Tag Archives: arthritis

Arthritis and Exercise

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Did you know that if you have arthritis, exercise may benefit your bones, muscles and joints?

Now, that doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon or swim with the intensity of an Olympic competitor.  Low impact exercise can help improve your health and fitness without hurting your joints. These exercises may include raising your arms over head or rolling your shoulders.

In conjunction with a treatment plan, exercise can:

  • Strengthen the muscles around your joints
  • Help you maintain bone strength
  • Give you more energy to get through the day
  • Make it easier to get a good night’s sleep
  • Help you control your weight
  • Improve your balance
  • Enhance your quality of life

Exercises can relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion.  It is always good to speak with your doctor about fitting exercise into your treatment plan.  The types of exercises that are best for you will depend on your type of arthritis and which joints are affected.

If you have arthritis and would like to explore adding exercise to your treatment plan, you can speak with one of the dozens of trained physicians at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center.  To make an appointment with a physician, call 718-206-7001.

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All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Can Cracking Your Knuckles Lead to Arthritis?

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You were probably cautioned as a child not to crack your knuckles because it would cause arthritis… and if you are a parent, you probably tell your children the same thing, but is there any truth to this warning?

ThinkstockPhotos-57226144Our hands contain many joints where our bones meet. Surrounding those joints are capsules filled with synovial fluid, a natural lubricant produced by our bodies. When we push, pull, or crack our fingers or knuckles we are actually stretching those capsules, causing the gasses that were dissolved in the fluid to release and equalize the pressure in the joints – kind of like popping a cork on a bottle of champagne. This release results in the common “popping” sound associated with cracking your knuckles.
The act of knuckle or finger cracking provides a momentary sense of relief as the joints are stretched. It takes our bodies about 30 minutes to re-build the synovial fluid in our joints.

The good news is that while the sound of knuckles cracking is annoying to hear, it actually does not contribute to the development of arthritis. The bad news is there are other consequences. In recent studies, habitual knuckle crackers were found to have reduced hand functionality and weaker grip strength than those who did not crack their knuckles.

With this newfound information, mothers and fathers everywhere can now change their parental warning to, “Stop cracking your knuckles or you will have a weak handshake!”

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All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.