A Little Exercise Goes a Long Way

In the December 2005 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a team of scientists from Northwestern University reported findings suggesting that moderate exercise may help prevent disability from arthritis.

People with arthritis are often reluctant to exercise because they fear it will make their condition worse. But this new study shows that being active actually improves joint function. The team, lead by Joe Feinglass, PhD, studied more than 3,500 people in their 50's and 60's suffering from osteoarthritis - one of the major causes of functional decline in aging Americans. The research for this study began as early as 1994, when the team's participants were selected and asked to report what disabilities their arthritis had caused.

The study's findings suggest that even modest levels of exercise can help prevent disability from arthritis, or perhaps reverse it in some cases. Those who reported getting the recommended amount of physical activity, i.e. at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week, were least likely to become more disabled by arthritis. Even the participants who only got some exercise, i.e. 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 gradual decline.

Feinglass noted, however, that the study's findings do not prove that exercise prevented arthritis-related disabilities. Active people may have other healthy habits working in their favor, which could confound the results. He and his colleagues also found, in this same study group, that vigorous exercise lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes while modest activity did not.

Article References
Exercise Prevents Arthritis Disability, site accessed on 02/12/2006

Fight arthritis with a little exercise, site accessed on 02/12/06