Exercise for Arthritis
Research has found that regular exercise is one of the most effective treatments for arthritis.
Generally people with arthritis need to do a mix of three types of activities to help improve their condition – mobility exercises, strengthening exercises and fitness exercises.
Physical activity helps broadly by:
- decreasing joint pain
- reducing joint stiffness
- improving mobility and flexibility of the joints
- strengthening muscles to provide greater support and stability for joints
- strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis
- decreasing muscle tension
- improving posture and balance
- improving overall health, fitness and well being
Before you start to exercise it is important to talk with your doctor and healthcare team to help you develop a program that will suit your condition, physical health and lifestyle.
There are many activities that are beneficial and safe for people with arthritis. When you develop an exercise plan, choose activities that you enjoy and are convenient for you to do. Low impact activities, where there is less body weight or force going through your joints, are usually most comfortable.
Examples of activities suitable for arthritis include:
- walking
- dancing
- yoga, pilates and tai chi
- exercising in water such as hydrotherapy (with a physiotherapist), swimming or water exercise classes
- strength training
- cycling
- chair based exercises
Water exercise is a great form of exercise for people living with arthritis.
The buoyancy of the water takes pressure off painful joints and you may find you can move more freely than you can on land. Warm water (33° - 35° Celsius) can also be soothing for stiff joints and helps to reduce muscle spasm, tension and pain.
Safety tips
- Talk to your doctor and/or health professional before starting an exercise program. A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can suggest safe exercises and make sure you are doing your exercises correctly to prevent an injury.
- Do not vigorously exercise a joint that is red, hot, swollen or painful.
- Always build slowly. When you first start, do less than you think you will be able to manage. If you cope well, do a little more next time and keep building gradually. A general guide to knowing if you’ve done too much is the ‘two hour pain rule’ – if you have extra or unusual pain for more than two hours after exercising, you’ve done too much. Next time you exercise, slow down or do less.
- Stop exercising if it is causing you unusual pain or increases your pain beyond what is normal for you (note, many people with arthritis have some amount of pain all the time. This is not a reason to avoid exercise. You should only stop if you notice extra or unusual pain while you are exercising).
- Always start your exercise with some gentle movements to warm up your body and your joints. This can help prevent pain and injury during exercise.
- Cool down at the end of your session with some gentle movements and stretches. This can help prevent muscle pain and stiffness the next day.