Arthritis And Physical Activity

Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis has many benefits for people living with arthritis.  It can improve pain, function, mood and quality of life without making symptoms worse.  It can also help delay the onset of disability and help with management of other chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.  Arthritis-friendly physical activity (those that do not twist or "pound" the joints too much) includes aerobic activities, muscle strengthening activities, balance activities, and flexibility exercises.

Examples of aerobic activities include brisk walking, swimming, bicycling, dancing, tai chi, yoga and heavy yard work.

Examples of balance activities include tai chi, backward walking, side stepping, heel and toe walking, and standing on 1 foot.

Start slow and increase gradually, adding activity in small doses, 10 minutes at a time and give your body enough time to adjust to the new level of activity before adding more activity.

Some activity is better than no activity - check with your personal physician to learn more about how much and what types of activity best match your abilities and health goals.