LUCKNOW: Exercise can not only prevent arthritis, but also reduce doses of medicines for those already suffering from its complications, said doctors associated with Arthritis Foundation of Lucknow (AFoL). They were addressing a press conference on the eve of World Arthritis Day on Monday.
AFoL announced that on Tuesday it will organise various events including yoga, zumba, cyclothon, and vintage car rally to raise awareness among people about arthritis. Yoga and zumba will be held in Janeshwar Mishra Park while the car rally and cyclothon will be flagged off by LDA vice-chairman Akshay Tripathi from Health City Hospital.
“Patients who do regular exercise have to take fewer medicines than those who don’t. Exercise makes muscles strong and keeps body joints healthy, thus, reducing the impact of arthritis,” said AFoL secretary Dr Sandeep Kapoor.
Its president Dr Sandeep Garg said that exercise should be done as prescribed by a doctor or physiotherapist.
“Patients often exercise for long durations at once. Instead, they should exercise for a few times a day for short durations. Continuous exercise in one go might affect joints adversely,” he added.
“Since exercise keeps weight in control, joints have to bear lesser weight and chances of arthritis reduce in people who exercise regularly,” he said.
Pain, difficulty in movement and stiffness in joints are common factors among arthritis patients. Often, patients face loss in grip and are unable to pick up items during their daily lives and seek help from other family members. People should consult an expert at the earliest to ensure the disease progression is restricted, said doctors.
