 exercise yes or no  yes studies have shown that exercise helps people with arthritis in many ways exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility muscle strength cardiac fitness and endurance it also helps with weight reduction and contributes to an improved sense of well being how does exercise fit into a treatment plan for people with arthritis exercise is one part of a comprehensive arthritis treatment plan treatment plans also may include rest and relaxation proper diet medication and instruction about proper use of joints and ways to conserve energy that is not waste motion as well as the use of pain relief methods what types of exercise are most suitable for someone with arthritis three types of exercise are best for people with arthritis rangeofmotion exercises eg dance help maintain normal joint movement and relieve stiffness this type of exercise helps maintain or increase flexibility strengthening exercises eg weight training help keep or increase muscle strength strong muscles help support and protect joints affected by arthritis aerobic or endurance exercises eg bicycle riding improve cardiovascular fitness help control weight and improve overall function weight control can be important to people who have arthritis because extra weight puts extra pressure on many joints some studies show that aerobic exercise can reduce inflammation in some joints most health clubs and community centers offer exercise programs for people with physical limitations how does a person with arthritis start an exercise program people with arthritis should discuss exercise options with their doctors and other health care providers most doctors recommend exercise for their patients many people with arthritis begin with easy rangeofmotion exercises and lowimpact aerobics people with arthritis can participate in a variety of but not all sports and exercise programs the doctor will know which if any sports are offlimits the doctor may have suggestions about how to get started or may refer the patient to a physical therapist it is best to find a physical therapist that has experience working with people who have arthritis the therapist will design an appropriate home exercise program and teach clients about painrelief methods proper body mechanics placement of the body for a given task such as lifting a heavy box joint protection and conserving energy how often should people with arthritis exercise rangeofmotion exercises can be done daily and should be done at least every other day strengthening exercises should be done every other day unless you have severe pain or swelling in your joints endurance exercises should be done for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week unless you have severe pain or swelling in your joints according to the american college of rheumatology 20 to 30minute exercise routines can be performed in increments of 10 minutes over the course of a day what type of strengthening program is best this varies depending on personal preference the type of arthritis involved and how active the inflammation is strengthening one s muscles can help take the burden off painful joints strength training can be done with small free weights exercise machines isometrics elastic bands and resistive water exercises correct positioning is critical because if done incorrectly strengthening exercises can cause muscle tears more pain and more joint swelling are there different exercises for people with different types of arthritis there are many types of arthritis experienced doctors physical therapists and occupational therapists can recommend exercises that are particularly helpful for a specific type of arthritis doctors and therapists also know specific exercises for particularly painful joints there may be exercises that are offlimits for people with a particular type of arthritis or when joints are swollen and inflamed people with arthritis should discuss their exercise plans with a doctor doctors who treat people with arthritis include rheumatologists orthopedic surgeons general practitioners family doctors internists and rehabilitation specialists physiatrists how much exercise is too much most experts agree that if exercise causes pain that lasts for more than 1 hour it is too strenuous people with arthritis should work with their physical therapist or doctor to adjust their exercise program when they notice any of the following signs of strenuous exercise unusual or persistent fatigue increased weakness decreased range of motion increased joint swelling continuing pain pain that lasts more than 1 hour after exercising are researchers studying arthritis and exercise researchers are looking at the effects of exercise and sports on the development of musculoskeletal disabilities including arthritis they have found that people who do moderate regular running have low if any risk of developing osteoarthritis however studies show that people who participate in sports with highintensity direct joint impact are at risk for the disease examples are football and soccer sports involving repeated joint impact and twisting such as baseball and soccer also increase osteoarthritis risk early diagnosis and effective treatment of sports injuries and complete rehabilitation should decrease the risk of osteoarthritis from these injuries researchers also are looking at the effects of muscle strength on the development of osteoarthritis studies show for example that strengthening the quadriceps muscles can reduce knee pain and disability associated with osteoarthritis one study shows that a relatively small increase in strength 2025 percent can lead to a 2030 percent decrease in the chance of developing knee osteoarthritis other researchers continue to look for and find benefits from exercise to patients with rheumatoid arthritis spondyloarthropathies systemic lupus erythematosus and fibromyalgia they are also studying the benefits of short and longterm exercise in older populations  getting 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