Best Low-Impact Arthritis Exercises to Improve Pain and Stiffness: Nurse's Guide

Staying physically active when diagnosed with arthritis can help improve your quality of life! Arthritis pain can be less, your mood can be better, and your body's overall function will be easier when you do your daily tasks. 

"Joint-friendly" exercises for arthritis are low-impact, which means your body feels less stress overall, and the risk of injury is greatly reduced. Some "joint-friendly" activities include swimming (NO weight on your joints!), biking, and walking. The correct exercise can improve pain tolerance without hurting your joints!

What To Do Before And After Exercise

To protect your joints,

• Use heat before you exercise to relax joints and muscles. Warm heat is best. You could take a warm shower or use hot packs on the larger muscles you'll be using. Use heat for 20 minutes before you exercise.

• Use ice on your joints for 20 minutes after exercise to keep from getting or reducing any swelling. 

• Don't exercise too hard. Build up slowly. Add more demanding exercises as you get stronger.

The Safe Way to Exercise With Arthritis

Exercising the S-M-A-R-T way is best!  Let's discuss the "recipe" for tackling arthritis exercises safely and how to reap the benefits:

Start low and go slow

• Don't exercise too hard. Build up slowly. Add more demanding exercises as you get stronger.

Modify levels of Activity when or if your arthritic symptoms increase. 

• If you begin to feel more pain or are more tired and stiff, you may need to adjust the activity or the activity time to stay moving without worsening your symptoms.

Activities should be joint-friendly.

• Choose activities that do not put too much weight or "twist" on the joint. Water activities, dancing, walking, and biking are some of these.

Recognize where (safe places) and how (low impact) to be active. 

• Choose places where it is level and free from obstacles. Make sure it is well-lit if you exercise outside in the evening so you can be aware of holes or raised areas. Make sure you have places to rest, like benches. Exercise classes may be a better option, especially if you've been away from exercising for a while.

Talk with your doctor or therapist before starting an exercise routine.

• After reviewing your symptoms and history, professionals will know where you should start in your physical activity journey. 

What Types of Exercise Should I Do?

• Aerobic - Low-impact exercises that increase your heart rate can add health benefits to your workout.

• Muscle Strengthening – Lifting weights, doing yoga, and using resistance bands will help make the muscles surrounding the joints stronger. The bones that are attached to the joint need strong muscles for support.

• Flexibility (Range-of-Motion) – Stretching and yoga help to maintain the range of motion of your joints and improve the ease with which you can carry out your daily tasks. Flexing your joints lessens stiffness as well.

• Balance – For those at risk of falling or who have trouble walking, balance exercise is essential. Tai Chi, standing on one foot and even walking backward is helpful. 

Exercise groups are a great activity to get involved in as they are most likely coached by a professional, and the exercises are more enjoyable when done with others!

To measure how hard you are working, take the talk test:

• Moderate Activity – you can talk but not sing as you do the activity.

• Vigorous Activity -  you won't be able to speak more than a few words before you need to pause to breathe.

What If I Have Pain During or After Exercising?

It may take up to 8 weeks for your joints to get used to new activities. During this time, you may see some swelling, pain, and stiffness. Try to stick with the new activity, and you will see long-term results in arthritis relief. 

But…

• If the pain is too much, you may need to cut down on how long you exercise at once or do it less frequently. 

• If your joints seem too stiff, you may need to lessen the intensity of your workout. Try water activities instead of walking, for example. 

Notify your doctor: 

• If you have stabbing or sharp pain

• If you find that you are limping

• If you have swelling that does not improve with rest or by raising your swollen body part above your heart.

• If you have pain that gets worse at night or if you've rested for at least two hours and still have pain.

Key Points to Remember

• Exercising can improve pain, stiffness, and your overall quality of life.

• Stay S-M-A-R-T about exercising to improve your arthritis symptoms.

• Contact your doctor if you have any concerns about your exercise routine.

Be a Part of the Solution

There are ongoing research studies on the benefits of exercise with arthritis.

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