Hello friends, I’m bopping in this week with another exercise guide. I’ve said before in this series that the traditional methods and exercises trainers employ for weight loss are usually modified for different circumstances. But those tweaks don’t often take into account all the unique challenges of a given condition. This time, I’m talking about a situation where this is especially true: arthritis.

Arthritis is a catch all term that defines any condition that causes joint inflammation. The inflammation can be due to age and overuse (osteoarthritis) that happens due to the natural breakdown the body might undergo after a certain point. The inflammation can be due to an immune response (rheumatoid arthritis) where the body actually attacks its own joints. And sometimes old infections or injuries can cause the inflammation.

Regardless of the underlying cause, the fact of the matter is that arthritis hurts. And can cause a lot of mobility issues. This has direct implications on and for movement. When joints are swollen, they are painful. They don’t move as freely or with as large a range of motion. In some cases, it’s critical to know that the inflammation is happening because the internal shock absorption system (i.e. cartilage) of a joint is breaking down.

On the other hand, exercise is one of the best methods to both prevent and improve symptoms. The type of exercise is the key. Anything low impact is the name of the game with arthritis. You want to avoid anything that involves sprinting, jumping, plyometrics, or the need to move joints through a range of motion very quickly.

This has implications for both cardiovascular and strength training. Cardiovascular exercise usually involves repetitive motions, which is already stress on the joints. It is these repetitive motions, though, that allow the joints to regain some of their mobility and flexibility. So we want to avoid anything unnecessary and ideally give the body some extra support if we can.

Walking is amazing if the individual can tolerate it. It is easy enough to allow each individual to control their own speed especially if walking on flatter and more even surfaces. As a trainer, it would not be remiss to address sneakers and proper footwear in these cases.

Cycling (especially recumbent) and swimming or other water activities are usually very well tolerated as these all allow for extra support during exercise. Cycling allows the lower body to move freely while the seat supports the body weight. This is especially key for individuals dealing with knee and hip pain. Water allows buoyancy to support the body. Movement is easier in water. And if the water is slightly warm, it can help ease some of the discomfort.

From a strength training point of view, we still want to be cognizant of high impact stress on the joints. Obviously this is not the client to go crazy with HIIT training or plyometrics. As a trainer, I will note that arthritis clients can be very wary of strength training. Because the exercises usually concentrate on one or two joints per exercise, the stress can end up concentrated and very painful. But strength work is critical.

Strengthening the muscles allows the joints to be more thoroughly supported, which results in less inflammation and pain in the long run. Additionally, strength work will challenge range of motion and mobility which will lead to less loss of function long term. The other humongous benefit of strength training is improved balance and stability. And as arthritis suffers are at much bigger risk for falls, improving stability has big implications for longevity.

Arthritis suffers should be prepared to work through some discomfort during exercise, but any large increases in pain levels or detriments to motion should be used as a cue to take a step back. Any low impact cardiovascular exercise that is well tolerated can be done, starting low and slow and gradually working up in duration.

Strength training should include any equipment that is tolerated well, although barbells may cause too much stress (physically and mentally). Additionally, body position and where pressure falls should be accounted for (i.e. push ups may put too much stress on wrists). Strength training should also include gentle stretching to aid in range of motion. These exercises can be done as part of a warm up or cool down, but ideally both.

Any exercises that focus on balance and dynamic stability should also be included. This can be as straightforward as short bouts of walking or as complex as tai chi or yoga as ability permits. Exercisers and trainers should keep in mind individual risk for falling and choose appropriate exercises and support (i.e. standing vs seated). Exercise should also be done for shorter bouts but more frequently, which will naturally allow for improvements in movement.

If you’ve got questions, leave them in the comments! Until next time, move well friends!

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