Does exercise help arthritis?

Regular exercise is good for your overall health, but did you know it can prevent and treat joint pain from arthritis? Exercise helps relieve arthritis symptoms like pain, stiffness, and fatigue. Knowing how much activity you need and when to stop if you have pain is crucial to staying safe and protecting your joints.

To make exercising with arthritis easier, Doctor Hoy’s® natural arthritis pain reliever gel eases joint discomfort and muscle soreness before and after a workout. Keep reading to learn how you can be more active and improve your joint health.

Physical Activity & Arthritis

According to the Arthritis Foundation, just one to two hours of moderate physical activity a week can help keep arthritis from getting worse and improve joint function.

One in every five adults has arthritis symptoms that make it difficult to move. Factors like excess weight and a lack of physical activity put stress on the joints in your body, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis of the knees and hips. For rheumatoid arthritis, exercise is considered an important part of treating chronic pain.

Exercise is one of the best forms of natural joint pain relief for rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. By releasing endorphins, improving blood flow, and strengthening supporting muscles, exercise helps increase range of motion and ease pain.

Benefits of Working Out with Arthritis

The Arthritis Foundation says that exercise is the most effective, non-drug treatment for reducing pain and improving movement for people with osteoarthritis. Activities that put your joints through their full range of motion help keep them flexible and mobile. Regular exercise may even help you lose weight, which puts less stress on your joints.

Working out is good for arthritis because it helps:

• Strengthen the muscles around weak joints.
• Maintain bone strength.
• Fight fatigue.
• Boost mood and reduce stress.
• Enhance sleep quality.
• Manage weight.
• Improve balance and posture.
• Prevent other conditions like type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.

What to do if you have joint pain during or after working out?

When starting an exercise routine, it may take several weeks for your joints to get used to the activity. Mild to moderate pain, stiffness or swelling is normal. For fast-acting, long-lasting relief from joint pain after working out, use Doctor Hoy’s arthritis pain relief cream or gel.

Our natural pain gel for arthritis is an FDA-approved topical pain reliever that uses natural ingredients for effective relief from joint pain, muscle aches, and soreness. The cool-to-warm sensation of menthol and camphor warms and prepares muscles before activity while aiding in recovery.

Use Doctor Hoy’s pain relief gel to make exercising with arthritis easier and relieve pain that makes it hard to move. With a lightweight, non-greasy, and toxin-free formula, Doctor Hoy’s provides natural joint pain relief in a roll-on gel for easy opening if you have arthritis in your hands and a squeezable tube for large muscle areas.

Is it OK to exercise with joint pain?

Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you should start exercising and what types of activities are recommended. Your doctor can help you determine how much exercise you need.

Mild to moderate pain, swelling and muscle soreness is normal, but you should not workout if you experience sharp or sudden joint pain. If you have rheumatoid arthritis and experience a flare up, keeping your body moving may help relieve discomfort.

See the following guidelines to help you determine when to work out through the pain:

• Mild to Moderate Pain: Your joints and muscles should start to feel better after a few minutes of exercise. The movement will improve circulation and lubricate the joints, which should minimize discomfort.
• Moderate to Severe Pain: If you feel sharp pain during your work out, stop immediately and rest. You may need to take a day or two off and avoid any joint-focused activities as severe pain could be a sign of inflammation.
• Joint Specific Pain: Avoid putting pressure on particularly sore joints. If you have knee pain, for example, either decrease the intensity of your exercise or work your shoulders instead.
• Joint Pain After Working Out: Consistent or occasional pain post exercise could mean you’re overdoing it. Decrease the intensity or duration of your routine and try lower impact exercises like cycling, swimming, or yoga.

Tips for Exercising with Arthritis

Start slow and take your time getting into a new exercise routine. This will help you avoid overdoing it, which could cause pain. Doctor Hoy’s topical arthritis pain relief gel helps ease joint and muscle pain so you can keep exercising. Other tips for managing arthritis with exercise and getting the most out of your workout include:

• Go at a comfortable pace. You should be able to talk or hold a conversation while exercising.
• Warm up your muscles and joints with gentle range of motion exercises like arm swings for 5 to 10 minutes before exercising.
• Start with low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, and using the stationary bike or elliptical to minimize stress on joints.
• Wear comfortable shoes that fit well and have good arch support.
• Take a break if you start to feel pain or notice any swelling, aches, or redness.
• Move throughout the day with activities that count as exercise like yardwork, walking the dog, or doing yoga.
• Reduce inflammation and heal sore muscles with Doctor Hoy’s arnica cream for soothing, natural relief.
• Use a heating pad, shower, or warming topical to relax the joints and muscles 20 minutes before exercising.
• Ice your joints with an ice pack or cooling pain relief gel after working out to reduce swelling.
• Check with your doctor before you start working out so they can help you develop a proper training plan.

Stay Active & Relieve Joint Pain with Doctor Hoy’s

Exercise is an important part of treating arthritis. Doctor Hoy’s natural joint pain relief topicals help reduce symptoms like achy joints and sore muscles that make it hard to move so you can be more active with less pain.

Doctor Hoy’s® does not diagnose or prescribe treatment for medical conditions. Talk to your healthcare provider about what treatment methods are right for you and call your doctor about any new or worsening joint pain.

References:

Benefits of Exercise for Osteoarthritis. (2020). Arthritis Foundation.

Exercise helps ease arthritis pain and stiffness . (2023, September 21) Mayo Clinic.

Exercise: Rx for overcoming osteoarthritis. (2019, June 24) Harvard Health Publishing.

Jordan, C. (2017, April 17). No Pain, No Gain – Working Out with Joint Pain. Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan.

Pagán, C. (n.d.) Working Out Through Pain. Arthritis Foundation.

What Do I Do if I Have Pain During or After Exercise?. (2021, November 15) CDC.