Even Moderate Exercise Reduces Disability from Arthritis

A study in Arthritis & Rheumatism (December 15, 2005), as reported by Yahoo News, suggests that even small amounts of exercise can reduce the disability associated with osteoarthritis ("the wear-and-tear form of arthritis in which the cartilage cushioning the joints breaks down over time, leading to pain, stiffness and, often, limited mobility").

The study featured 3,554 adults ages 53 to 63 who had osteoarthritis.

Study participants who got some exercise -- but less than 30 minutes per day of moderate activity or less than 20 minutes of vigorous exercise -- were still less likely than inactive arthritis sufferers to show functional decline over time.

However, that doesn't mean there's no benefit to getting more exercise, noted Feinglass, a research associate professor at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.

He told Reuters Health that he and his colleagues have found, in this same study group, that vigorous exercise lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes -- a major risk factor for such ills as heart attack and stroke -- while modest activity did not.

Still, even lower levels of exercise may be enough where arthritis disability is concerned. Other studies, Feinglass said, have found that walking may be a good form of exercise for people with the joint disease.

In their study, he and his colleagues divided participants up into three groups based on their reported leisure-time activities at the start of the study: an inactive group, an insufficiently active group, and a group that got the recommended level of exercise for adults - at least 30 minutes of moderate activity like walking or gardening on most days of the week, or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise like running or swimming.

Overall, adults in this latter group were 41 percent less likely to show functional decline over the next 2 years than their inactive peers were. The risk reduction was almost as great for those who exercised at a less-than-ideal level.

"Given the high prevalence of arthritis," Feinglass and his colleagues write, "even modest increases in rates of lifestyle physical activity among older adults could make a substantial contribution to disability-free life expectancy."

It is always a good idea, Feinglass noted, for sedentary people with arthritis to consult their doctor before taking up any activity.