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Osteoarthritis and Exercise

Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is defined as a set of attributes that relate to one's ability to perform physical activity. The major components of physical fitness are physical activity, health and exercise. Physical activity can be any body movement that results in energy expenditure, whereas exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful. Health encompasses physical, mental, and social well-being and not simply the absence of disease.

There are three main forms of exercise.

1. Flexibility exercises, or range of motion exercises are stretching exercises performed daily in a low intensity manner. They help to increase mobility, which in turn will help when a person begins a strengthening component. Muscles are more easily strengthened when they are mobile, and not stiff. This can also help to decrease morning stiffness and joint pain.
   
2. Strengthening exercises should be performed every other day, giving the muscles time to rest. They can be done with the weight of the body, with elastic bands, or with hand held weights or machines.
   
3. Aerobic exercise should be performed 3 to 5 days per week. Forms of aerobic exercise are walking, biking, dancing, mowing the lawn, raking leaves, swimming or water aerobics. Aerobic conditioning is attained through repetitive dynamic whole body activities at a moderate level of intensity.