Staying active is the best way to keep arthritis at bay. Exercise helps arthritis patients and older adults alike by decreasing joint pain and maintaining or improving mobility. However, keeping up with current exercise recommendations can be tough to accomplish, especially for older adults who have limited mobility or need to avoid high-impact activities. However, a new study in Arthritis Care & Research has found that with the right exercises, just 45 minutes of physical exercise per week helps arthritis sufferers minimize their symptoms.
The most common arthritis found amongst older adults is osteoarthritis (OA), where cartilage begins to break down due to the natural wear and tear that occurs as we age. The breakdown of cartilage then leads to pain, swelling, and decreased joint movement.
Before this study, the Physical Guidelines for Americans were recommending that adults aged 65 years and older should participate in moderate-intensity aerobic activities for at least 150 minutes a week.
Unfortunately, researchers also found that only 1 in 10 older adults with knee OA were meeting these recommendations, as many adults found the 150 minutes of weekly exercise difficult to maintain.
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| 2013 research reveals physical inactivity rates to be higher among arthritis patients. Source: cdc.gov |
With this statistic in mind, lead study author Dorothy Dunlop and her colleagues at the Feinberg School of Medicine set out to find a new workout regimen that was not only realistic for seniors but also effective in managing arthritis pain.
In their study, the researchers analyzed the data of over 1,600 adults aged 49 and older with OA who were participating in Osteoarthritis Initiative, a nationwide study that aimed to find adequate prevention and treatment strategies for patients with OA.
Researchers monitored participants’ progression over the course of two years and found that participants who engaged in just 45 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week were 80 percent more likely to maintain or improve their physical functioning compared to those who did less.
As long as participants were involved in activities such as brisk walking or water aerobics for at least 10 minutes at a time and accumulated a total of 45 minutes of exercise for the week, managing arthritis became easier as overall pain levels decreased.
With these findings, researchers hope to encourage older patients to remain active by giving them realistic goals and recommendations. Paired with the right arthritis medication, these new guidelines for arthritis and exercise have the possibility to keep older patients active and pain-free.
