Ease Arthritis: 5 Exercises for Pain Relief

• Exercise eases arthritis: Aquatic, cycling, aerobics, strength training all help.
• Tailor intensity: Low impact for severe, high for mild OA to reduce pain.
• VR and games aid; 8-11 weeks needed; personalize plan using FITT.

Arthritis can make daily life challenging, but exercise offers hope. This guide explores five proven exercises to alleviate pain and boost mobility. We will uncover the best strategies, from aquatic workouts to targeted strength training, helping you reclaim an active lifestyle.

Water Workouts

Swimming is a great exercise. Because of the water's buoyancy, the body weight's impact on the joints is lessened, making exercise easier. Once the joints start to open up and become flexible, one can then move to land exercises, as they are more effective in providing long-term pain control and improved activities. Patients with higher obesity are more suitable for aquatic exercise.

Static Cycling Benefit

Static cycling provides another low-impact exercise option. It helps regain joint flexibility and strength. It is important to emphasize improving the affected joints’ range of motion and flexibility for individuals with upper limb Osteoarthritis. Furthermore, for those with lower limb osteoarthritis, it is crucial to concentrate on enhancing muscle strength and body stability.

Floor Aerobics

Floor exercises, especially aerobic ones, are frequently used by Osteoarthritis patients. Low-intensity aerobic exercise had a better therapeutic effect in patients with severe Osteoarthritis, while high-intensity aerobic exercise had a better therapeutic effect in patients with mild Osteoarthritis. Continuous exercise for more than 12 weeks is generally recommended to relieve decreased muscle strength and muscle atrophy associated with Osteoarthritis.

Strength Training

Strength training is highly effective in boosting muscle strength. Neuromuscular training is the most effective training method to relieve Osteoarthritis pain. These methods can also improve the physical function of Osteoarthritis patients and have a significant impact on their psychological status. It is also suggested to formulate a unique exercise prescription for each patient with Osteoarthritis based on the FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type) principle i.e. Exercise frequency, Exercise intensity, Exercise time & Exercise type.

New Intervention Methods

New intervention methods such as virtual reality and sports games have been gradually used to improve people’s physical and psychological conditions. Pain relief can be obtained only after 8–11 weeks of exercise therapy. Therefore, we should formulate individualized exercise prescriptions according to the degree of lesion and needs of Osteoarthritis patients.