Daniel from Edmonton asks: My friend has psoriatic arthritis. He is in a lot of pain and is getting treatment to help deal with his condition. One thing he would like to do is start a fitness routine to help. I’m looking for advice on how to help plan and work in a fitness routine that could account for his joint pain.
Great question! We encourage our patients with inflammatory arthritis to stay active despite having arthritis. We know that maintaining activity and muscle strength is a positive, and can be an important component of treatment and well being. Further, activity itself should not make the arthritis worse. That said, every individual is different and we need to ensure an appropriate balance between remaining active and not causing pain. Physical therapists with expertise in inflammatory arthritis are often involved in consulting and developing activity plans. Your rheumatologist should be able to recommend an appropriate physical therapist to you.
Posted: September 7, 2015
Tagged: arthritis, exercise, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis