Exercise
Moderate physical activity—within the limits of comfort and with normal motions—will not increase the risk of osteoarthritis in joints that are not affected by the disease.
- Randomized trials have found that aerobic conditioning is effective in improving the condition of people with osteoarthritis. After completing a 12-week exercise program, participants in aquatics and walking exercise groups showed significant improvement over control participants in aerobic capacity, 50-foot walking time, depression, anxiety, and physical activity.
- Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who participated in a walking program had significant improvements after eight weeks in the program (Kovar et al 1992). The patients felt less pain, could walk longer, needed less pain medication, and were better able to go about their daily routines. But these benefits disappear if the regular, daily walking schedule is not kept up.
Find out if there are exercise programs in your community for people with joint pain. Check with a
physiotherapist or your
primary healthcare practitioner to get a better idea of the kinds of exercises that are available and appropriate for you. Select an exercise program that you will stick with, steadily and consistently. Sometimes you may want to exercise a bit less or adjust the program to your changing needs. Just don’t give it up.
Exercises That Are Good for Osteoarthritis
Ask your doctor or physical therapist which exercises are best for you. But typically, exercises that keep you strong and limber, extend your range of movement, and reduce weight are good for osteoarthritis. The following are examples of exercises that can help:
strength training: Weak muscles are considered a risk factor for osteoarthritis. They are often present before osteoarthritis develops and can contribute to its progression. Be especially wary of weakness in the quadriceps muscle, which is the large frontal thigh muscle. The weaker the quadriceps, the higher the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis (Slemenda et al 1997).
Exercises to strengthen the quadriceps muscle have helped reduce the disability caused by knee osteoarthritis (Hurley and Scott 1998).
Strengthening other muscles also is valuable. You might use elastic plastic bands, which come in a variety of sizes and strengths. They are convenient, lightweight tools that you can take with you anywhere.
aerobics: Activities such as walking and swimming keep your lungs and circulation systems in shape.
While prolonged standing, regular heavy lifting, or walking over rough ground may contribute to knee and hip pain, surprisingly, there is little evidence that repetitive movements in recreational activities, such as running, are associated with osteoarthritis (e.g., Konradsen et al 1990; Lane et al 1990; Panush et al 1986).
range of motion exercises: These activities keep the joints limber.
agility exercises: Many of these exercises help you maintain everyday living skills.
neck and back strength: Keep your spine strong and limber.
