29
October
2020
|
19:38 PM
America/New_York

7 Stretches for Psoriatic Arthritis You Can Do at Your Desk

HSS physical therapist Kayla Hazel, PT, DPT and others share recommended stretches that can be performed at a desk for patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA).

While sitting down, Hazel suggested doing knee leg extensions (stretching one leg at a time). “This helps loosen up the knee joints which tend to be the stiffest when you have [PsA] psoriatic arthritis,” she explained.

Hand and finger stretches (the opening and closing of the fist slowly, with the elbow rested on the desk and forearm at a 90-degree angle), are important because they tend to be the primary areas affected by PsA, noted Hazel. “Between typing, mouse work, and using the phone, your hands can get stiff and overused so this exercise brings good blood flow to your hands,” she said.

Additionally, taking the time to shrug the shoulders throughout the day will help with overall stiffness. To do this exercise, simply shrug your shoulders up and down and then both together, toward the front and then to the reverse. “When we get stressed we often bring our shoulders up to our ears,” noted Hazel. “We’ve been seeing so many patients with pain because of stress and this is an easy way to lessen that pain and stiffness.”

Read the full article at Healthcentral.com.