Exercise to Relieve Arthritis Joint Stiffness

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Exercise to Relieve Arthritis Joint Stiffness
People with joint pain, stiffness, and other arthritis symptoms may try to avoid exercise. But working those joints is an excellent way to ease joint stiffness — as long as you're smart about it.

By Diana Rodriguez
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH Print Email Hitting the pavement for a run, strapping on a helmet for a bike ride, or lacing up sneakers for a long walk or hike may sound like activities only for healthy people — not for those who are struggling with arthritis. But, though it may seem like a stretch, people with arthritis can and should exercise to help manage arthritis pain.

The Benefits of Exercising With Arthritis

Sure, you may still need medication, supportive braces, and other modes of treatment for arthritis, but exercise is also integral to any arthritis treatment plan because of the many benefits it offers.

Exercise can improve your arthritis symptoms by:

Reducing joint stiffness and pain
Keeping joints and muscles flexible
Strengthening muscles surrounding the joint for better support — less pain and strain
Strengthening bones and cartilage in the joints
Improving energy levels and quality of sleep
Keeping you fit and healthy
Improving your emotional health, managing stress, and combating depression associated with arthritis
Losing extra pounds that can contribute to arthritis pain
The benefits of starting an exercise routine are both immediate and long-term. Regular exercise can help you to feel healthier overall, it can keep arthritis symptoms at bay, and it may even keep symptoms from coming back by resolving the inflammation and stiffness that cause them. Some of the biggest complaints among people with arthritis — joint pain, joint stiffness, and lack of energy — can be addressed with one simple arthritis treatment: exercise.

The Right Way to Exercise With Arthritis

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It's important to keep in mind that just because exercise can be beneficial to people with arthritis, it doesn't mean that every type of exercise is right for those with arthritis, or that any particular exercise is right all the time. You still have to pay attention to your body, and what your pain is telling you.

Exercise for people with arthritis can be broken into three basic types: resistance, cardiovascular, and range-of-motion exercises. Incorporating a variety of these types of exercises is the best way to improve joint health and reduce arthritis pain.

Resistance Exercises for Arthritis

Resistance exercises stretch and strengthen muscles with the help of resistance bands or light free weights. They can be done standing, lying on the floor, or sitting in a chair. Here are some good examples of resistance exercises that can help battle arthritis symptoms:

Lifting and straightening your leg from a seated position in a chair
Squats
Abdominal crunches
Hamstring stretches
Pushups
Cardiovascular Exercise and Arthritis

Cardiovascular exercises boost heart health and lung capacity, and make you work up a sweat. Good cardiovascular exercises for people with arthritis are:

Swimming
Walking
Biking
Dancing
Low-impact exercises that are easy on the joints
Range-of-Motion Exercises and Arthritis

Range-of-motion exercises improve the flexibility and movement of stiff joints. Recommended range-of-motion exercises to help people with arthritis include:

Yoga
Tai chi
Stretches (in or out of water)
Head tilts and turns
Hip rotations — try sitting in a chair and gently shifting your weight from side to side to loosen up hip joints
Finger massages and opening and closing of fingers
Shoulder and arm rotations — try holding your arms out and gently rotating them
Safety Issues and Exercise

When your arthritis is really acting up, it's not the time to force those flaring joints to work. Instead, stretch them out with only some light range-of-motion exercises, and skip the tougher stuff until you're feeling better.

Push yourself, but not to the point of pain. Pay attention to what your body is telling you — you want exercise to feel good and rewarding, not cause searing pain. If you're just starting out, remember to take your time. Slowly begin incorporating exercise into your day, and build up your level of exercise slowly.

Exercise can be a huge pain reliever for many people with arthritis. Just remember to take your time, and be cautious and selective about the types of exercise you do.

Last Updated: 09/30/2009
This section created and produced exclusively by the editorial staff of EverydayHealth.com. © 2010 EverydayHealth.com; all rights reserved.

Caperfae

Great information.

I have an arthritic ankle from a break in 1995. Some days it hurts, most days it doesn't. I've been working through it but take it easy on the flare up days. Losing weight definitely helps.

asltiffm

While I was growing up my mom had bad arthritis in her hip. She was very inactive as a result so I always figured that the best thing you can do for arthritis is to rest it but recently one of my dogs was diagnosed with arthritis. I was sad for her because she lives to run and I thought that was over for her. But the vet surprised me by telling me that the most important thing I can do for her is to continue to exercise her. Of course, we have to modify how she exercises now according to how she feels each day but now that she is back to running/walking she is so much happier and it is really helping to keep her pain free, or at least on most days. It's so great to see her walking and running like a normal dog again. It's definitely true that exercise helps arthritis. Too bad more people don't know about this! Thanks for posting to let people know.

potluck965

Arthritis is definitely a "move it or lose it" affliction. I have suffered with significant arthritis since I was in my early forties. Yeah, it hurts, no doubt about it. But I decided that I was not going to allow it to take over my life and I just continued farming and exercising and anything else I wanted to do.

I have seen people allow themselves to respond only to the pain and end up completely crippled. It is a matter of choice. Sure, you may not be able to do exactly what you want to do or with the intensity you desire, some concessions will probably have to be made. But don't let it stop you.

Your symptoms can actually improve with stretching and exercise as well as weight loss. Arthritis is a problem, for sure and a serious one, too. But don't use it as an excuse to quit on life and fitness.