Oct. 12, 2012, marks the 16th annual World Arthritis Day. This year’s theme – "Move to Improve" – aims to remind both physicians and patients of the benefits of regular exercise in the management of arthritis.
The emphasis on exercise echoes the recommendations earlier this year from the American College of Rheumatology that physicians should counsel people with osteoarthritis to exercise as part of their therapy. These benefits include reducing pain, delaying disability, and improving mobility, function, and mood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Physical activity, such as tai chi, can be very beneficial in helping manage arthritis.
Arthritis is the most-common cause of disability in the United States, according to the CDC. By 2030, the agency projects that 67 million persons will be affected by arthritis and, among those, 25 million will be limited in their usual activities because of the disease. Exercise has the benefit of helping patients limit their disability, although some patients may be concerned, wrongly, that exercise may worsen their symptoms.
All forms of arthritis are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, with a recent report linking osteoarthritis to a higher risk for heart disease.
Other research has shown gout to increase the risk for heart disease, and the link between rheumatoid arthritis and earlier onset of ischemic heart disease is well established.
Physical activity also can help people with arthritis to manage other chronic conditions, like diabetes and heart disease, according to the CDC. Physicians have been increasingly pushing patients, especially those with chronic conditions, to get fit. The CDC recommends that all adults, including those with arthritis, exercise at least 2.5 hours of exercise weekly (or 30 minutes, 5 times a week), spread out in 10-to-15-minute segments throughout the day, if necessary.
Established in 1996, by Arthritis and Rheumatism International (ARI), World Arthritis Day is celebrated every Oct. 12. Its themes change regularly and this is the second time it has highlighted the benefits of exercise. Previous themes include "Let’s Work Together," in 2009, which focused on work-related challenges, such as working from home and paid employment. Nearly 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some form or arthritis or other rheumatic condition, making arthritis the most common cause of disability in the United States, according to the CDC.