Exercise Shown To Ease Arthritis Pain

Excess weight has sometimes been blamed for arthritis pain, as it seems intuitive that extra weight on the joints may lead to stiffness and discomfort. But researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that exercise can ease pain and improve movement, even when weight loss is not achieved.

In a mouse model, scientists fed one group of rodents a high-fat diet and another subset normal chow. Not surprisingly, the animals that ate unhealthy food gained weight and did not lose excess fat when put on a treadmill each day. However, these mice still experienced improvements in their levels of blood glucose and decreased inflammation, which is associated with arthritis.

"We're trying to understand the interaction of physical activity and obesity," said lead author Timothy Griffin, Ph.D. "Even though there was the same amount of body fat, the fat was different."

The researchers noted that physical activity appears to inhibit the production of inflammatory molecules. Additionally, their findings suggest that while it may be uncomfortable for overweight or obese people with arthritis to exercise, the activity is likely to ultimately alleviate their symptoms.