 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
SUNDAY, July 29 (HealthScoutNews) -- If you are suffering from arthritis, the last thing you often feel like doing is exercising. But, experts say, that's exactly what could help to ease the pain.
Not only is regular exercise the best way to prevent pain from occurring in arthritic joints in the first place, those who exercise regularly also recover faster from existing arthritic pain, says Dr. Nayan Patel, a physiatrist with the Texas Back Institute.
"I see that people will tend to decrease their exercise due to the arthritis pain and that really starts a vicious circle, because not only can it [cause further joint problems], but general deconditioning leads to increased fatigue in even normal day-to-day activity. And you kind of get into a downward spiral," Patel says.
Text Continues Below
"Meanwhile, we've seen that you can actually recover quicker from arthritic pain when you exercise regularly," he adds. "And I always tell patients that even though we may not have any hard evidence that exercise can prevent arthritis onset, it can help you recover quicker and maintain function a lot longer than someone who is weaker."
According to the Arthritis Foundation, almost 43 million Americans -- or one in six people -- suffer from arthritis. It's also the leading cause of disability among Americans, costing as much as $65 billion each year.
Dr. Charles Weiss, clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, says exercise triggers a process that indeed protects and helps repair joints damaged by arthritis.
"The surfaces of joints are covered with a material called articular cartilage, and the destruction of this cartilage is one of the hallmarks of virtually all types of arthritis," he says. "That surface is responsible for allowing joints to glide smoothly and painlessly, and when it breaks down, it initiates a lot of the pain and inflammation in arthritis."
Page: 1 | 2 | Next >>
|
.gif)
