Exercise a Promising Dose for Prevention of Arthritis

Apr 06, 01:39 AM

Current Headlines: Get moving, Grandma! Exercise isn't just about improving your heart and fighting flab that comes with aging. It might also be the answer to preventing stiff, achy joints that can lead to debilitating arthritis.

An Australian study suggests the more time older women spend exercising, the better their chances are of staying pain-free from one of the biggest chronic conditions plaguing developed countries.

Even exercising as little as one hour and 15 minutes a week now can make a difference over the next three years, according to findings recently published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy.

"I don't think the results are suggesting that you should just become this maniac exerciser," said lead author Kristiann Heesch from the University of Queensland, Australia. "What it does suggest is that just adding some walking and moderate activity to your life can make a big benefit."

Doctors have long encouraged exercise among aging patients to keep joints flexible, muscles strong and to keep off weight, which is a leading risk factor for arthritis.

This is the first study that focuses specifically on middle-age and older women who did not have a history of stiff and painful joints.

It looked solely at pain and symptoms reported by more than 8,700 Australian women over a three-year period, and could offer a vital clue about prevention.

Women in their 70s who exercised 75 minutes a week reported fewer symptoms of arthritis than those who did less, while more spry women who were active at least 2 1/2 hours weekly had even less pain in the three years that followed.

Ms. Heesch said walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi and even some weight training were all great ways for older women to exercise after getting their doctors' approval.

More women than men suffer from arthritis, and the risk increases greatly with age.

(c) 2007 Augusta Chronicle, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.