over time, regular exercise can increase your physical skills and resistance, and allow you to increase the intensity of your workouts.
Let your doctor know about any new discomforts or symptom flare-ups you experience. They may recommend you suspend specific activities or modify them.
Altus Biologics strongly believes that all chronic disease management plans should include physical activity as a form of therapy.
In these challenging times, where many of us are spending more time at home, it’s essential to stay as active as possible. Little changes in our daily routine can have vast positive effects on our overall health. Therefore, we encourage you to improve your physical skills by adding some form of physical activity to your day.
