Arthritis: Exercise Helps Ease The Pain

Statistics show that there are more than 3 million cases of arthritis in the United States (U.S.) every year, with inflammation in one or more of the joints leading to pain and stiffness that can worsen with age. Yet along with medications and vitamin supplements, there's additional hope.

New findings published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology show that "hard" bi-weekly physical training may help some patients with arthritis lessen pain from inflammation, and even a small drop in body mass index (BMI).

"Previously, studies have showed that moderate intensity work-out sessions can help improve endurance without inducing pain or inflammation, or damaging joints," said Anja Bye, a researcher at the K. G. Jebsen Centre for Exercise in Medicine at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in a news release. "This is why it is especially important for arthritis patients to keep fit and work on their cardiovascular endurance."

For the study, researchers enrolled 18 women between the ages of 20 and 49 for twice-weekly workouts on a spinning bike. Women warmed up for 10 minutes at about 70 percent of their maximum pulse before doing 4 repitions of four-minute high-intensity intervals at 85 to 95 percent of maximum pulse. Between each 4-minute interval, there was a 3 minute break, with participants returning to 70 percent of the max pulse during that time.

Findings revealed a 12.2 percent increase in their body's oxygen uptake and a 2.9 percent improvement in heart rate recovery, as well as a 1.2 percent drop in BMI, a 1 percent decrease in body fat and a 1.6 percent decrease in waist circumference. There also was no detected or reported increase in arthritis activity or pain.

"Rather, we saw a tendency for there to be less inflammation, at least as measured by the inflammation marker CRP, and the participants of the study experienced a solid increase maximum oxygen intake, meaning that they reduced their risk of cardiovascular disease," Bye said. "The women who participated in the study found this to be a good, effective method of training, and are mostly very motivated to continue because of the progress they've seen."