Living and Exercising With Arthritis

The CDC reports that 58.5 million people, or nearly a quarter of all American adults, have arthritis. People with arthritis often experience pain, stiffness and swelling in the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons. If you repeatedly have these symptoms, your primary care doctor will consider your medical history and perform a physical exam. Laboratory tests and imaging studies can confirm an arthritis diagnosis.

The first step in arthritis management is balancing exercise and rest. While activity benefits your overall health and reduces arthritis symptoms, too much exercise and high-impact activities can worsen your condition.

Before starting an exercise regimen, consult your primary care doctor or rheumatologist, a doctor specializing in arthritis and rheumatic conditions, to ensure optimal benefits. A routine that incorporates aerobics and endurance, range-of-motion and strength exercises reduces arthritis symptoms, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. In addition, exercise strengthens muscles around the joints, maintains bone strength, amps up your energy and improves balance.

While a diet can't cure arthritis, balanced nutrition is equally important as exercise. Eating more fruits and vegetables while reducing fatty foods can help you maintain a healthy weight, increase your energy and reduce inflammation. Whole grains, beans, green tea, avocados and fish with Omega-3 fatty acids are also good choices.

Even if you commit to a structured diet and exercise plan, you may need other interventions to reduce your arthritis symptoms. Your doctor might recommend medications to relieve pain and inflammation. Heat and cold therapies, medical devices, splints and braces, hydrotherapy and mobilization, and even surgery, may help manage your symptoms.

The American College of Rheumatology suggests various types of exercise to reduce arthritis-related symptoms and improve your overall health.

• Flexibility exercises increase the range of motion in affected joints, improving function and posture and reducing your risk of injury. Perform flexibility routines three days a week and hold each stretch for 30 seconds.
• Strengthening exercises can ease the stress on arthritis-affected joints by fortifying surrounding muscles. Discuss your exercise plan with your doctor before lifting weights so you know which practices to perform at what frequency. Start slowly — overworking your muscles will be counterproductive.
• Aerobic exercises, such as dance, aquatics, bicycling and walking, help you better manage your weight and maximize cardiovascular efficiency. If you aren't in great shape, up the intensity of routine tasks, such as raking leaves or walking your dogs.

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