Arthritis exercise testing
The process of testing is fundamental in assessing progress and improvement with your training.
Role of testing.
The role of arthritis exercise testing in preparing people to workout cannot be overestimated. Many of those who suffer from conditions such as arthritis, diabetes or asthma are concerned that working out will exacerbate their symptoms, when in fact, the opposite is true working out regularly can improve symptoms for many patients.
Arthritis exercise testing starts with a medical history and physical exam. The key factors that need to be assessed are:
- The severity and extent of joint involvement
- Overall cardiovascular conditioning
- The presence of other co-morbid conditions (e.g. heart conditions etc)
Observations to look out for.
The American College of Sports Medicine suggest that when testing people with arthritis, you should be looking for the following:
- Muscle strength and endurance
- Aerobic endurance
- Joint flexibility and range of motion
- Neuromuscular fitness, including gait analysis and need for orthotics
- Functional capacity to accomplish the activities of daily living
Assuming someone is deemed able to begin exercising, an appropriate program needs opt be designed that will allow them to work within the constraints of their condition while still making significant progress.
In summary.
Trained practitioners can design a program that takes into account someones limitations, while still setting goals that will motivate and inspire someone to exercise regularly.
