custom ad
FeaturesMarch 3, 2005

A dozen or so pairs of arms each make an "O" in the air and water as the class participants swing their hands above their heads and then down by their thighs in the pool. The movements start in unison, but gradually grow off-beat as some arms slow down...

A dozen or so pairs of arms each make an "O" in the air and water as the class participants swing their hands above their heads and then down by their thighs in the pool. The movements start in unison, but gradually grow off-beat as some arms slow down.

"Now let's do the high knee march across the pool," aquatics instructor Shelly Gerard says as she stands outside of the pool demonstrating the motion. Several grunts from those in the water follow.

Seconds later, the group bobs across the width of the pool, only the tops of their shoulders and heads showing. The rest of their bodies remain submerged under the water where the healing occurs.

Performing leg kicks or hoola-hoop swivels of the hips may not seem like a grand feat, but to the 70 million people in the United States who suffer from the burning and stiff joints of arthritis, it is a taste of freedom.

Arthritis sufferers often do not to exercise because of the pressure it puts on their joints. But the aquatics classes offer some relief.

Aquatics therapy is important in fighting arthritis because it protects joints, increases mobility and decreases stiffness, said Gerard, who has been an arthritis aquatics trainer for five years. The water creates a buoyancy that takes the weight load off, enabling participants rare mobility with minimal pain.

"A lot of the people can't do this stuff out of the water," Gerard said.

Because aquatics therapy is so beneficial for people with arthritis, the Southeast Regional Arthritis Center is offering a $10,000 grant to fund the exercise classes.

The grant is subsidized by a grant offered from the Cape Girardeau County Senior Citizens Services Fund.

"It's just a really nice complement to our program here to offer assistance for those who need it," said Marilyn Duncan, coordinator for the area's arthritis center.

Duncan is a firm believer that exercise and physical activity is the answer, not the enemy, for people with arthritis.

"It takes more than a pill to make things better," she said.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!

And with news about arthritis drugs like Celebrex and Vioxx leading to possible risks for cardiovascular disease, people with arthritis are looking for alternative therapies.

Pat Haenni of Cape Girardeau believes it was constant exercise in her younger years that led to her current arthritis.

"I exercised my whole life and never thought I'd have arthritis," Haenni said. "I used to jog 10 miles with my dogs. All it did was pound my knees to bits. I wish I could take it all back."

But the slow exercise in the pool and then the after-class treat of the whirlpool works wonders for Haenni.

"I have no hurting in my knees now," she said, somewhat surprised as she stepped out of the water with relative ease.

The warm water of the pool is an essential component for arthritis therapy. It relaxes tight muscles and increases blood circulation. The pool water is set between 83 and 93 degrees.

As participants enter the pool, they get ready for simple stretches and jumping jacks performed during the 45 to 50 minute session. The water is the only resistance; exercises are done slowly.

In the water, stiff fingers become nimble, allowing them to simulate playing piano under the surface of the water and chopping wood, an exercise where the hands are in a prayer form and arms swing up at the right shoulder and down at the left hip. With the support of a wall participants are able to do push-ups and bicycling motion.

"They are walking proof of the benefits," said Duncan.

The Southeast Regional Arthritis Center offers arthritis programs including land and water-based exercise classes, provides free educational information for arthritis patients and medical professionals, and offers self-management programs.

cpierce@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127

Story Tags
Advertisement

Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:

For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.

Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!