Two excerpts from Arthritis Today/March 2006 Published by the Arthritis Foundation:
"Get the benefits of strength training sooner by taking your time. Some things are best done slowly, and weight lifting is one of them, say some fitness experts."
And:
“More control of motion the entire movement, causes less pressure on the joints and preventing pain, "People with stiff or impaired joints who need extra protection when they exercise are the ones who benefit the most," says David Fischer, MD, a rheumatologist in Palo Alto, California. He has recommended dozens of patients do this type of resistance training.”
A person with a debilitating condition such as arthritis or and a limitation because of an injury would do well to have the muscles around those compromised joints strengthened. Often exercise to strengthen those muscles can become problematic, as many forms of exercise can exacerbate the condition. The key is to eliminate the rapid acceleration (the jerking motion) that creates forces that stress the joints and also perform exercises that do not put the joints in a compromised position - an example of joints in a compromised position and how specially designed equipment can minimize those hazardous movements.
At Kelly’s Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Personal Trainers we us MedX rehabilitative exercise equipment. This equipment is gentler on the joints and suitable for those with limitations. We are able to make fine adjustments to insure that the range of motion is limited to one that is pain-free. It is also adjustable to produce maximum resistance even for those who are much stronger– the weight stacks go up to 1000 pounds.
While not all exercise movements at our facilities are necessarily slow, special care is taken to insure that the initial acceleration of the repetitions are started smoothly (no jerking). This minimal initial acceleration reduces force that can cause injury to the joints and connective tissue. Even clients with limitations are able to increase strength safely. More strength results in more pain-free movement and a higher quality of life.