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Exercise Helps Fight Arthritis Symptoms

Home > News > Exercise Helps Fight Arthritis Symptoms
Posted: Feb 10, 2015 | by admin | 0 Comment

Virginia Orthopaedic & Spine Specialists, arthritis, treatment, knee, hipsWhen you have arthritis, exercise might feel like the last thing you want to do.

But it also might be one of the best things you can do to fight arthritis, which is the leading cause of disability in the United States.

In fact, published studies have found that both endurance and resistance types of exercise can help people who have osteoarthritis and rheumatic conditions. For everyone pound of weight a person loses, they also take four pounds of pressure off each of their knees.

In general, three types of physical activity are appropriate for people who have arthritis, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

  • low-impact aerobics – walking, cycling, dancing and swimming are all examples of low-impact activities.
  • muscle-strengthening exercises – weight training, using resistance bands and calisthenics.
  • balance exercises – walking backwards, standing on one foot and tai chi.

CDC guidelines recommend the following tips to exercise safely:

Start low and go slow.

People with arthritis may take more time for their body to adjust to a new level of activity. Inactive people should start with a small amount of activity, for example, 3–5 minutes 2 times a day. Adding activity in small amounts and allowing enough time for your body to adjust to the new level before adding more activity is usually safe.

Modify activity when symptoms increase. Try to stay active.

Arthritis symptoms come and go. Most people completely stop activity when their symptoms increase. It is better to first modify your activity by decreasing the frequency, duration, or intensity, or changing the type of activity to stay as active as possible without making your symptoms worse.

Activities should be “joint-friendly.”

Unsure of what types of activity are best for people with arthritis? A general rule is to choose activities that are easy on the joints like walking, bicycling, water aerobics, or dancing. These activities have a low risk of injury and do not twist or “pound” the joints too much.

Recognize safe places and ways to be active.

Safety is important for starting and maintaining an activity plan. For inactive adults with arthritis or those who do not have confidence in planning their own physical activity, an exercise class designed just for people with arthritis may be a good option. For those who plan and direct their own activity, finding safe places to be active is important. For example, while walking in your neighborhood or at a local park, make sure the sidewalks or pathways are level and free of obstructions, are well-lighted, and are separated from heavy traffic.

Talk to a health professional or certified exercise specialist.

People with arthritis should be under the care of a health care professional. Many health professionals are a good source of information on what types and amounts of activity are appropriate for people with chronic conditions and disabilities.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

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