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Stay active and exercise when you have arthritis

Arthritis - exercise; Arthritis - activity

When you have arthritis, being active is good for your overall health and sense of well-being.

Exercise keeps your muscles strong and increases your range of motion. (This is how much you can bend and flex your joints). Tired, weak muscles add to the pain and stiffness of arthritis. Exercise can also help increase your metabolism and avoid weight gain which is worse for arthritic joints.

Osteoarthritis and Activity Quiz

Exercise can make arthritis worse.
A. True
B. False
C. Maybe
The correct answer is maybe. Getting regular exercise of the right kind is one of the ways to manage your osteoarthritis (OA). But some types of exercise can worsen your symptoms. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist about what kinds of exercises might work best for you and the right way to do them.
Getting regular exercise can do which of the following?
A. Improve your mood
B. Keep your joints flexible
C. Keep muscles stronger
D. B and C
E. All of the above
The correct answer is all of the above. Being active is good for your overall health and sense of well-being. People with arthritis who are active feel better than those who aren't. Getting regular exercise can also help improve blood flow, strengthen your heart, and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Which type of exercise is best for people with OA?
A. Strength training exercises
B. Water exercises
C. Range-of-motion exercises
D. Balance exercises
E. All of the above
The correct answer is all of the above. Water exercises may be the best exercise for your arthritic joints. Walk on smooth, even surfaces, such as the sidewalks near your home or inside a shopping mall. Learn gentle exercises that will increase your range of motion and strengthen the muscles around your joints.
How much moderate aerobic exercise should you get each week?
A. None
B. 60 minutes
C. 120 minutes
D. 150 minutes
The correct answer is 150 minutes. While this is a good goal to aim for, it may not always be possible if you are having symptoms. You may have good days and bad days, so pay attention to your body. Some weeks you may have to do less. Try walking, swimming, yoga, or Tai Chi. If you're not sure what to try, ask your health care provider.
Strength training exercises aren't important for people with OA.
A. True
B. False
The correct answer is false. Tired, weak muscles add to the pain or stiffness that arthritis causes. Stronger muscles also help you with balance. This helps prevent falls. Being stronger can also help you lose weight, sleep better, and give you more energy. Ask your doctor to recommend an exercise for you.
Balance exercises can help if you:
A. Have trouble walking
B. Are prone to falling
C. Are afraid of falling
D. All of the above
The correct answer is all of the above. For the most benefit from balance exercises, try to do them at least three times a week. To help improve your balance, try tai chi, walking backwards, or standing on one foot. A physical therapist can help you learn the best exercises.
Bicycling is a good exercise for people with OA.
A. True
B. False
C. Maybe
The correct answer is maybe. While cycling is low impact, if you have severe arthritis, using a bike may speed up damage to the cartilage and bone in your knee. Ask your health care provider if you can use a stationary bike.
How often should you add more time to your workout?
A. Each week
B. Every two weeks
C. Every three to four weeks
D. As often as you want
The correct answer is every three to four weeks. People with arthritis often need three to four weeks to adjust to a new activity level. Increase your activity in small amounts, about 10 minutes at a time, and let your body adjust to the new amount of time before doing more.
If you're having a bad day, it's best to skip exercising.
A. True
B. False
The correct answer is false. While there may be days when you can't exercise, first try to change your activity. Cut back on the time or number of days, or try a different exercise. Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) or another pain pill before exercising is okay. But don't overdo it, because the medicine may mask pain.
You should stop exercising and see your doctor if:
A. You have pain that is sharp or constant
B. You have pain that lasts longer than two hours after exercise
C. You have pain that makes you limp
D. Your pain does not get better with rest or medicine
E. Your swelling is severe or your joints are red
F. Any of the above
The correct answer is any of the above. Having a small amount of pain or swelling after exercise is normal. But if you have any of these symptoms, stop exercising and see your doctor right away.

Choose From These Activities

Stronger muscles also help you with balance to prevent falls. Being stronger can give you more energy, and help you lose weight and sleep better.

