Track and React the Impact of Arthritis

I get Arthritis Today, the magazine published by the Arthritis Foundation, and I generally read it cover to cover. The July/August 2013 issue has several things I plan to share here. The first is an online tool called 'Track and React'. As the magazine says, "Track which daily activities impact your arthritis with the push of a button". When you register to begin using the tool, it asks if you have arthritis, then gives you a long list from which you choose the one type that affects you the most (tough decision for those of us with multiple issues).
In the 'Profile' section, besides basic identification, this is the place to enter all your meds, so you can keep track of taking them. There are fill-in-the-blank fitness goals, and a space for other goals.
 The 'Track' section is the the meat of the tool. There are six pages, for nutrition, fitness, sleep, meds, your day, and symptoms. On each page are several questions, with slider bars to give your responses from low to high. Each page also has a space for your own input. There are also links you can click on for more information about each topic.
The 'Results' page creates graphs, showing the relationships between what you do, and how you feel. You can choose a graph based on nutrition, fitness, meds, your day, or all of these combined. You can also choose a single day, or a span of any number of days to be calculated into a graph. The graph is fairly basic, with just a bar representing how well you are caring for yourself, and a line indicating your symptom level. Over time, you may notice trends in how the bar and line fall. The 'Track and React' tool can't tell you how a specific food or activity is affecting you, but it can indicate if things are going smoothly or if you might need to change your diet or exercise routine, or see your doctor.
I think this is a useful tool for keeping tabs on how you are doing. When I first read about it in the magazine, I thought the graphs would be really informative, and the reason I would use this tool. Now I think the real benefit of this tool is the 'Track' section. It is a quick and easy way to check in with yourself in multiple areas on a daily basis, the graphs are an added bonus.
Give 'Track and React' a try at www.arthritis.org/trackandreact.  It is also available as an app, so it can go with you anywhere. When you are done with that, explore the rest of the Arthritis Foundation website.They have so much useful information, and so many useful tools, it can keep you occupied for hours.

Arthritis Aquatics Program

I went to an Arthritis Aquatics Exercise class this morning.  I had attended them at another facility fairly regularly for several years, but got out of the habit for a variety of reasons.  The place I go to now has alot of choices of both water and 'land' exercise classes, including a good selection of 'silver' versions for those of us who might not be able to do the intensity of other classes. The Arthritis class is all in shallow water so you can stand up, in fact, I keep my glasses on so I can see what  is going on.

The Arthritis Foundation has a number of excellent programs to help people live better with arthritis and related issues.  They have certification programs to train instructors to lead Arthritis-friendly exercises, including general exercise, a walking program,Tai Chi, and their Aquatic Program.  The instructors lead classes at YMCA's, Jewish Community Centers, and other community centers and fitness centers around the country.  At some places these classes are included in the cost of facility membership, other places there is a modest additional fee.  Most places allow non-members to participate for a fee. (I paid $5 per class at the previous facility as a non-member, at the current facility, it is included in my membership.)

All of the Arthritis Foundation programs use gentle activities to help increase joint flexibility and range of motion and to help maintain muscle strength.  There are added benefits of the Aquatics Program.  First, water helps to buoy you up, so the exercise is low/non-impact, so it is easy on the joints.  Second, moving against the water gives a little resistance, which helps with strengthening.  Third, at many locations that provide these programs, they are done in a therapy pool, which has warmer water than most swimming pools. The facility I go to has three pools, The one where the Arthritis Aquatics class takes place is kept at 90 degrees, the other two pools are 86 and 83 degrees.

 Over the past few years I have developed an intolerance to heat.  If I am outside for an extended length of time on a very hot day, such as at an art fair, I end up nauseated, and totally drained and exhausted for the rest of the day.   I was a little worried how the high temperature of the pool would affect me. The previous facility I went to did not  have a therapy pool, their pool was kept in the low to mid 80's.  Water temperature affects the body differently than air temperature.  An 80 degree pool can feel pretty chilly.  The therapy pool felt a warm to me, and I would have preferred the air temperature a little cooler, but I was comfortable.  In fact, when I got home, I felt energized, and took care of some tasks around the house before I sat down to write.

There are many other types of water exercise classes, some stay in the shallower water so you can stand up,   other  classes are in the deeper water, with flotation belts or devices.  The classes also vary in intensity, some very aerobic, others less so.  If there is a facility near you that has water exercise classes but not an Arthritis class, ask about the intensity of the classes they have.  Try them out to find a good fit for you.  Remember that you aren't required to do all of every exercise, listen to your body and adjust as needed.  Even with the Arthritis classes, you may need to build up slowly.  That is okay.  Less exercise is better than no exercise.  Recent research with Fibromyalgia found that mild low impact exercise helps decrease pain and fatigue.