Cold Weather Exercise for Arthritis Sufferers

Getting in a good workout is hard most of the time but cold winter weather can be an even more serious obstacle, especially for those that suffer from arthritis pain. Here are a few exercise tips that will help you beat the cold and get the activity that your body needs to stay ahead of the pain.
Warm-up
Warming up before exercise is a concept that we all learned about in physical education class but it should be much more than just jogging in place for a couple of minutes. A proper warmup before a workout, particularly in cold weather, should take a minimum of ten minutes and should include a number of dynamic movements that mix stretching with simple cardiovascular drills.
A very simple warm-up examples would be a rotating combination of toe touches, small lateral hops, and jumping jacks to get your heart pumping and your hamstrings stretched. Especially for those that suffer from arthritis pain, warmups are critical to making sure your joints are ready to take on the task of an exercise session.
One of the best ways to warm your entire body before your workout is by soaking in your hot tub for about 7 minutes. Then, when your work out is complete, jump in again for about 10 minutes. You will be amazed at how great this routine works to get you ready for your work out, them eases your muscles when done.
Enjoy Yourself
The best types of workouts are those that are enjoyable and preferably low impact. The less painful it is, the more often you will return to that form of exercise. Choose an exercise activity that is appropriate to your location. If you live in a snowy environment, take on cross country skiing. If you live by a beach, try easy swimming or snorkeling. Low impact activity that gets you outside and enjoying the natural world around you is a great way to get the desired physical activity while enjoying some of the mental benefits of interacting with the outdoors.
Try Hot Tub Workouts
Exercising inside of a warm hot tub is a great way to get a solid but low impact workout, all while enjoying the warming and therapeutic nature of spa water. Exercising inside of a hot tub provides safe yet effective muscle resistance that force your heart and lungs to work hard without the strain on your joints. At the same time, the warm water improves your blood flow, making you able to workout longer and with a bit more intensity then you would outside of the water.

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