Using Exercise to Beat Osteoarthritis

When we are injured or experiencing pain due to something like arthritis, our first instinct can be to rest our bodies. But, not moving often makes things worse as joints degenerate and muscles lose mass and seize up.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, affects the lives of 14 per cent of Canadian adults, increasing significantly with every decade of life. It’s also the leading cause of disability in the United States. 

Using Exercise to Beat Osteoarthritis

This form of arthritis develops due to the loss of cartilage in the joints. Without this protective tissue, bones can rub against each other when moving parts of your body, causing pain, irritation, inflammation, and even loss of function. 

Weight loss is often touted as a way to reduce the pain that comes with osteoarthritis. And though weight gain and obesity are risk factors for developing arthritis in the first place, shedding pounds alone isn’t going to cut it. 

The best chance you have for preventing arthritis or reducing its effects is regular exercise. This helps improve your range of motion and also strengthens the muscles around your joints, which can ease the load on sensitive areas. 

However, not every type of exercise will help here; high impact activities like running or playing soccer are going to put a lot of stress on your joints. It’s best to avoid anything that involves sudden changes of direction or starting and stopping. If you experience joint pain during or for hours after an activity, it might not be the best option for you.

So, what are ideal exercises for osteoarthritis? Well, it’s always going to depend to some degree on your current fitness level and the severity of your arthritis. That said, walking and aquatic activities are almost always going to be a safe bet. Walking is healthy for everyone as it improves circulation, helps maintain muscle and bone mass, and reduces stress. Exercising in water is a great place to start if your arthritis is severe and you are new to exercise.

It’s important that your weekly schedule of physical activity covers flexibility and range of motion exercises, such as yoga or tai chi, as well as aerobic activity and strength building exercises. WebMD has a great list of suggested strengthening and flexibility exercises for people with osteoarthritis, as does Harvard Health and Cornerstone Physio.

What else can you do to manage arthritis?

The most important other thing you can do, and it’s something you should do regardless of having arthritis, is to build more physical activity into your daily life. House work, yard work, going shopping, even doing the laundry all keep your joints healthy and moving as well as they can. Not to mention, these are all productive things to do too. If you sit for extended periods throughout the day, try to break this up with light activities around the house or your place of work.

If you are experiencing pain or stiffness in your joints, you may want to try hot and cold therapies, particularly before or after physical activity.

Simply apply a hot or cold pack/towel to the area that’s troubling you. If you have access to one, you can also go for a dip in a heated or chilled pool, or use your shower or bath.