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Your joints are stiff, swollen and achy. Sometimes it hurts when you stand, get up from a chair or climb stairs. Won’t exercise just aggravate these symptoms and make you feel worse?
In fact, it’s just the opposite. The idea that you should rest your joints when you have arthritis is outdated. Today, it’s clear that movement is good medicine for osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and many other types of rheumatic disease. There’s no reason not to be as physically active as your abilities and symptoms allow. Exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week is recommended.
You'll need to take certain steps to keep exercise safe for your joints such as talking to your doctor about what activities are right for you, modifying activity so that painful joints aren’t aggravated, easing into activities and learning to listen to your body for signs of over-doing it.
But with sensible precautions, being active has many benefits for people with arthritis. Regular physical activity can help to:
- Relieve pain and stiffness and increase energy — Studies show that moderate aerobic activity and strengthening exercises can reduce pain and morning stiffness. Exercise improves your balance, boosts your endurance and may also reduce inflammation.
- Protect bones and joints — Within a relatively short period of time, regular exercise can strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints. This helps stabilize weakened joints and increases flexibility. Stronger muscles may even help compensate for cartilage loss and can improve your range of motion. Over the long term, exercise can help slow bone loss that leads to osteoporosis — a condition that increases susceptibility to fractures.
- Control your weight — Combined with healthy food choices, regular exercise can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Keeping off extra weight has many health benefits, and it’s important for your joints.
- Reduce or delay disability — Regular exercise helps you gain strength and agility that can improve your ability to work and do everyday activities, such as carrying grocery bags and climbing stairs. Keeping up better function helps you maintain your independence and quality of life.
- Improve mood — People with arthritis are at higher risk of anxiety and depression. Getting regular physical activity can help reduce these mood disorders, relieve stress and improve your overall well-being.
This post is excerpted from Mayo Clinic Guide to Arthritis, a just-published book from Mayo Clinic Press.
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Hi Annie, I hear you - motivation is a real kicker. I find that having an exercise / walk partner and meeting at a specified day/time works for me.
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1 Reaction@normaf Welcome to Mayo Connect! I see this is your first post with us, and we welcome you aboard.
You're right, accountability to someone else can be quite a motivator to keep you doing something. Do you have arthritis? How does it affect your everyday life? I have osteoarthritis in hands and knees, which makes it sometimes painful moving around.
Tell us about your exercise program, and your exercise/walk partner, please!
Ginger
Great advice!
Welcome @spelaggi. What motivates you to get up and moving? Do you have arthritis?
Hello, I have severe arthritis. My main health issue is syringomyelia, resulting from trauma. I suffered tethered cord 3 years ago. I have kyphosis and wear a Jewett brace 6/7 hours daily. Pain from cervical and thoracic syrinx has been 10+. Neuropathy is worsening also. When the pain settles down a bit, hope to return to daily walking.
@spelaggi, you may be interested in following these related groups:
- Bones, Joints & Muscles
- Neuropathy
- Spine Health
See the complete Group Directory here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/groups/
In particular you probably have much to contribute to these discussions
- Living with Syringomyelia https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-syringomyelia/
- Living with arthritis: How do you stay active? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-arthritis-how-do-you-stay-active/
- Living with Neuropathy - Welcome to the group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-neuropathy-welcome-to-the-group/
Let me know if you're looking for anything specific to connect with others.
Hi, My name is Ted. I am new to this site. I have arthritis in my right knee, left foot, and starting in my right foot. I do have some numbness in my toes and progress to the heel later in the day. I went to see a neurologist. He did an EMG test, nerve conduction test, MRI on my lower back. All tests were fairly normal. Did complete blood work, including testing for autoimmune disease. Only thing I was low on zinc. Doesn't want to do a small nerve biopsy, because it could cause permanent nerve damage. My biggest problem is the lack of energy in my legs. My upper body feels goods.
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2 ReactionsHi Ted, I see you're well connected in the Neuropathy group. Please feel free to also join in the arthritis discussion here:
– Living with arthritis: How do you stay active? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-with-arthritis-how-do-you-stay-active/
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2 Reactionsi'm 71 and have not exercised because of severe pain. Am I too old to start? What exercise is recommended.
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3 ReactionsHi Gscheeley, you're never too old to start. My mom is 81 years old and has started a new exercise regimen with my husband and me. She does all the same exercises but modifies them. For example, when we do regular pushups, she does them against the wall. When we sprint, she increases her walking pace for short bursts. At first she thought that it wasn't good enough or that she wasn't seeing any progress. I'm here to tell you that wall pushups are just as good. After a year of doing them that way, she gained enough strength to do a few push ups from her knees on the floor. Yay, mom. I'm so proud of her.
The moral of the story is:
- get started
- do a little more than what you do today
- it gets better
With pain, you will need to pace yourself and do what you can do. Even small steps make a difference. Maybe setting a timer to get up every 30 or 50 minutes and walk down the driveway is a place to start. Do something you enjoy. I bet @johnbishop @contentandwell and @rwinney have more ideas.
Gscheeley, what activities do you like to do?
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