If you will be having surgery, exercising can help you stay strong, which will speed up your recovery. Water exercises may be the best exercise for your arthritis. Swimming laps, water aerobics, or even just walking in the shallow end of a pool all make the muscles around your spine and legs stronger.

Ask your health care provider if you can use a stationary bike. Be aware that if you have arthritis of the hip or knee cap, biking can worsen your symptoms.

If you are not able to do water exercises or use a stationary bike, try walking, as long as it does not cause too much pain. Walk on smooth, even surfaces, such as the sidewalks near your home or inside a shopping mall.

Ask your physical therapist or provider to show you gentle exercises that will increase your range of motion and strengthen the muscles around your knees.

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Be Careful

As long as you do not overdo it, staying active and getting exercise will not make your arthritis get worse faster.

Taking acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or another pain medicine before you exercise is OK. But do not overdo your exercise because you took the medicine.

If exercise causes your pain to worsen, try cutting back on how long or how hard you exercise the next time. However, don't stop completely. Allow your body to adjust to the new exercise level.

Open References +

References

Cuccurullo SJ, Joki J, Luke O. Introduction to physical medicine and rehabilitation. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 41.

Hsieh LF, Mao HF, Lu CC, Hsu WL. Rheumatologic rehabilitation. In: Cifu DX, ed. Braddom's Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 31.

Misra D, Kumar D, Neogi T. Treatment of osteoarthritis. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein & Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 106.

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Arthritis

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Arthritis, inflammation of one or more joints, is the most common cause of disability in the United States, limiting the activities of millions of adults. So, what causes arthritis? Cartilage, which is the tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of your bones, normally protects and cushions a joint, allowing it to move smoothly. When this covering starts to break down, your bones rub together, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. This is arthritis. Joint inflammation may result from an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, which is when your immune system mistakenly attacks health tissue, or a broken bone, or general wear and tear on joints from osteoarthritis, or an infection from bacteria or a virus. If you have arthritis, you'll probably know it before you see your doctor. You may have joint pain, joint swelling, a reduced ability to move your joint, redness of the skin around your joint, and stiffness, especially in the morning. So, what do you do about arthritis? Your doctor will give you a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms. Your doctor might find that you have fluid around a joint, warm, red, tender joints, and trouble moving your joints. You may have blood tests and x-rays to check for infection or other arthritis causes. Your doctor may take a sample of joint fluid with a needle and send it to a lab for examination. Once your doctor confirms that you have arthritis, your treatment will focus on reducing your pain, improving your mobility, and limiting further joint damage. Lifestyle changes are a big part of the treatment for arthritis. Exercise can help relieve stiffness, reduce pain and fatigue, and improve muscle and bone strength. Your health care team can help you design an exercise program that is best for you. Physical therapy may also be very helpful. You may use treatments like heat or ice, splints or orthotics to support your joints, water therapy, and even massage. You can take other steps to ease your pain. For example, sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night and taking naps during the day can help you recover from a flare-up more quickly, and may even help prevent them. Avoid staying in one position for too long, and avoid positions or movements that place extra stress on your joints. Install grab bars in the shower, tub, and near the toilet, to help you get around easier. Try stress reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi. Get more fruits, vegetables, cold water fish, and nuts into your diet. Weight loss through dieting and exercise can also take pressure off your joints. After lifestyle factors, medicine can help relieve your arthritis pain. If over-the-counter medicines like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin are not enough, your doctor may prescribe stronger medicines. Most forms of arthritis are long-term, and life-long, conditions. But if you make lifestyle changes, and work with your health care team to manage your pain, you should be able to move more freely and hopefully feel less pain.

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Stay active and exercise when you have arthritis

Osteoarthritis and Activity Quiz

Exercise can make arthritis worse.

Getting regular exercise can do which of the following?

Which type of exercise is best for people with OA?

How much moderate aerobic exercise should you get each week?

Strength training exercises aren't important for people with OA.

Balance exercises can help if you:

Bicycling is a good exercise for people with OA.

How often should you add more time to your workout?

If you're having a bad day, it's best to skip exercising.

You should stop exercising and see your doctor if:

References