Exercise with RA: Exercises for Legs and Feet

This next set of exercises will help to keep the joints and soft tissues as mobile as possible in your legs and feet. Most of us don't stretch our joints fully during the day, even if we are relatively active. This, coupled with the process of RA can mean that soft tissues get tight and uncomfortable. These exercises should be done so you can feel a stretch, don't bounce or force the exercises. Hi, Kerry, so for this exercise, stay nice and upright. And I want you to straighten one leg out... Hold it there and then slowly lower back down again. Can you keep going? Yeah. Up and lower back down. Keep going. Is that okay? Yeah, that's fine. Good. So you can keep going with this exercise. Build up the number of repetitions, maybe to about 10 or 12. Or if you're uncomfortable in the chair, you try doing it in a bed. So, Kerry, if you're finding this too uncomfortable, you could simply try doing it laying on your tummy on the bed or you can just reduce the number of repetitions. So, Kerry, moving on from the knee flexion and extension exercises, what you can do next is sit up straight in the chair, lift one leg up to straighten your knee, and draw large slow circles with your ankle. Of if you're uncomfortable in a chair, you try doing it on a bed. So you should start with five circles in each direction. If overtime this is comfortable, you could build up to 10 to 12 circles.