Life is challenging with arthritis, but active people manage their pain and improve flexibility. You don’t need any expensive equipment or membership. Some exercises for different types of arthritis done at home are super effective.

Easy home-based exercises alleviate arthritis symptoms and keep joints healthy.

Chair Sit-to-Stand

• Sit on a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor slowly.
• Stand up by keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
• Sit back down slowly and repeat eight times or so.
• This exercise strengthens leg muscles, allowing easy movement and lower pressure on knees and hips.

Hand Squeeze

• Hold a soft ball in your hand gently.
• Squeeze it softly for 5 seconds and release slowly.
• Repeat this motion ten times with each hand slowly.
• It helps improve grip strength and reduces stiffness in fingers and hands.

Ankle Rolls

• Sit on a chair and slowly extend one leg out.
• Rotate your ankle in a circular motion five times clockwise and five times counterclockwise.
• Switch legs now repeat.
• Rolling Ankle improves flexibility and reduces stiffness in ankles and feet.

Wall Push-Ups

• Stand facing the wall with hands flat at shoulder height.
• Now bend your elbow, bring your chest closer to the wall and push back yourself.
• Repeat this motion 8 -9 times.

This exercise strengthens arms, shoulders, and chest without straining joints somehow.

Neck Stretches

• Sit comfortably or stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly turn your head to the right side and bring and hold your neck for 15 seconds briefly.
• Repeat this motion on the other side of your neck.

Neck stretches alleviate stiffness and improve flexibility in your neck and shoulder.

Yoga and Tai Chi

Yoga combines gentle stretches, breathing techniques and mindfulness for pain relief with improved joint mobility. It stretches muscles around joints to provide better support and

lowers stress and helps to cure pain. Research has also shown the effectiveness of exercises for knee arthritis and including them for intervention plans.

Simple yoga steps are;

Child-Pose

• In this pose, you should kneel on the floor and sit back on heels.
• Stretch your arms forward, rest your forehead on the ground and hold for 15-30 seconds.

Cat-Cow

• Cat-cow pose starts on hands and knees, arching back up and dipping down.
• Repeat 8-10 times by losing the spine and easing tension.
• Seated forward bend involves sitting on the floor with legs straight and gently reaching for toes.
• Hold for 10-15 seconds by stretching hamstrings and lower back.

If any exercise causes pain, stop and consult your doctor.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi translates as Supreme Ultimate, symbolizing the balance between opposing forces. It involves slow-gentle movements combined with deep breathing and mental focus.

Tai Chi promotes relaxation, balance, and harmony between body and mind via meditation in motion. For arthritis patients, Tai Chi poses are beneficial due to their low-impact nature, though they don’t exert excessive pressure on their joints. Slow-flowing movements enhance flexibility, balance and strength. All Tai chi steps help in managing arthritis symptoms.

Regular practice encourages deep relaxation, reduces stress and alleviates chronic pain. Slow-flowing movements and deep breathing help manage arthritis’s persistent pain by reducing balance and falling risk. Tai chi increases joint flexibility without effort. It promotes relaxation and reduces pressure significantly.

Tai-Chi Steps

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly raise your arms toward your front as you inhale, lower them as you exhale.
• Repeat five times slowly, calming your mind and warming up your body.
• Stand with knees slightly bent, moving your hands in a circular motion and shifting your weight from one foot.
• Move hands rapidly in a circular motion five to eight times by improving coordination and flexibility rapidly.
• Start with arms extended sideways.
• Shift your weight onto one leg, gently turning the torso and moving one hand slowly outward.
• Repeat the movement on the other side by stretching and strengthening deeply the body muscles.

These simple home exercises help you stay active and manage arthritis symptoms effectively. Try adding them to your daily routine for best results.