Exercising with arthritis
Arthritis is the most common form of disability in Canada, and according to the Arthritis Society, it affects nearly 4.5 million Canadians.
If you have arthritis, the last thing you may wish to do is exercise. But it's more important than ever to stay active.
Regular exercise can help decrease pain and increase the range of motion of your joints. It strengthens cartilage, ligaments and bone, and helps keep joints healthy. It also helps to maintain a healthy body weight (especially important for managing arthritis), and good heart health.
Try to perform moderate activity at least 30 minutes most days of the week, or light exercise 60 minutes on most days. Be sure to include the three different types of exercises recommended by Canada's Physical Activity Guide: flexibility, strength and endurance.
Flexibility exercise
Stretches and movements that increase range of motion are flexibility exercises. Think yoga, Tai Chi, stretching or gardening. Do these exercises every day.
- You may wish to do them sitting or lying down.
- Perform stretches when your muscles are warm; for example, after walking, fitness class or gardening.
- You can do range-of-motion exercises even if your joints are painful. Extend each movement to the full range you can tolerate, but not beyond.
Strength exercise
This category includes any exercises that use weights or resistance bands, as well as everyday activities like carrying groceries, climbing stairs or heavy yard work. By increasing muscle tone, these activities help provide support and stability to the nearby joint.
- Do strength exercises two to four times a week, with a day off in between to rest.
- Start with weights or resistance bands light enough to let you do 10 to 15 repetitions of each move.
- Take a break between sets.
Endurance exercise
Activities like walking, swimming, golfing and cycling improve the health of your heart, lungs and circulatory system and help increase stamina.
- Try to do endurance exercises at least four days a week for 30 minutes — and up to seven days if you can.
- Aim for a moderate intensity level. This means you feel warm and sweat a little, but you can talk comfortably. If you can't carry on a conversation, slow down!
- Avoid exercises that are hard on joints and the spine. This includes activities with jumping, rapid twisting and sudden stops, such as tennis or squash, jogging, plyometrics and high-impact aerobic classes.
Getting started
There are a few special precautions that you should take when you have arthritis:
- It's especially important to warm up and cool down.
- Take rest breaks during the day as you increase your activity level.
- When joints are inflamed (hot, painful and swollen), avoid exercising, but do continue to do gentle and continuous movement.
- Always check with your health care provider before embarking on a new exercise plan.
It's also a good idea to consult with a physiotherapist, especially if you have severe arthritis. A physiotherapist can design a program specifically suited to the nature and type of your arthritis and your current fitness level, and will make sure you're doing the movements correctly.