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From C. Rug
I am an overweight 55 year old. I weighed 350 at my highest and now around 260, using South Beach. However I have osteoarthritis which is worsening and limits my activity considerably. I walk with one crutch and use a wheelchair in my kitchen since I can't stand to be on my feet for long. I do water aerobics when I'm home, but am away for 3 months. I was thinking maybe one of the balls would help, but hesitate to get one without really knowing if they would be good for me. Can you advise? Thanks.
Congratulations on your progress up to this point! It sounds like you are off to a great start with your physical activity and nutrition plan. As with anyone starting a new physical activity program and/or incorporating a new component, I would strongly advise you to consult with your physician before beginning anything new that you might learn from the information below. Your physician should be fully aware of any type of physical activity you want to participate in as it may affect your health conditions. Second, your physician may refer you to a degreed or certified Personal Trainer or Exercise Specialist. This person should be able to do a complete health and fitness assessment to determine the best physical activity program for you based on health risk, current fitness levels, and personal goals.
Before I talk about the FitBALL exercise ball, I want to review a few physical activity guidelines for adults with osteoarthritis. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/ “people with osteoarthritis should match the type and amount of physical activity to their abilities and the severity of the condition”. Here are a few of the specific guidelines:
1. Most people can usually do moderate-intensity physical activity for 150 minutes a week or more. One option is to be active 3-5 days a week for 30-60 minutes per session.
2. Some people with arthritis can safely do more than 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.
3. Do activities that are low impact, not painful, and have low risk of joint injury such as swimming, walking, and resistance training.
Based on these guidelines, you are right on track with the water aerobics! Using the FitBALL exercise ball would be an excellent way to add resistance training to your program. American College of Sports Medicine recommends that “resistance training of a moderate to high intensity, sufficient to develop and maintain muscle mass, become an integral part of fitness programs. One set of 8-12 repetitions consisting of 8-10 exercises with major muscle groups at least two days per week is the recommended minimum”. In addition to enhanced muscle tone, using a FitBALL exercise ball can result in improved posture, greater strength, and reduced risk of injury. Increased muscular strength and endurance is one of the most common reasons people use the FitBALL exercise ball. There are so many different resistance exercises for the upper body, lower body and core that can be done using a ball, with or without additional equipment, that it would be difficult for me to provide sufficient information about a complete resistance training program that meets these guidelines. Instead, I would recommend that you check out any of the following resources, available at www.fitball.com.
101: Exercises for Plus Size and Underactive Adults DVD
101 Ways to Work Out on the Ball, Elizabeth Gillies
Bounce Your Body Beautiful, Liz Applegate
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