The most common exercise among people with arthritis

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It’s hard to exercise when you struggle with the pain and stiffness of arthritis. So how do people with arthritis get moving? Most of them walk, according to a study published online Oct. 8, 2021, by the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Researchers analyzed the 2019 survey results of 87,000 U.S. adults with arthritis (most of them middle-aged or older) who said they’d been physically active in the past month. About 71% reported that walking was one of their two most frequent activities, even if they had severe joint pain; 13% mentioned gardening; 7% said weight lifting. All of these activities help reduce arthritis pain and fatigue: Brisk walking gets your heart and lungs pumping for an aerobic workout that helps reduce fatigue, inflammation, and excess weight (which contributes to arthritis pain). Weight training reduces pain by strengthening muscles so they can absorb pressure you place on the joints. Gardening helps reduce stress and fatigue. Few survey respondents said they took part in low-impact activities, such as cycling or swimming. However, these activities are great workouts and are particularly easy on your joints.

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