Taking Care of Your Health 143
Exercise
Some women—for example, those who suffer from arthritis
or strokes, or who are in bed because of AIDS or old age—have
difficulty moving their arms and legs enough to keep their joints
flexible. When this happens, and an arm or a leg is kept bent
for a long time, some of the muscles become shorter and the
limb cannot fully straighten. Or short muscles may hold a joint
straight so that it cannot bend. This is called a ‘contracture’.
Sometimes contractures cause pain.
To prevent contractures and keep your muscles strong, you
need to find someone who can help you exercise your arms and
legs every day. Try to make sure that every part of your body
is moved. If you have had contractures for many years, it will be
difficult to completely straighten your joints. But these exercises
will prevent the contractures from getting worse and can
make your joints a little less stiff and keep your muscles strong.
Examples of exercises that prevent some
contractures and help keep muscles strong
To exercise the
front of the
upper leg
1. bend
2. straighten
To exercise
the back of
the upper leg
1. bend
2. straighten
To exercise the
lower leg
1. point the toe up
2. and then relax
To exercise the arms
bend
straighten
lift straight up
IMPORTANT If a joint has been bent for a long time, be gentle. Do not try to force it straight.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012