Cardio Exercises - rheumatology

Exercise Program for Joint & Overall Health

Introduction

Exercise is essential for heart health, strengthening bones and muscles, and maintaining mobility. However, for weight reduction, the most important factor is a healthy, calorie-restricted diet. Please refer to the diet chart for guidance.

To lose about 0.5 kg per week, you need to create a daily calorie deficit (around 500–700 calories).
This level of calorie burn cannot safely be achieved through exercise alone, especially if you are overweight. High-intensity exercise may damage your joints.
Therefore, weight reduction must primarily be done through diet restriction.
Once you lose weight, regular exercise will help you maintain it, provided you follow an adequate and balanced diet.

Why Exercise?

Regular exercise is one of the best ways to stay healthy and independent as you grow older.

Heart & Longevity- At least 150 minutes per week of cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise reduces your risk of dying early from heart disease, stroke, and many other illnesses.
- Helps control blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
Joints & Mobility
- Strengthens the muscles around joints, reducing pain and stiffness.
- Helps maintain balance and flexibility, keeping you mobile and independent.

1. Cardiovascular (Heart & Lung) – The Base

These exercises raise your heart rate, improve circulation, and are the foundation of good health.

Options: Walking (weight-bearing) , Cycling (non-weight-bearing) , Elliptical trainer (non-weight-bearing) , Swimming (non-weight-bearing)

How much?

Aim for 150 minutes per week (e.g., 30 minutes × 5 days OR 40 minutes × 4 days)
Mix weight-bearing (walking) and non-weight-bearing (cycling/swimming)
If pain occurs, do three , 10-minute sessions with rests in between (you can determine how long to rest) , you can even do it at separate times (morning , evening ,night)
Additionally, increase activity by getting up every 30 minutes and moving around.

For additional cardiovascular benefits, it is recommended to keep your exercise in Zone 2 – this is about 60–70% of your maximum heart rate (calculated as 220 minus your age).

In Zone 2, you should be able to talk but not sing during exercise.

Example: A 50-year-old person Zone 2 (60–70%) is about 102–119 beats per minute.

Avoid:
running, jumping, badminton, tennis, or other high-impact activities until pain subsides. Please stop exercise if pain develops – start slowly and increase gradually

2. Strength (Muscle & Joint Support) – The Protection

Stronger muscles protect your joints and bones, maintain mobility, and reduce disease risk.
Arms:

Bench press , One-arm row , Biceps curls , Triceps exercises

Legs:

Leg press , Half squats (bodyweight) , Wall squats (sit against wall, hold position)
lunges (bodyweight) , Calf raises
Dumbbell variations: of these along with the below exercises can be done
- Goblet squats , Deadlifts , Romanian deadlifts

Core:

Plank , Leg raises , Glute–hamstring raises

3. How to Combine Workouts

When you have joint problems or injuries, it’s best to structure your workouts so that you don’t overload the same muscles repeatedly. A simple and safe way is:

Leg Day – focus on lower body (e.g., squats, lunges, leg press, calf raises)
Push Day – focus on pushing movements for arms/chest/shoulders (e.g., bench press, triceps exercises, wall push-ups)
Pull Day – focus on pulling movements for arms/back (e.g., rows, biceps curls

Guidelines

Limit to 4–5 exercises per session
Keep the sessions manageable and avoid overtraining
This approach ensures each muscle group has enough time to rest and recover before being worked again

Avoid:
overhead lifts, pullovers, chin-ups, sideways arm lifts, leg extensions, bending, twisting, jumping, and running.

Rheumatology