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There are so many fun unique ways to get active outside even with physical pain! Today I am sharing my top 5 tips!
Did you know that May is National Arthritis Month? I didn’t realize that until a few years ago when my doctor mentioned it to me. I think that is so awesome that they have recognition like that, since so many people do suffer from it. So, in honor of that, I wanted to share with you some great information that can inspire you if you also suffer from arthritis, know someone who does, or just have some physical pain too! Be sure to check out my RA tab for more inspiration!
I am a huge advocate for staying active as much as possible, even when you have physical limitations. During the winter, I shared my favorite ways to stay active, even when I am having some pain. I always talk about my grandmother, who is 86 now, and how she is one of the most active people I know!
Although she has never formally exercised a day in her life, her activity level is so high, it is just as good, if not better, than actually doing “exercise” every day.
Being active can actually be enjoyable if you find things that you love doing. This time of year, there are so many activities to partake in with all the nice weather and beautiful sunshine. I think late spring and early summer are the most active I am each year. It is just so invigorating being in the outdoors!
When you have physical pain, it can be difficult to find motivation to get out there and exercise. After struggling with rheumatoid arthritis for 20 years now, I can definitely relate to those issues. Over the years, I have found ways to keep moving as often as I can. The key for me was finding hobbies that I just really enjoyed. Doing things that make you happy, take away the feeling that you are trying to be active. It’s just fun!
Here are my fun unique ways to get active outside even with physical pain or arthritic pain!
1. Explore a new downtown
My husband and I do this all the time. I LOVE going to a cute downtown, big or small, and walking around. Last weekend we drove south to my hometown. It’s a cute little Texas country town and they have some really neat places downtown. We had lunch at a retro diner, then walked around looking at some old homes, shops, and landscaping. We did this for at least half an hour, and I didn’t even realize how much walking we go in because we had such a good time.
2. Find a new park
Another favorite activity outside is going to a park, but even more fun, is to find a new park that you haven’t been to or maybe it has been a long time. We typically take the same park trail every weekend which can get really boring! I will find myself wondering how much longer is this going to be? At a new park, I just get excited seeing the new scenery, wondering where the path leads. Before I know it, an hour has passed by! Perfect way to get a great walk in!
3. Take your dog down to the dog park
Having a rambunctious bulldog keeps me active all the time at home. If you follow me on snapchat or instagram, you will see his silly personality. My husband and I love taking him to the dog park, so we can play fetch and let him explore too. I have so much fun with him, I don’t even realize I am running around, chasing the ball with him. We will stay for at least half an hour (which is about as long as he can stand lol), and I will even be out of breath when we are done!
4. Gardening
This is a hobby I picked up right after high school. Although I only had a little balcony when we first got married, I decked it out with all types of potted plants. To this day, gardening is one of my favorite stress relievers! And guess what? It is a great way to stay active outside. Even if you only have a patio garden, just moving around, digging in the dirt is a great way to keep moving. If you suffer from arthritic pain in your fingers, moving them around is so important. It is painful too, but when you are digging in the dirt, potting new plants, it can really stretch everything out. I really enjoy it! Plus, it is an instant mood booster. Be sure to follow me on instagram because I am always sharing my potting adventures!
5. Rediscover your own neighborhood or backyard
Sometimes, you have something right at home to keep you active. We live in a really neat little neighbor, so I really love taking off down the road and walking around. Sometimes, we will even venture off to another neighborhood close by. We have a park by our house that we will walk down too. If you have land or live in the country, this is even more fun to just take off in your own back yard. My parents have a pond with land, so we always go exploring in the backyard when we visit. Sometimes, we spend hours walking around, finding new areas. If you don’t have that type of area, you can still walk around and take in everything. When we lived in apartments, sometimes I would just walk around the complex. The last place we lived in, I discovered an entirely new garden area with a bench that overlooked the woods. I couldn’t believe it had been there the whole time! And of course, it is the perfect way to stay active!
In light of National Arthritis Month, let’s talk for a minute about pain.
Sometimes, you just need a little something to take the pain away. If you are really suffering from those arthritic pains, but you want to get active, Advil is a great pain reliever! Nothing’s proven stronger on Arthritis and other joint pain.* (Disclaimer: For minor arthritis pain. Among OTC pain relievers.)
Advil just released their EZ open lids for arthritic joints. The EZ open cap is perfect for people struggling with Arthritis. What a great idea! That is my number one issue with bottles or jars…not being able to open them!
Wal Mart is now carrying this easy open bottle. I ventured off to the pharmacy section last weekend to find it. You can find this EZ open cap at Walmart!
Nexium 24 hour tablets are also available in EZ open cap at Walmart now too! found these in the digestive aisle. This is perfect if you are struggling with RA and take Nexium as well.
Disclaimer: Ask a doctor before use if you have a history of stomach problems, such as heartburn.
I know everyone that has joint pain, has struggled with opening bottles and jars time and again. I am so excited they are finally making products to help us have an easier time!
If you would like more inspiration for living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, be sure to visit here for your better living toolkit!
And if you don’t have RA, enjoy being active outside this season! It really is the best way to get exercise in 🙂
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I definitely understand your pain. I have tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis in my left hip, along with some nerve pain. It’s especially bad on cold/rainy days.
I personally love to swim. Sometimes that isn’t kind to my hip (which is weird because swimming is low-impact), but I still do it once the pools open because I love it so much.
Walking is definitely the way to go when you have a lot of pain, and I agree- exploring something new makes walking around a lot more intriguing!
