Do you experience joint pain, stiffness after longer periods of immobility, or pain with getting out of bed in the morning? If you answered yes, you could be one of 27 million Americans experiencing symptoms of degenerative joint disease, more commonly known as arthritis.
People experiencing common symptoms of arthritis may often find themselves wondering “what now?” We have the answer for you! The best way to decrease pain with arthritis is to keep moving. Movement is medicine! Aerobic exercise, resistance training, and proper nutrition are three key elements to improve your mobility, function, and participation in the community.
Aerobic Exercise
Physical therapists recommend you begin with low impact aerobic training if you have arthritis. This includes walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, and tai chi activities. Not only will this help the mobility of your joints but it will stimulate blood flow, build strength, and improve your overall health. As you begin to exercise, you may have weight loss. One great result of weight loss for you is decreased stress on weight bearing joints in the legs!
Begin your exercise program with short sessions of 10 minutes of activity at a time. It is better to do short sessions of activity more frequently rather than one prolonged session of activity. Gradually increase your duration to exercise by 5 minutes weekly as tolerated.
Per the American College of Sports Medicine (ASCM) guidelines, it is recommended to exercise 3-4 days of the week to include 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Please take your time in building up to this 150 minutes per week recommendation.
It is not uncommon to have some discomfort after you exercise; however, this should subside within two hours. You may have to decrease your length or intensity of exercise if pain is increased following exercise.
Strength & Flexibility
It is recommended, per ACSM, to include light to moderate resistance training two days of the week. Strength training will improve the stability and endurance of a joint to reduce further damage. Light to moderate intensity strengthening in a pain free range of motion is best. This may be up to 15-20 repetitions for light intensity or 10-15 repetitions for moderate intensity strengthening.
Joint pain often leads to decreased use and increase in stiffness. Therefore, flexibility exercises are recommended daily for all major muscle groups. Always consult with a physical therapist for exercise prescription. Remember, if you have arthritis most times a general stretching program is not specific enough for your needs.
Nutrition
Weight management plays a critical role in mobility. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and plants provide antioxidants to reduce internal inflammation of arthritis. Diets rich in sugars, saturated fats, and sodium will contribute to increase in internal inflammation and possible swelling. Inflammation and swelling will unfortunately cause you pain.
Remember, movement is medicine! Joints are stimulated and lubricated through movement. The best treatment for arthritis is to promote exercise. Avoid prolonged periods of immobility. Take frequent walks throughout the day for short periods of time.
As always, please consult with your health care provider prior to initiating any new exercise routine and contact a physical therapist at iMove PT who will help set up a safe and effective individualized exercise plan to help you meet your goals! In addition, iMove PT therapists utilize gentle hands-on manual therapy techniques to further decrease your pain. We are here to help! Reach out today at (636)893-8312 to schedule your Move PT initial evaluation.
Stay Home Stay Strong!
Dr. Lauren Venhaus, PT, DPT, OCS
Sources: ACSM, CDC, Arthritis