Osteoarthritis: Exercising with arthritis
What exercises are helpful for a person with osteoarthritis?
Exercises that will help a person with osteoarthritis include:
- Aerobic exercise that builds cardiovascular endurance, such as walking, biking, or swimming.
- Strength exercise, such as lifting weights.
- Range-of-motion (flexibility) exercise, such as stretching or joint-specific exercises.
Exercises to avoid
If you have osteoarthritis in your hands, try to avoid exercises or sports that require a tight grip, such as bicycling. If you have osteoarthritis in your knees, try to avoid exercises that stress the knees, such as tennis.
Also, try to avoid overexercising. Joint pain that lasts longer than 2 hours after exercise may be a sign of overexercising.1 Studies show that exercising harder does not necessarily lead to further improvement in osteoarthritis pain or your ability to do your daily activities, so exercise within your tolerance. If an activity makes you feel sore, try something different. You can also change how you do the activity by trying any of the following:
- Rest between repetitions or between activities.
- Decrease your speed.
- If you're walking or swimming, go a shorter distance. You may be able to take two or three short walks in a day rather than one long walk.
- Spend a shorter time exercising, then rest and do a little more later.
- Lift less weight.
Test Your Knowledge
A person with osteoarthritis should try an exercise program that includes aerobic, strength, and range-of-motion exercises.
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Why is it important to exercise when I have osteoarthritis?
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| Author: | Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH | Last Updated: April 17, 2009 |
| Medical Review: |
Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Richa Dhawan, MD - Rheumatology |
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