Arthritis affects nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. alone. Children with arthritis often find it more difficult to do the same things as other children; however it’s important to keep them physically active to alleviate pain and stiffness – especially as they go back to school and spend much of the day sitting at a desk. Today, Carolyn Adams will talk about the importance of movement for children with arthritis and provide several tips and examples to keep kids moving.

Speaker: Hello. At the age of three, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. As a child, this was difficult to understand because I couldn’t do the same things other kids my age were doing. Running, jumping and riding my bicycle were much more than a simple task for me.

What’s important to understand is that children affected by arthritis have less muscle strength and endurance. This means they fatigue quickly and often times cannot endure prolonged exercise or perform intense bursts of activity.

Studies have shown that light to moderate exercise can increase strength and endurance capacities resulting in a decrease in pain and morning stiffness -- classic signs of arthritis.

Through my firsthand experience, I have learned it is important to keep children engaged in their health and managing their arthritis. So, to keep them moving, here are a few tips I recommend:

1. Add music! Include fun music during a warm-up or cool-down to stretch out muscles before doing an activity.
2. Take them outside! Three activities especially good for JRA include walking, swimming, and bicycling.
3. Make it a game! Everyone knows the childhood favorite, “Simon Says,” make each movement a range of motion exercise.
4. Engage them in the process! Keep a movement tracker like the one found on letsmovetogether.org to see how physical activity or movement is done each day– at the end of the month show the kids how far they’ve come.
5. Include the whole family! Everyone can benefit from daily movement, so set a time for a family activity after dinner.

As I mentioned exercise is key to alleviating pain and stiffness associated with arthritis. Incorporating flexibility or range-of-motion exercises regularly can help children move their joints easier. Here are a few moves to get you started, but remember, always consult a physician before beginning any new exercise regimen:

The Shoulder Stretch

• Lie on the floor with both arms at your sides.
• Raise one arm over your head, keeping your elbow straight, until the back of your hand reaches the floor.
• Return your arm slowly to your side. Do this a few times.
• Repeat with the other arm.

Neck Turns

• Turn your head toward one shoulder.
• Now, turn toward the other shoulder.
• Repeat several times.

Lower Leg Stretch

• Stand arm's length away from the wall and place both hands flat on the wall at shoulder level.
• Put one leg straight back, keeping your feet flat on the floor and your back knee straight. Hold until you feel a gentle pull at the back of the straight leg.
• Repeat with the other leg.

Neck and Chest Pull

• Lie on your stomach with your arms at your sides.
• Lift your head and shoulders. Hold for three seconds, then bring your head back down.
• Repeat a few times.

Hip and Knee Bend

• Lie on your back.
• Bend one knee toward your chest, then bring it back down. Do this a few times.
• Repeat with your other leg.

Hip Stretch

• Lie on your stomach and lift one leg, trying to keep your knee straight.
• Bring your leg back down and repeat a few times.
• Do the same thing with the other leg.

I hope these tips and exercises are useful in keeping your children moving. And remember, visit www.letsmovetogether.org for more information about juvenile arthritis and ways to move!

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