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News Releases
Local Exercise Program Benefits People with Arthriitis
Columbia, Mo. (Feb. 15, 2005)--It's easy to bypass exercise and offer a plethora of obstacles such as being "too tired" or "too busy," but people with arthritis face an additional challenge that might prevent them from breaking a sweat - pain. However, just as exercise can provide a tired person with more energy, it also can provide pain relief for those who have arthritis.
"Low-impact activities performed at a moderate pace are the best types of physical activities for people with arthritis," says Marilee Bomar, assistance director of the Central Missouri Regional Arthritis Center (CEMRAC) in Columbia, Mo. "This includes low-impact group fitness classes, walking, swimming in warm water or gardening."
The CEMRAC in conjunction with The Health Connection, located in the Parkade Center, offers the People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE¨) program Monday through Thursday at 11 a.m. and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 5:30 p.m. The program was created to relieve the stiffness and pain commonly associated with arthritis. Bomar says that many people who have participated have commented on the decrease in arthritis pain after they have begun.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, arthritis is one of the most common reasons people give for limiting physical activity. Yet, being inactive may actually increase arthritis problems. Many people who have arthritis are less fit, weaker, less flexible and have more pain than necessary due to the complications of inactivity.
People with arthritis can safely participate in appropriate, regular exercise programs such as the one offered by the CEMRAC and thus, achieve better aerobic fitness. Low impact exercises, walking, swimming and water aerobics may be particularly well tolerated by people with arthritis. These types of exercises can result in improved strength, endurance, flexibility, and better abilities to walk or perform daily tasks.
Flexibility and stretching, muscle conditioning, and aerobic conditioning all play a role in improving oneÕs health and fitness, and reducing arthritis-related disability and pain. The most effective and safest intensity for aerobic exercise is moderate exertion, which means the exerciser can speak normally, doesn't get out of breath or over-heated and can carry on the activity at a comfortable pace.
For information about the CEMRAC and its activities, visit the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Web site at http://www.marrtc.org
The Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions.
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