When you have osteoarthritis, it can hurt to move around. Yet your physician will tell you that if you're more physically active, it will help your osteoarthritis. It seems like a contradiction, but it's true: For people with osteoarthritis, exercise can be just what the doctor ordered.
About Osteoarthritis
You have a lot of company if you suffer from osteoarthritis; according to the Arthritis Foundation, it affects almost 27 million Americans. The disease involves gradual breakdown of cartilage that cushions the ends of bones as they move against each other. Osteoarthritis may be hereditary, but other possible causes include overweight, injury, overuse, lack of physical activity and just getting older.
Symptoms and Treatment
As cartilage erodes, bones rub against each other, causing pain and stiffness. You might feel that the bones are grating or "catching" as you move, most commonly in the hips, hands, knees, lower back and neck. According to the Arthritis Foundation, treatment usually involves a blend of medication, rest, exercise, protecting joints, therapy and using heat or cold for joint pain.
Exercise Benefits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that exercise is a major way to counter osteoarthritis pain and disability without using medication. A report in "Arthritis Today" explains that physical activity seems to reduce inflammation that worsens arthritis pain. Many research studies have found that exercise relieves knee and hip pain, the report notes. "Arthritis Today" also reports that exercise can boost your energy, fight fatigue and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Starting Out
Fight Arthritis Pain, an Arthritis Foundation program, urges people to develop a well-rounded exercise routine to make them stronger and more flexible. Aerobic exercise such as swimming, walking and cycling will help rev up your metabolism. Strength training using resistance bands will strengthen the muscles that support your bones. And stretching activities such as yoga and tai chi will combat joint stiffness and help improve your range of motion.
Tips
Just 20 minutes of exercise, three times a week, can help relieve your osteoarthritis pain, notes "Arthritis Today." But try to build up to at least 150 minutes of mild to moderate exercise per week. You'll maximize your exercise efforts if you make them part of a weight-loss plan, the Arthritis Foundation advises. For example, every pound you lose amounts to a 4-lb. reduction in the stress placed on your knees as you go about your daily activities.
