Posted on July 13, 2015 by Jenny Cromack

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis with 8.75 million people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis:

• 33% of people aged 45 years and over
• Women are more likely than men to have sought treatment.
• 49% of women and 42% of men of those aged 75 years and over.

 

Figure 1 – The estimated number of people in the UK who have sought treatment for osteoarthritis, by gender and age group (graph sourced from www.arthritisresearchuk.org)

Osteoarthritis effects individuals in different ways however although you may worry that exercising with osteoarthritis could harm your joints and cause more pain, however research shows that people can and are encouraged to exercise when they have osteoarthritis. Exercise is considered the most effective non-drug treatment for reducing pain and improving movement in patients with osteoarthritis.
What Exercise Works Best For Osteoarthritis?

Each of the following types of exercises plays a role in maintaining and improving the ability to move and function as well as keeping fit and healthy.
Aerobic/Endurance Exercise

This type of exercise strengthens the heart and makes the lungs more efficient, helps to fatigue and builds stamina. Aerobic exercise also helps control weight this will in turn help with osteoarthritis as carrying additional weight can cause additional strain and lead to increased pain. Aerobic exercises include walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or using a cross trainer.

Range of Motion/ Flexibility Exercises

Range of motion refers to the ability to move your joints through the full motion they were designed to achieve. These exercises include gentle stretching and movements that take joints through their full span. Doing these exercises regularly can help maintain and improve the flexibility in the joints. Yoga can be a great for people with arthritis and you can even attend specialist yoga classes.
Strengthening Exercises

These exercises help maintain and improve muscle strength. Strong muscles can support and protect joints that are affected by arthritis.

Research shows that the 2 main type of exercise that are particularly good for most people with osteoarthritis.
Walking as it is easy on the joints and it comes with a host of benefits such as improving circulation, lowers blood pressure and as an aerobic exercise, strengthens the heart.  It also lowers the risk of fractures (by stopping or slowing down the loss of bone mass) and tones muscles that support joints.

Aquatic exercises are particularly helpful for people just beginning to exercise as well as those who are overweight. Aquatic exercises do not involve swimming, it involves standing in a pool about shoulder-height water with the water relieves the pressure of your body’s weight on the affected joints such as knees an hips while providing resistance for your muscles to get stronger. Regular aquatic exercise can help relieve pain and improve daily function in people with hip and knee OA.
We hope this blog shows the benefits of exercise for osteoarthritis. Studies show that mild to moderate exercise is beneficial for people with arthritis. However, everyone’s circumstances are different, so having a discussion about exercise with your doctor is important. Together with your doctor and/or physical therapist you can design an exercise plan that is best for you.