Many American arthritis sufferers aren't getting any exercise despite its benefits for reducing pain and improving their quality of life, new research shows. The benefits of exercising can be increasingly helpful to Black people with arthritis, who are more likely to experience joint pain and work limitations, according to the CDC.
Sixty-seven percent of U.S. adults with arthritis engaged in physical activity in the past month, most often walking, according to a new data analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings were drawn from national health surveys from 2016 through 2018.
"With 33% of U.S. adults with arthritis who are not physically active, there is still room for public health action," lead researcher Dana Guglielmo of the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says.
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And that action starts with frank talk between arthritis patients and their health care providers, according to Guglielmo.
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What to ask your doctor
Guglielmo suggested patients ask their doctors about arthritis-friendly physical activities and self-management programs to help ease symptoms such as joint pain.
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"Providers should check in with patients about their physical activity levels and talk to them about physical activity and arthritis self-management programs," she adds.
Arthritis is the most often reported cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
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What are the consequences of not exercising?
Dr. Jeffrey Schildhorn, an orthopedic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, says that everyone with arthritis pain should be encouraged to be active.
"People with arthritis ask me what can I do, and I tell them … you want to move your body," he shares. "When people stop moving their bodies, they get stiffer, they start quitting, they get fat."
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The best way to prevent these consequences is to be active, according to Schildhorn. Even people who suffer the most pain can benefit from walking. Being physically active helps keep joints lubricated, he explains.
"Most people with arthritis wake up stiff, and sometimes they wake up in more pain, and as they get going, joints tend to lubricate, they get
more mobile and the pain is less," he notes. "So, walking or anything that gets your body moving actually helps."
Schildhorn emphasized that he's not talking about deep squats, but about keeping the body going. Plus, getting outside, getting sunshine and socializing can keep people healthy.
Being inactive can become its own self-defeating loop, Schildhorn say: If you aren't active, you feel worse, and feeling worse makes it less likely that you'll exercise.
"People stop working out, they get stiffer because they spend so much time sitting on a chair with a pillow behind them because it feels better. To me, that is the opposite of health," he shares.
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Which exercises are best if you have arthritis?
U.S. National Health Interview Survey data shows that 71% of respondents got their exercise through walking, 13% from gardening and 7% by lifting weights.
Guglielmo urges anyone with arthritis to walk.
"Walking is an ideal physical activity for adults living with arthritis because it is low-cost, convenient and adaptable to various settings," she says.
To get the most benefit, however, adults with arthritis should engage in an activity that combines aerobic, muscle-strengthening and balance exercises, according to Guglielmo.
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"Any activity is better than none," she adds. "Evidence-based physical activity programs can support adults with arthritis in getting and staying active by helping them overcome common barriers to physical activity. These programs can even improve their mental and physical health and quality of life."
Being active can extend the time before a knee or hip replacement is needed.
"What people don't understand is just how valuable physical activity is," Schildhorn shares. "It's good for your immune system, it's good for your attitude, it won't wear out the joints faster, and you can cope with the symptoms longer."
However, if you reach a point where you can't walk as far as you once could because of the pain, you should consult with your doctor. It may be time for surgery.
