Osteoarthritis and exercise: What you need to know

By age 65, more than half the U.S. population has X-ray evidence of oasteoarthritis (OA) in at least one joint, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Yikes. Now that I’m 55, that doesn’t sound that far away.

What’s scary is that OA is one of the most frequent causes of disability among older adults.

OA has no known cure. And if OA progresses, it can render you immobile.

But exercise can help

Even if you already have OA, the right sort of exercise can help to:

• reduce joint stiffness
• strengthen muscles around joints, which helps take some pressure off of joints
• manage your weight (extra pounds increase the pressure on weight-bearing hips and knees)

And if you have a genetic joint defect or a joint that was previously injured, carrying unwanted weight can contribute to your risk of developing OA.

What kind of exercise can you do?

That really depends on the joints that are affected and how severe your symptoms are.

You might need (or want) to make some changes to both your weight-training and stretching regimens. I have. 

I haven’t been diagnosed with OA. But I do feel soreness and stiffness in my hips and low back, especially after waking.

So when I do the leg press, for example, I’m careful not to bring my thighs down too far (close to my chest). Since I use a bit of weight on the machine, I limit the range of motion to keep some pressure off those vulnerable joints. My knees don’t go beyond a 90-degree angle.  

With stretching, I’m a little less vigorous with my low-back and hip stretches than I used to be. I still stretch, but a bit more gently–not like I’m trying to win a contest.

Now if you have arthritis in your hands, holding free weights (DBs and BBs) can be a problem, if not impossible.

Luckily, there are  functional machines in many gyms now that can make upper body exercises more doable for individuals with hand arthritis.

Naturally, get your doctor’s advice if you have OA. You can also work with a physical therapist (PT), who can show you ways to adapt exercises to your abilities.  A PT can also show you exercises that will improve your body’s alignment and balance your joints, which can protect cartilage from slipping out of position.

Some personal trainers take classes and seminars to learn how to work with individuals with OA. Find out if any of your gym’s trainers have this training. If so, they should be able to show you ways to adapt exercises so you can work your muscles without exacerbating OA pain. 

So, don’t discount exercise if you have OA. Just work out wisely, and within your limits of safety.   

And if you don’t have OA, make sure you use proper form in the gym.

There are lots of guys out there who will point to their muscles if you were to critique their form. As if to say, “Argue with this.” That’s short-sighted.

Years of performing exercises improperly will put extra pressure on joints in a potentially damaging way. If you have any other risk factors for OA, the combination can increase your risk for the disease down the road.