This article is copied from Senior Journal, www.seniorjournal.com
Fitness & Exercise for Senior Citizens … Study says it is possible to manage arthritis pain by moving more
April 10, 2008 – It does not seem to make common sense – to exercise when suffering with joint pain – but a recent study in Arthritis Care and Research concludes that regular exercise is an effective way to “significantly” improve and manage arthritis pain. The study specifically measured results of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program.
This is good news for the aging population of U.S. baby boomers who want a natural remedy for pain, according to the foundation. Arthritis is projected to increase by 40%, affecting 67 million Americans, in the next two decades.
The in-depth study looked at the effectiveness of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, developed in 1987 to reduce pain and stiffness by keeping joints flexible and muscles strong.
Key findings of the study include participants reporting a decrease in pain and fatigue, an increase in upper and lower extremity function, and an increase in strength after participating in the basic, eight-week exercise program.
Also, participants who continued the exercise program independently, beyond eight weeks, sustained improvement in reduced stiffness.
“The study showed that the exercise program is suitable for every fitness level, even inactive older individuals,” said author of the study Leigh Callahan, Ph.D., Thurston Arthritis Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Many people believe the myth that exercise exacerbates their symptoms. The truth revealed in the study is that symptoms improved with exercise.”
Exercising for joint health is different than exercising for cardio health. People living with arthritis don’t have to sweat to achieve success. The basic eight-week Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program consists of low-impact routines with gentle range-of-motion movements that can be done while sitting or standing.
“Even minor lifestyle changes like taking a 10-minute walk three times a day can reduce the impact of arthritis on a person’s daily activities and help to prevent developing more painful arthritis,” explains Patience White, M.D., chief public health officer of the Arthritis Foundation. “Physical activity can actually reduce pain naturally and decrease dependence on pain medications.”
You may need to increase intensity
The program, as designed, however, is not a magic bullet, according to the author’s of the 2007 study.
“Our findings indicate that the basic 8-week PACE program is a safe program for sedentary older individuals with arthritis to start exercising without exacerbating their symptoms,” they write. “In fact, we actually found that symptoms improved in these persons.”
As offered two times per week, the program “modestly improves symptoms and strength but does not improve function, increase exercise endurance, or increase physical activity.”
They didn’t find as much improvement as they wanted and suggested that for “more substantial benefits” frequency and intensity may need to be increased.”
“As with any exercise program, it appears that individuals need to stay with the program to maintain their benefits over time.”
About the study
The objective of the study was to evaluate the basic eight-week Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program for improvements in symptoms, functioning, level of physical activity and psychosocial outcomes. A total of 346 individuals with self-reported arthritis from 18 sites participated in a randomized controlled trial.
The eight-week exercise program consisted of exercise twice weekly for one hour. The study participants had a mean age of 70 years (ranging from 32 to 94 years old), 90 percent were female, 75 percent were white and 60 percent had more than a high school degree.
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