Arthritis and Exercise, Part 1 Overview of Rheumatic Disease

Why you Should Exercise if you have Arthritis
by Susan Ingraham, BCRPA-certified fitness instructor for older adults

Most adults have one or two chronic health conditions by the time they reach 60, but many people manage their disease(s) and live normal and productive lives. Physical disuse and disability in people with chronic disease is, however, a major contributor to premature aging. Dr. Waneen Spirduso in her book, Physical Dimensions of Aging, identifies the three things which contribute to the aging process:

• Dimension #1: Time. This is the normal aging process, which eventually drains energy and vitality.

• Dimension #2: Disease. Genetic predispositions to diseases, or exposure to external agents, will damage one or more bodily systems and lead to weakness, fatigue, and frailty.

• Dimension #3: Disuse. Sitting for long periods of time, extended bed rest, or general inactivity dramatically accelerates aging. “A lifetime of physical disuse can have catastrophic effects on strength, cardiovascular function, mobility, and physical as well as mental function.”

We obviously have little control over the first two dimensions: time and disease. But the third one, disuse, is completely within our control. Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are among the most common chronic diseases, and they often lead to disuse. What is arthritis? There are two common types:

Osteoarthritis (OA) — the most common form of arthritis which worsens over time — is a progressive joint disease. There is a gradual loss of cartilage from the joints and, for some, joint inflammation. The most common symptoms are pain, stiffness and loss of joint motion. It most often affects the hands, knees, hips, and spine.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease; the immune system turns against the body, attacking the joints. The lining surfaces of the joints become inflamed; it can also affect the surface surrounding the heart and the lungs. It tends to occur on both sides of the body, usually involving multiple joints of the hands and feet, although any joint can be involved.

There are other types of rheumatic disease but they are not as common as OA and RA. These include: spondyloarthropathy, Reiter’s syndrome, gout, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile arthritis, systemic lupus, scleroderma, and fibromyalgia.

The next section will discuss how to manage arthritis.

Source: Exercise and Arthritis by Stephanie Harris, MD, and Gwen Hyatt, MS