Swimming is another great activity. I don’t get to do it often, but it really is great when I do. Oddly enough, swimming is really painful on my elbow (one of my bad joints), but feels great on my knees!! Walka are totally the best 🙂
My mother suffers from back, knee and hip pain, and she has modified gardening so her body can do it, to a point.
She doesn’t want weeds sprayed with Round-Up so she gets on her knees or sits down and pulls them or digs them up. She also prunes the fruit trees in winter because my father doesn’t do it properly. She spends hours tending her blackberry bushes, and as summer goes on, she makes preserves of those blackberries, as well as the peaches, nectarines and apples that she’s pruned.
Her other go-to exercise is swimming, and she claims she is pain-free in the water.
She knows she has to keep moving…
Sounds like she and I have a lot in common. I still like to do my gardening the good old fashioned way 🙂 I have had RA for 20 years, so I have definitely gotten used to modifying the way I do things. Swimming is a great exercise too. I wish I was able to do it more often. Movement is definitely the key 🙂
I love this! Doing things that make you happy definitely distract you from being in pain. I have really bad sciatica pain on both sides, so sometimes getting up and walking is so hard. But if I’m doing something like walking downtown it’s much more fun! And the Advil definitely helps, too. 🙂
So true! It’s funny how having fun or doing something you really love can take your mind off the pain for the time being…which is awesome!! I try to stick to that each day and I am able to get in all the movement I need 🙂
I love exploring a new downtown, or even my usual one! I always find new restaurants, shops or bars that are fun places to hang out! I just love being outside! And yay for easy open lids! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
Downtowns are so fun! And me too, being outside is really just the best 🙂 I am so excited about these easy open lids…total game changer lol
We have a lot of little towns in our city. I think the down town post is a great idea!
Thank you!! Downtown is such a neat experience and so fun to walk around in!
Another nice & informative blog article today. So glad I found your Blog recently!
Thanks so much Linda!! I am so happy you found my blog to 🙂 It is a joy to have you here each day!
Great tips for getting active outside, plus switching up the routine. #client
Thanks Kelly! Switching up your routine is such a nice change of pace 🙂
I like to look at it as “exploring” – and, if you have your cell phone with you, no real chance of getting “lost”! 😉 There’s a community college close to my house, and I’ve started walking through the trails they have (which go around the campus). It’s a decently nice walk, lots of greenery to look at, and no dealing with car traffic! Plus, exploring the surrounding neighborhoods, I managed to find a giant park, a little pond that all the ducks seem to live at, and back ways to get home (from errands, so in the car) to avoid the main road and main traffic. Not a lot of effort in the walking around, taking it slow, but still just getting out and moving!
That sounds like the perfect place to walk Jessica!! I love walking around pretty campuses like that. And then to discover another beautiful area…perfect!
What a great uplifting article. Bless you my daughter and i know you bless others with such good information. Love mom
Thanks Mom, you are always the sweetest 🙂
Love your recommendations! Here in Dallas, one of my favorite things to do is to go for a walk on Katy Trail. It’s SUCH good people watching haha 🙂
XO Amanda | http://www.glitterandspice.com
Thanks Amanda! I have heard of that in Dallas. We have some friends who live by White Rock Lake and they have such a pretty area to roam around. We live just south of Fort Worth, so we will have to check it out!! Thanks for the recommendation 🙂
Hi Alexis… Great post about ways to keep active for those of us with arthritis. Keeping moving is one of the best way to keep the arthritis pain a bit lower and the joint moving a bit better. One of the first things my RA dr told me was to keep moving. Love the idea of you taking Ruger to the park – you both enjoy it, you both get a workout, but best of all, the bonding time with your pup… and maybe some mud (LOL). I live in a mild hilly area so I sometimes wander thru neighborhoods and wonder how/why the houses were designed the way they were (or why the residents keep their yards the way they do/don’t). Like your mom said, you are a fount of good information!
It really is the best way to keep you feeling at your best!! Oh yes…if there is mud, Ruger is the happiest puppy on the planet lol. I always wonder that too about homes…I love thinking about all the history and people that lived there, especially all the historic homes 🙂
You’re right. Just staying active is really important if you can’t do any hardcore. My grandmother had severe arthritis which caused her to become bed-ridden but lucky no one else in the family has been affected.
That is so sad about your grandmother! I am the only one in my family how has RA, which is strange because it is typically a genetic disease. I have had it since I was 10, so it was a baffling situation for sure.
I started asking the pharmacy to give my pop up tops on my meds because it hurts to press down on the child resistant caps. Good tips here and today was one day I wanted to get out and walk but the rain is keeping me in.
They are just so much easier to open! I am hoping the rain will clear up here so we can get some stuff done…but looks like it is in the forecast again all week. At least the weather is cooler than usual 🙂
I love exploring parks I haven’t been to before–even when we’re on vacation, I always look up the local parks so that we can explore!
I love that too! Especially when you are in a new city, it makes it even more fun 🙂
These are awesome ideas. I get stuck in such a rut when it comes to my workout routine and I love the idea of getting outside this summer. My dog has gained some weight, so I’ll definitely be taking him on lots of walks and trip stop the park this summer.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
It is fun to get out the rut and try something new 🙂 My dog loves it too!
I have a hard time with traditional exercise regime, my favorite way to get up and move is gardening which I love.
Stopping by from Thursday’s Favorite things and would love to invite your to my weekly party #OMHGFF to share your project! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks Karren! Gardening is definitely a wonderful way to move around, I really love it too! I linked up with your party earlier this week 🙂 I always love stopping by! Thanks so much!