Keeping active

Keeping active with psoriasis

It is well publicised that exercise is good for your health—but consider this: exercise has been found to improve psoriasis in some people who are overweight. This could be because fat cells in some overweight people are another source of inflammation.

What does this mean for me?

Exercise could help to reduce your weight which may also improve your psoriasis! Lowering your weight may also help to improve your mood and improve your heart and general health.

But as well as the health benefits, exercise in any form helps us “feel good” in many ways. For example, more oxygen is pumped to the brain when we exercise and it also stimulates the release of feel-good hormones, whilst suppressing the stress inducing ones.

The three main types of physical activity

Aerobic or heart and lung fitness
Muscle-strengthening or resistance training
Flexibility exercises or stretching

How much exercise should you do?

This depends on your age, but the NHS recommends that we should ALL be physically active every day.

All adults aged 19 and over should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week OR 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.
Adults aged 19-64 should do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles on at least 2 days a week.
Those over 64 should focus on activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.

Are you fit enough? Take the sit to stand challenge.

A good way to test if you are as fit as you should be, is to take a “sit stand” challenge. Put simply, you have to time how long it takes you to get up from a chair and sit back down again, 10 times over. It is an easy fitness assessment you can do at home and is a measure of lower body strength. There are guidelines as to what you should be able to do, depending on your age and gender. Watch the video to find out more and then why not test yourself? You can record the result to keep track of your progress.

This test is for adults aged 20 to 85. Place your chair against a wall and have another person with you. When participating in any exercise or physical test, you agree that you do so voluntarily and assume all risk of injury.

Only start the test if you are feeling well and have no existing conditions that could be affected. You should speak to your doctor before starting a new exercise regime.

How to work out your result:

Use this table to see how you compare to the average time for your age and sex. As a general rule, the faster the better.

Why not focus on your fitness and see if you can improve your sit stand result?

How to meet the exercise guidelines and improve your fitness

Exercise is a very personal thing. We all enjoy different types of exercise and because we are all unique, it will have a different effect on us both physically and mentally. Some of us enjoy the gym, others like the great outdoors. Some are suited to cardiovascular workouts; others respond better to strength exercises.

Here are a few more ideas to help you determine which exercise works best for you.

Move more

It’s important to remember to move more. Try taking the stairs, ditch the car and try to do more steps. You could also try to exercise little and often. A single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost and walking regularly is a really good way to move.

Moderate-intensity activity

Moderate activity will raise your heart rate, and make you breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you’re working at a moderate-intensity level is if you can still talk, moderate intensity activities include brisk walking, riding a bike on level ground, pushing lawn mower or water aerobics to name a few.

Vigorous-intensity activity

Vigorous-intensity activity makes you breathe hard and fast. You won’t be able to say more than a few words without pausing for breath. Activities include running, swimming fast, riding a bike fast.

Muscle strengthening

There are lots of ways to train your muscles. Doing exercises that use your own body weight are a good start and if you want to train harder you can add weights in increments. Better muscular strength can improve your muscle mass, and also helps in burning fat. Bonus!

Flexibility

Exercises like yoga, pilates and tai chi not only improve your muscle strength but improve your flexibility. Improving your flexibility can have a massive impact on your overall wellbeing, at any age. It can help increase your muscular performance, reduce tension, stress and chance of injury.

Why not have a look at some of the workout and exercise guides to find a workout to suit you?

Useful workouts and exercise guides:

Whatever type of exercise you choose, always begin your workout session with a gradual warm-up and take the time to cool down afterward. Warming up and cooling down will help prevent sore or pulled muscles. Exercise should be somewhat challenging, but never a struggle. If at any point during exercise you feel sick or in pain, stop right away. Make certain the exercise space is well-lit, not slippery, and free of trip hazards.

Keep yourself well hydrated. It is important to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise. Be especially careful to avoid energy drinks, fizzy drinks or high sugar content sports drinks.

Challenges

Having psoriasis can make certain types of activity especially difficult, such as those that create friction between adjacent areas of skin. When skin rubs together, plaques (lesions) can form and full-blown flares can occur.

Exercise tips:

Try to wear looser clothing, preferably cotton that absorbs any perspiration rather than 100 percent nylon. Looser clothing prevents constriction and areas of potential friction.
Gently lubricate the “hot spots” such as the groin, the abdominal or breast folds or between the thighs or buttocks to prevent any needless chaffing.
People with psoriasis need to take extra care and shower immediately after any exercise, then apply moisturisers and wear cotton undergarments. Cool the body down gradually after you exercise by having a tepid then cool shower and do not rub or scrub your skin too hard or you may aggravate it and stimulate any potential underlying areas of inflammation.
If you tend to develop lesions on your feet, do not let sore soles trip you up. There are plenty of non-weight-bearing activities you can swap out for your daily run or Zumba class. Focus on your upper body in the weight room, take a yoga class, or do a seated tai chi sequence. When your feet feel better you can switch back to your regular routine.

Helpful tip!

People with psoriasis may face different challenges when they exercise, for example, you may be embarrassed to bare your arms or legs at the swimming pool or gym. If you feel too self-conscious about your skin to join a class or work out in a gym, that’s understandable, but you don’t have to go it alone. Find a friend, family member, or colleague you feel comfortable around or recruit someone from your support group to work out with, even if it is just a morning walk or weekend round of golf. Exercising with other people can help you stay motivated and more likely to stick with your fitness routine since you’ll be accountable to someone else if you don’t. Exercising with a friend is more fun too.

If you prefer absolute privacy when you work out, there are plenty of ways to exercise without leaving your house. You do not need expensive equipment either. A set of resistance bands and a yoga mat can be enough to get you started. Plus, there are numerous online fitness classes you can stream or download, many of which let you exercise with a group in real time — the best of both worlds if you are self-conscious but love to socialise.
Swimming and other types of water exercise can be ideal for people with conditions like psoriasis. Working against the resistance of water builds strength and improves flexibility. If you aren’t comfortable wearing a swimsuit around other people, find out when the pool you go to is least busy and get your laps in then.

Swimming in salt water is especially good because the salt can help slough off dead skin. The chlorine and other harsh chemicals in a swimming pool, however, can irritate skin affected by psoriasis. Follow water workouts with a shower and moisturise all over as soon as you get out, while your skin is still damp.

Listen to your body

Exercise can help your psoriasis. But if you exercise too hard, you can overdo it and expose your body to stress and psoriasis is aggravated by stress.

The bottom line is to find the “Goldilocks Principle” which is the sweet spot of not too much, not too little and just right.

If you have a medical condition or injury that might restrict your exercise, it is best to talk to your healthcare professional before starting any new regime.