1. Know better. The claim that individuals with arthritis should avoid exercising because of pain and possible damage to their joints is simply not true. The Arthritis Foundation recommends that people with arthritis should exercise their joints on a daily basis. While some pain or discomfort may occur initially, eventually the pain will disappear.
2. Get professional help. Individuals suffering with osteoarthritis should seek professional advice (i.e., from a physician, physical therapist, certified exercise professional) to help them set up personalized exercise programs that take into consideration their most painful joints and their overall level of fitness.
3. Pace, not push, yourself. Once a sound exercise regimen has been designed for them, individuals with osteoarthritis should start exercising at a comfortable level and gradually (over time) increase how much exercise they do and how hard they exercise. As a general rule, if they experience persistent discomfort from exercising, they should reduce either their level of exercise intensity or the amount of time that their exercise bout lasts, rather than stop exercising completely.
4. Limber up. Stretching must be included as an integral part of an exercise program for individuals with osteoarthritis. Proper stretching loosens up the muscles, helps prepare the body for the demands imposed by exercising, and helps increase joint mobility.
5. Stabilize the situation. A key component of a sound exercise program for osteoarthritis sufferers should be strengthening exercises. Strengthening the muscles that support the body's skeletal system helps to make the vulnerable joints more stable. In addition, a higher level of muscular fitness has been shown to have a positive impact on a person's ability to perform everyday tasks (at home, work, or play) and on an individual's level of self-image and sense of accomplishment.
6. Prime the endurance pump. Individuals with osteoarthritis should include activities in their exercise regimens that place an appropriate level of demand on their cardiovascular systems. As a result, their bodies will improve the ability to deliver oxygen to their working muscles (thereby enhancing their overall level of stamina).
7. Choose wisely. When selecting an exercise mode, osteoarthritis sufferers should remember not to overload their sore joints. In that regard, they should avoid high-impact activities like tennis, basketball, and jogging. Among the least orthopedically stressful exercise options for individuals with osteoarthritis are swimming in a heated pool (because the water supports bodies as they move their joints through a full range of motion) and walking at an appropriately brisk pace.
8. Weigh the consequences. Excessive levels of body fat can place undue demands on an arthritis sufferer's joints and can increase the likelihood that an individual will be afflicted with osteoarthritis. In the latter instance, for example, men and women whose weight would be considered "normal" would respectively be 50 and 75% less likely to suffer osteoarthritis of the knee than someone who is obese.
9. Keep on running (if you like). Some degree of misconception exists concerning whether running extensively on a regular basis accelerates the development of osteoarthritis in weight-bearing joints. The point is argued that joggers may be "sacrificing their joints to save their hearts." On the contrary, research shows that runners who put in many years of high mileage jogging do not suffer premature degeneration of their joints.
10. Have a sound plan. Individuals who have osteoarthritis should develop and stick to a well-conceived plan for exercising regularly. To the extent possible, they should exercise once (or preferably, twice) a day for the rest of their lives. They should always try to exercise when they have the least amount of pain, stiffness, and fatigue. They should never exercise without properly warming up.
Osteoarthritis and Exercise
