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What is Inflammatory Arthritis

• Inflammatory arthritis is a term used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness at a joint and is a group of auto-immune diseases.
• The immune system protects us from illnesses and infections. With an auto-immune disease the body’s own immune system attacks the body’s healthy tissues causing inflammation.
• An inflamed joint can cause the following problems:
• It can make moving the joint painful.
• Chemicals in the joint fluid can     damage the bone and joint.
• Chemicals in the joint fluid can irritate the nerve endings increasing the pain   felt.

Exercise and Inflammatory Arthritis

• You might not always feel like exercising if you have arthritis and you might be worried that exercising will make your condition worse. However, exercise can reduce pain and swelling.
• Keeping active will help you maintain a healthy weight and this will reduce the pressure on your joints.
• The best way to lose weight is to exercise regularly and have a healthy and balanced diet. If you burn off more calories than you consume on a daily basis, you will lose weight.
• The diagram on page 2 in this booklet is a recommendation on how much exercise an adult should perform in a week. If you cannot reach these recommendations that is okay, instead use them as an aim to work towards, something is better than nothing.

Should I exercise during a flare up?

• A flare up is when your joints become swollen and you feel more pain and stiffness than normal. You may also feel more lethargic and tired. These symptoms can last a few days or weeks.
• Despite the pain and lethargy it remains important to exercise. The pain should settle within 2 hours to pre exercise levels and the pain is not a sign you are hurting yourself.
• During a flare up it is okay to modify or cut back on your typical exercise routine/activities but do not completely stop.

Exercise Advice

• The exercises in this booklet are example exercises for each major joint and are designed to help you maintain joint range of movement and strength.
• Perform the exercises for the joints you find troublesome.
• Ideally these exercises would be performed twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine.
• The repetitions may vary depending on your pain and stiffness that day but a good number to aim for is 12-20 of each.

• It is important to remember these are guidelines, if you have been physically inactive then you can aim to increase duration, frequency and then finally intensity until you meet the guidelines.

Tilt your head forward until you feel a mild stretch behind your neck.

Tilt your head backwards as far as is comfortable.

Tilt your head towards one should until you feel a mild stretch on the opposite side.

Turn your head to one side until you feel a mild stretch

Pull your chin in, keeping your neck and back straight (not tipping your head forwards).

Roll your shoulders forwards and backwards in both directions.

Lift your arm up, leading with the thumb

Walk your fingers slowly up the wall as high as possible. Reverse down in the same way.

Lift your arm to the side, leading with the thumb.

Stretch one arm over the opposite shoulder by pushing at the elbow with your other arm.

Stand or sit with your arms close to your side and your elbows at a right angle. Push the palm of your hand against the other without letting your elbows leave your side.

Keep the upper arms close to your sides and have your elbows at right angles. Turn the forearms outwards.

Bend and straighten your elbow.

With your thumb, touch each finger.

Place the palm of your hand on a table and bring your thumb away from the index finger and back again.

Place the palm of your hand on a table and lift each finger individually off the table.

Make a fist and then straighten the fingers.

Place the palm of your hand on a table and splay your fingers.

Place your forearm supported on a table with your palm facing down

Hold your fingers and wrist straight.  Move your wrist first towards the little finger and towards the thumb in a waving motion.

Support your forearm on a table holding a sponge or putty in your hand. Squeeze your hand firmly and then relax your grip to

straighten your fingers as much as possible.

With your forearm supported on a table with your hand over the edge, lift the back of your upwards keeping your finger straight throughout.

With your forearm on a table turn your hand over so the palm is alternating between facing up and down. Keep your elbow still.

Stand as upright as possible whilst holding onto the back of a chair. Bring your leg backwards keeping your knee straight. Do not lean forwards

Stand as upright as possible and take your leg out to the side keeping your knee straight and toes pointing forward.

Lying on your back, bend and straighten your knee.

Lying on your back with your legs straight, push your knees down firmly against the bed by tightening the muscles on the front of your thigh.

Rotate your ankle in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.

Try to lift the foot that is under while preventing any movement with the foot that is on top.

Push shoulders forward, stretch arms diagonally forward and down keeping your chin in.