Exercising with Arthritis
Mark Besch | posted February 10, 2009 | 
A common question we, as therapists, get from patients with arthritis is, "Should I really exercise? Won’t that make my arthritis worse and cause me even more pain?"
When you have arthritis, exercising may not be first on your list of things to do. You may be worried that if you take a walk, ride a bike or go for a swim that you may increase your arthritis pain. Actually, this isn’t so. There are many benefits of exercise for people with arthritis. And there is plenty of research evidence to prove that not only is exercise safe, it actually, more often than not, results in decreased pain.
There are three main types of exercise that benefit individuals with arthritis: flexibility exercises, strengthening exercises and cardiovascular exercises. Regular exercise will help strengthen muscles and decrease stiffness.
Flexibility and stretching exercises are great for alleviating stiffness, and they decrease the risk of joint injury. They can also be done in water as the buoyancy of the water feels good on the joints. Exercises such as yoga and tai chi offer a way for individuals to increase flexibility in a gentle, relaxing way that may be less stressful on arthritic joints.
Strengthening or resistance exercises are important for strengthening the muscles that support the joints, thus protecting them from injury. Exercises can be tailored to an individual’s needs, taking into consideration any particular limitations or pain that they are feeling. Patients with arthritis that participate in strengthening exercises – even vigorous strengthening – very often report a decrease in arthritic pain.
Cardiovascular exercises help increase endurance and manage weight. Walking the dog, gardening or taking a bike ride are all simple, low-impact ways that people can raise their heart rate.
On a cautionary note, though, all patients with arthritis should check with their own doctor before beginning any new exercise program, and if experiencing an exacerbation of symptoms, as can happen with arthritis, you may need to decrease the intensity of your exercises during the exacerbation.
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