It’s a catch-22 for people with arthritis — it hurts to exercise, but exercise helps their condition.
A new study at the University of Calgary is recruiting baby boomer women between the ages of 39 and 67 to see how deep water exercise can prevent their condition from getting worse.
Participants at the Talisman Centre say deep water running beats the gym any day.
“It’s an easy form of exercise as you age, so you don’t really hurt yourself,” says Carol Rome.
Keeping yourself afloat for a whole hour is hard work, the water providing natural resistance.
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It’s ideal for people with osteo-arthritis in their hips and knees.
“You have an apparent decrease in body weight when you’re swimming. You can do more range of motion because you’re in a supportive environment,” says Janis Sauve, a kinesiology researcher at the University of Calgary.
The women will be divided into two groups.
“The first group will do it 1-2 per week, the second group 3 or more. So, I’m looking at how often do you need to do this to get the benefits of higher range of motion and lower pain,” says Sauve.
Arthritis is caused by too little cartilage in a joint. Exercise, like deep water running, can preserve the cartilage that’s left and prevent further deterioration. All agree it’s a good alternative to drugs, cortisone injections or an eventual hip and knee replacement.
“I have arthritis in my hip, which doesn’t bother me anymore, since i started this,” says Rome.
Anyone who joins the study, receives a free six-week membership in the deep water running program at the Talisman Centre.
If you’re interested, you can call 220-7918.
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