Everyone needs exercise, but it's especially important for people with arthritis. Exercise increases strength and makes moving easier. Exercise reduces joint pain and helps fight tiredness.
Nearly a third of adults with arthritis are physically inactive. Yet a CDC study shows that severe joint pain is more common among adults with arthritis who are physically inactive. Physical inactivity is more common among adults with arthritis who live in states in the Southeast and are disabled or unable to work.
Stay active, when you can
On the whole, the answer is "keep moving." Your joints were made to move. They need movement to nourish the joint and keep the muscles around the joint strong and limber. Doctors encourage their patients with arthritis to be as active as they can—as long as it isn't exacerbating joint pain.
We know that prolonged sitting is bad for everyone's health. However, extended sitting can be even more harmful for people with arthritic conditions. Although there are more than 100 forms of arthritis, the two of the most common types are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Moving is essential if you are living with arthritis! Exercise helps to limit the pain and improve joint motion. It also boosts energy levels, improves strength to support your joints, and prevents falls and future injuries. Movement helps your joints be healthier.
The importance of rest
If you are in a "flare-up episode of osteoarthritis", that is to say when a joint is hot and swollen and more painful than usual it is recommended to rest the joint.
Consuming high-purine foods like shellfish or beer, becoming dehydrated, experiencing sudden changes in kidney function, or local trauma to a joint (like stubbing your big toe) can also trigger flares. Taking urate-lowering medicines should lessen the likelihood of having a flare due to these triggers.
Your levels of cortisol, a hormone that helps control inflammation, are lower at night. Lying down can cause inflammatory chemicals to pool in the fluid that cushions your joints, which makes them stiffen up.
Physical therapy and exercise can also help ward off the progression of arthritis. So if you've been sedentary out of fear you'll make your arthritis worse, talk to your healthcare provider. A physical therapist can give you a gentle, joint-friendly exercise plan.
Many of these age-related changes to joints are caused by lack of exercise. Movement of the joint, and the associated 'stress' of movement, helps keep the fluid moving. Being inactive causes the cartilage to shrink and stiffen, reducing joint mobility.
With osteoarthritis, mild joint stiffness is common in the morning and after an hour or more of inactivity during the day. As the joints start to be used and move more, even after just a few minutes, the stiffness and pain improves.
Inactivity can cause a variety of health concerns, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, and diabetes, but it can also lead to weight gain and weakened muscles and joints.
"The muscles take up the weight and take up the pressures, instead of the joint taking up the weight and the pressures." Exercise doesn't reverse damage that's already done. But it helps prevent arthritis from getting worse, and it has the added benefit of keeping excess pounds off.
The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are pain and sometimes stiffness in the affected joints. The pain tends to be worse when you move the joint or at the end of the day. Your joints may feel stiff after rest, but this usually wears off fairly quickly once you get moving. Symptoms may vary for no obvious reason.
Pain. The joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis is usually a throbbing and aching pain. It is often worse in the mornings and after a period of inactivity.
But whether it's mild or severe, you can take some steps to ease the joint pain and swelling by resting it, applying an ice or heat pack and taking an over-the-counter analgesic, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), or NSAID, like ibuprofen or naproxen.
Studies suggest autumn may be the sweet spot for RA while winter and spring are the most challenging. A recent study found that humidity made pain worse, especially in colder weather. Another study linked sunny, dry days to less pain and joint swelling.
The suspected triggers for a flare are stress, weight gain, physical trauma, joint strain, infection and medications.
Research shows diclofenac is the strongest and most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine available.10 Diclofenec is sold under the prescription brand names Cambia, Cataflam, Zipsor, and Zorvolex. It is also available as a topical gel, Voltaren, which is available over the counter.
Ask anyone with arthritis and they'll tell you: The best thing you can do for your arthritis is to keep moving. However, when you are experiencing a flare, sometimes the best thing you can do for your arthritis is rest and allow your body to recharge.
Health Care Providers: Improving Your Arthritis Patients' Health. Counsel for low-impact physical activities—Walking, biking, swimming, and water activities are all good non-drug ways to ease arthritis pain and are safe for most adults. These forms of exercise can also improve joint function and improve mood.