McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., the maker of TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain, is helping participants in YMCA Active Older Adult programs at more than 600 Ys stay active and reduce arthritis pain through Keep Moving, an education program geared specifically toward America's older adult population. Keep Moving shows adults with osteoarthritis (OA) how to manage their joint pain through simple exercises, weight management and other lifestyle changes.

DAILY FLEXIBILITY STRETCHING CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT ARTHRITIS PAIN and symptom management. When your joints stiffen, it becomes more difficult to perform simple day-to-day tasks such as bending and walking. Stretching helps maintain joint flexibility, relieves muscle cramping and soreness, improves your posture and can even lower your risk for lower-back pain and injuries.
    Just five minutes of stretching each day may be all you need to help keep your joints mobile. Frequency of stretching is more important in maintaining flexibility than the length of time spent stretching.
    Just be sure to:
Warm up first. Stretching "cold" muscles can lead to injury. Try walking in place and pumping your arms for at least three minutes before beginning your stretches.
Stretch slowly and smoothly. Never bounce. For best results, reach just beyond your normal comfort level, but be sure to stop before you feel pain.
Breathe. Follow your movements with slow inhales and exhales. Don't hold your breath when you hold your stretch.
    For best results, arthritis experts recommend combining all three types of exercise on a regular basis-flexibility stretching, strengthening exercises and aerobic activities. If you're just beginning to increase your activity level, though, stretching is a great way to start becoming more active. If you're already active, make sure to incorporate stretching into your routine.
    Check with your YMCA wellness staff for suggestions of stretching exercises, and other ways that will help you keep moving, such as water exercise classes or a strength training orientation. Visit www.arthritis.org for more information. ▼

• More than 27 million Americans currently suffer from Osteoarthritis (OA).
• Exercise can help alleviate symptoms of OA.
• Stretching is the simplest form of exercise you can do, and the most commonly overlooked component of any exercise routine.
• You should talk with your doctor before beginning or revising an exercise program.

PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE AT THE Y
Everyone needs support and guidance in their lives. That
support can come from family and friends, teachers and neighbors, coaches and mentors. For David Crosse, a young man in Springfield, Massachusetts, the people he met at the YMCA gave him the inspiration he needed to overcome obstacles and cultivate relationships that ultimately changed his life.
    An avid basketball player, David had an athletic gift that was recognized by Bobby Knight, a long-time YMCA member and retired Harlem Globetrotter and NBA player. At the Y, Bobby would coach David in basketball and encourage him to stay in high school. When Bobby Knight passed away last year, David fondly remembered their time spent at the Y.
    David suffered an additional setback to losing his friend when he was falsely accused of a crime (the charge was later dismissed). He became depressed and unfocused, not doing well in school. Although he had promised Bobby Knight he would stay in school, he looked to the YMCA staff for an alternative plan.
    For David's senior year, the YMCA of Greater Springfield created an internship for him. David's focus has been re-established and he is more confident in his abilities. He is pursuing higher education and feels that "the YMCA has helped him to dream again; he now has hope and has been inspired to be someone."
    David and his circumstances are special, but the response of the YMCA-its staff, volunteers and members-isn't. Because more than a building or a program, the Y is a community where people make the difference. ▼