Exercise and arthritis

Across the country, more than 50 million people are living with doctordiagnosed arthritis. So says the Arthritis Foundation, which projects that figure will rise to 67 million by the year 2030.

Simply put, arthritis is asignificant problem, one that can not only affect aperson’squality of life, but also his or her pocketbook, as the Arthritis Foundation notes that working-age men and women (those between the agesof18and64)whocontendwitharthritisarelesslikelytobeemployed than people of the same age who do not have arthritis. Arthritis is not only bad for employees, but also for employers, as it accounts for $156 billion annually in lost wages and medical expenses.

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Did You Know?

Osteoporosis is adisease of the bones that occurs when aperson loses too much bone, produces too little bone or both. Though the disease is most often associated with women over 50, anyone can suffer from osteoporosis, which weakens bones and can make them more susceptible to breaks. Exercise is agreat way for men and women to build and maintain strong bones in an attempt to prevent the onset of osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, weight-bearing exercises can help build and maintain bone density. But the NOF notes that men and women who have suffered broken bones due to osteoporosis or those at risk of such breaks may need to avoid high-impact weight-bearing exercises, which includedancing, hiking, jogging, and jumping rope, among others. For those whose physicians who suggest they avoid high-impact weight-bearing exercises, low-impact weight-bearing exercises can help them strengthen their bones. Such exercises may involve low-impactaerobicsandusingcardiovascular machines, such as elliptical trainers, stair-step machines and treadmills. Additional exercises that can benefit men and women looking to prevent or combat osteoporosis can be found at www.nof.org.