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Readers Respond: Favorite Exercises When You Have Arthritis
Responses: 8

By Jonathan Cluett, M.D., About.com

Updated April 12, 2009

User responses are not monitored by About.com's Medical Review Board.

People with arthritis know it is important to exercise. We know that maintaining joint motion, increasing muscle strength, and lowering body weight can all help to relieve arthritis pain. But how do you exercise when you have arthritis joint pain?

Have you found a way to exercise despite your arthritis? Share your ideas with others on what activities you can do without aggravating your joint pain. Activities Without Pain

Water Exercise Has Allowed Me More

I would try to walk and it would hurt so bad. As a matter of fact, the way I found out I had arthritis is from walking to much and waking up in the morning stiff and in pain. Now I get in the pool and play. I sometime swim, sometimes I run, jump or just move around. Now I can walk on the treadmill very slow, but for an hour. I am losing weight too. I hope this helps.
—KarenAwoleye

In the Pool

Water exercises in a warm (97 degrees) pool, four days a week!!!
—Guest Joan Cole

Low Impact Exercise

I have been using a Trikke, actually four different models, for almost six years. I find that the all around conditioning this device offers has helped me not only physically but emotionally. I'm a 71 year old cancer survivor.
—Guest Ivan Schiller

Water Exercises

I've had both hips replaced and am looking at knee replacements now. I also have spinal stenosis. I enjoy water exercise and usually walk sideways, run, swim short distance, float, then start over again. I'm getting bored with the same exercises and would appreciate more!
—suncatcher378

Exercises in Bed

I find it easiest to lie in bed and flex the muscles of both my lower and upper body.
—Guest Alex

Swimming With My Dog

Both my 8.5 year old lab mix, Luke, and I (57) have severe arthritis of the knee. Both of us have had both knees repaired, so we swim together several times a week. My orthopedist noted a much greater range of motion than when I first saw him several months ago. That together with the glucosomine/condroitin/msm supplements I'm taking, swimming has allowed me to postpone knee surgery scheduled for next week.
—Guest roger Duvernoy

Running With More Crosstraining

I have mild arthritis in my knee and shoulder. I used to run 15 to 20 miles per week and I have completed three marathons. Now, I cannot run as far or as fast but I can still run 8 or 9 miles per week with minimal pain, which eases with icing after a run. I also run much slower and cannot run competitively. I cross train on a bicycle, spin classes, weight training, and do yoga and pilates. The exercise controls my weight, blood pressure, and other vitals.
—Guest Roger Hoskin

No More Walking...

I have arthritis in my left hip and had a hip replacement already in the right hip. I find walking to aggravate it. The elliptical is great--I go forward and backward and different resistances a few times a day. I use a stability ball to sit on and bounce. I also stretch from a chin up bar and use a machine called a gyrotonic which is really good.
—Guest karen romiah

Activities Without Pain

Favorite Exercises When You Have Arthritis

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