The exercise helps regain participants' mobility.
Three years ago, Colleen Creach had never heard of ankylosing
spondylitis. Now she can spell it without a pause.
The rheumatic condition forced her to leave her teaching job
after 35 years. About 2 1/2 years ago, Creach was paralyzed by her
arthritis and pain, hospitalized, told to retire early and advised
to sign up immediately for Social Security benefits.
"I couldn't believe it," Creach said. "I was 57. I'm 60 now, and
it just turned my whole life upside down."
Her doctor recommended an exercise class that would help her
regain some of her mobility. Now she considers her daily visits to
St. Francis Health Zone a job.
Three times a week, she takes the Arthritis Foundation exercise
class, offered at 11 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at
Health Zone.
"I remember when I (first) came," she said, "I just started
bawling because I'd realized that two weeks before that I could do
everything, and then I couldn't do anything."
In class, Creach does more than just keep up with her fellow
students. Seated near the front she keeps pace with instructor Lori
Holmes.
They exercise in their chairs -- pumping their arms, getting
their feet moving, working up a sweat -- before they stand. Holmes
modifies all the exercises for arthritis patients to encourage
movement and flexibility, all things arthritis patients once were
told to avoid.
"Many years ago we thought if you had arthritis you should not
exercise, that you should be still and rest. Research has shown that
is the opposite of what you should do," said Dawn Duca, president
and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation Eastern Oklahoma Chapter, which
sponsors the class.
The class focuses on treating people physically and emotionally,
Holmes said. People with arthritis can feel isolated when mobility
is limited. Socialization is important. She teaches techniques for
breathing and relaxing as well as exercises to help patients do
simple tasks others take for granted, such as getting up out of a
chair.
It helps student Carol Bauer with her psoriatic arthritis and
osteoarthritis.
"It really lifts your spirits and gets rid of a lot of the
stress, just being around other people and laughing. You forget
about your pain after a while."
Karen Shade 581-8334
karen.shade@tulsaworld.com
(C) 2008 Tulsa World. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved