Today I will provide water exercises to get you moving this summer. Before we begin, the Arthritis Foundation recommends the following guidelines to remember when doing water exercises:

1.      Submerge the body part you are exercising

2.      Move the body part slowly and gently for mobility or range of motion, and more quickly for strengthening and endurance.

3.      Begin and end with easy exercises.

4.      Move the joint through complete range of motion, if possible. Do not force movement but gently stretch.

5.      Do exercises three to eight times as tolerated.

6.      Drink water – even while keeping cool in the pool.

It is important to remember to talk to your doctor or physical therapist to determine which exercises are right for you. Also, take note that because water makes performing exercise easier, be careful you don’t overdo your exercise routine when you begin. Start off slow and do half of what you think you can do at first.  

Now, to get you started, we will review a few water exercise basics that target your knees, hips, arms, hands and wrists.

First the leg lift, which targets your hips and knees

• Stand with one side against the pool wall, and hold on for balance.

• Bring your thigh parallel to the water surface, as high as is comfortable.

• Lower your leg.

• Gently swing your leg behind you, being careful not to arch your back.

• Lower your leg and repeat on your other side.

Next, the knee lift:

• Stand with one side against the pool wall.

• Bend your knee, bringing your thigh parallel to the water’s surface as high as is comfortable.

• Cup one hand behind your knee if your leg needs extra support.

• Straighten your knee and then lower your leg, keeping the knee straight.

• Keep your ankles and toes relaxed.

• Repeat on your other side.

Onto the shoulders, with arm circles

• Raise both arms in front of you until they are a few inches below water level.

• Keep both elbows straight. Make small circles (about the size of a softball) with your arms.

• Gradually increase the circles’ size, until they are the size of a basketball, and then decrease them to the size of softballs again.

• First make clockwise circles, then counterclockwise circles. Do not raise your arms out of the water or let them cross.

Next, the Forward Arm Reach

• With both arms, reach straight in front of you.

• Raise your hands overhead as high as possible, keeping your elbows as straight as you can. If one arm is very weak, you can help raise it with the other arm.

For some quick and easy hand and finger exercises try the following:

Thumb Circles

• Move your thumb in large circles.

• Then reverse direction.

• Repeat with each hand.

Finger Curl

• Bend each joint slowly to make a loose fist.

• Then straighten them out.

• Repeat with each hand.

Finger Hold

• Touch the tip of your left thumb to the tips of your other fingers on that hand, one at a time, to form a round “O.”

• Open hand wide after each “O.”

• Repeat with right hand.

Wrist Turn

• Turn your palms toward the ceiling.

• Turn them down to face the bottom. Keep your elbows near your waist.

Wrist Bend

• Bend both wrists upward and then downward. Hands and fingers should be relaxed.

These water exercises are just the beginning and will keep you moving this season. If you want to learn more moves, consider the Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program, it is a warm water exercise program designed for people with arthritis and related conditions. Also visit www.letsmovetogether.org for more ways to move!

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